22 August 2005

Aranui High to host National Secondary Schools Rugby League Tournament

Aranui High School has stepped up to the mark in the heartland of Rugby League in Christchurch to host the National Secondary Schools Rugby League Tournament - even getting the Brisbane Broncos coaching and development staff to help.

Aranui Academy coach John Rangihuna says he has joined forces with Aranui High School to coordinate this elite event to ensure that Rugby League is not lost as a national secondary school sport, after the event was removed from the NZ Rugby League calendar this year.

Aranui High will host some of New Zealand's top rugby league schools, including Kelston Boys High School, Otahuhu College, Nelson College, St Pauls College, and Wainuiomata High School at the National Secondary Schools Rugby League Tournament at Queen Elizabeth II Park from Wednesday, 31 August, through to the finals on Saturday, 3 September.

The Brisbane Broncos' full coaching development staff will also be there to run, player-coach clinics to upskill players and show coaches the latest techniques used in the NRL.

Broncos' recruitment officer Ivan Henjack will be accompanied at the tournament by development staff, Peter Nolan, Michael Hancock, Andrew Gee, Paul Green and Paul Dyer, along with Darren Bell from West's Queensland - a feeder club to the Broncos.

The Brisbane Broncos will also sponsor a "player of the tournament" prize of an all-expenses-paid trip (flights and accommodation) to the Broncos' one-week junior elite summer camp to be held in Brisbane in January 2006.

"It's been a lot of hard work to pull the event together due to the lack of financial support. Each school that is attending has had to fund themselves," Rangihuna says. "But it's really exciting to have such high-calibre rugby league talent all in one place. This is an opportunity for all involved and definitely is not to be missed," he says.

The tournament is a free event and the draw will be advertised closer to the time.

ENDS

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