Pros set to offer advice at seminar

Alison King | 27th May 2010

A class in professional rugby is on the cards for young Maori players as Rotorua helps celebrate a centenary of New Zealand Maori rugby.

And coaches and administrators will also get a chance to learn off the pros.

As part of the lead up to the June 18 test between New Zealand Maori and Ireland at Rotorua International Stadium, organisers are putting on a host of community engagements.

The first will be a training session at Western Heights High School on June 16 which will incorporate a youth development workshop for the city's up and coming rugby players.

"It will be an opportunity to watch them train, meet them, then listen to some experiences of what it takes to be a professional rugby player," said Bay of Plenty RFU's operations manager Mike Rogers.

"It's not just for the boys, it's also open to our female rugby players and from years nine to 13. It's a pretty popular sport for girls at secondary school, we've got between 10 and 12 girls teams in the Bay of Plenty."

The New Zealand Maori officials will share their knowledge with Maori coaches and administrators at the Whakarewarewa clubrooms.

Rogers said this is a coaching course and a chance to "upskill and get some knowledge from the New Zealand Maori management".

 There are still tickets left for the Ireland match.

* The youth development session runs from 10am to 1pm at Western Heights High School. If wet it will move to Rotorua Girls' High School Arena.

* The coaching course is at Whaka clubrooms from 6pm to 7.30pm.