Players from the Steamers rugby team received rock star welcomes from adoring young fans at Tauranga Intermediate School.

Ben Smith, Lance MacDonald, Josh Hall, Jack Wilson and Nick McCashin handed out passes to this week's home game against Taranaki and collectors cards with player profiles on the front and anti-bullying messages on the back.

Tauranga Intermediate pupils went wild for the visiting Steamers on Friday.

Tauranga Safe City coordinator Mike Mills says the Steamers are working with the organisation to spread the word that bullying is not okay.

'This is one of a number of these things happening around the district during the ITM Cup based on the partnership between Tauranga Safe Communities and the Tauranga Rugby Union,” says Mike.

'Bullying is an issue. Maybe it's not a school issue but it is a behavioural issue that manifests in other domains like Facebook and via text messaging. Visiting schools is a good way to bring the issue to the kids. That's why we're keen to get into schools to get the message across. The support of the rugby union is a wonderful endorsement of what we do.”

During the afternoon assembly the players introduced themselves and Nick McCashin got the students chanting the WITS anti-bullying strategy.

Nick first explained that WITS is an acronym for Walkaway, Ignore, Tell someone and Seek help, because bullies need help.

Pupils were rapt to receive drink bottles, rugby balls and player cards.

The idea of the cards is that students can get more from attending games and trade amongst themselves until they collect the entire set. Each card also includes anti-bullying information.

Anti-bullying messages are aimed at empowering victims of bullying and to remind them that the bully is always the problem, not the victim. It is about putting the power and confidence back into the victim's hands and the bully recognising that in the end, 'no one likes a bully'.

The content was developed through the facilitation of focus groups and is aimed at 10-13 year-olds who are moving forward into high school.

The Bay of Plenty Steamers and mascot, Steamie, will be heavily involved in the implementation of the campaign into Bay of Plenty intermediate schools.