Some 100 Eastern Bay of Plenty students will have the opportunity to complete the ‘E TÅ« Rangatahi programme thanks to sponsorship from Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi: indigenous-university.

A New Zealand Rugby Union initiative, E TÅ« Rangatahi will be jointly delivered on Wednesday, 8 August, by the NZRU and the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union (BOPRU).

The facilitators of the programme are NZRU Māori Liaison Officer Tiki Edwards and former BOP Steamers Captain and rugby legend Wayne Ormond.

Developed specifically for students who play rugby, the leadership programme will involve up to 100 players from the Eastern Bay of Plenty region and will be held at the Whakatane War Memorial Hall Stadium and utilise the Rex Morpeth Park fields for the practical sessions.

Students will be taught how to tackle, catch and pass – but at the core of the programme is the message for students to set goals, find people who believe in them, ensure they have a good balance in life and to take action to achieve their goals.

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi CEO and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Graham Hingangaroa Smith, says Awanuiārangi is delighted to sponsor the programme given its objectives align so closely with those of the Wānanga.

'E Tū Rangatahi aims to give young Māori more opportunities to experience success, and to realise they have the potential to also achieve in other fields, including education.

'The Wānanga is a cultural-based learning option that provides an increasing number of pathways for Māori and other students to pursue once they leave school, so we view this programme as a positive way to start students thinking about their futures and to take positive action.”

Presenter Tiki Edwards says he is excited Awanuiārangi has come on board with the programme, enabling such a large number of students to complete the programme. 'Awanuiārangi is a fantastic resource for young people to have based here in Whakatāne.”

Supporting the programme is Maori All Black and Bay of Plenty Steamers Captain, Wayne Ormond.

While some of the students didn't know he is the only Bay of Plenty Captain to lift the Ranfurly Shield in victory, captaining his side to a 33-28 victory over Auckland in 2004, Wayne's humble presence and knowledge impressed everyone.

Employed part-time by the BOPRU as Maori Rugby Development Officer, Wayne Ormond is preparing for a fantastic day with the students.

'The E TÅ« programme enables students to be shown that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things. And in particular, we love the opportunity to show students the many, many successful Māori rugby players who have achieved highest honours in rugby and life.”

He played for New Zealand Māori, featuring in the side that famously beat the British and Irish Lions 19-13 in 2005.

That team was coached by Eastern Bay of Plenty's Matt Te Pou, who notched up years of success at the helm of the NZ Māori team.

'We want to see greater numbers of Māori achieving at high-level rugby and this programme aims to foster the belief in young people that they can achieve – no matter where they come from,” adds Wayne, who set his own career goal to reach the NZ Māori team.

'I was working full-time and playing club rugby, but I had to take every opportunity to improve my fitness and skills. So at lunch-times I used to head straight from work to the Redwood forest where I had to run – in work overalls and all.”

In addition to the E TÅ« Rangatahi programme on August 8, the day will provide a feast of rugby for players of all ages.

The Bay of Plenty Steamers have a pre-season match against the Hawkes Bay Magpies kicking off at Rugby Park at 2pm, but prior to that the players will split up and visit six Eastern Bay of Plenty schools.

This will give students the opportunity to hear the players talk and for some groups to take part in practical rugby sessions.

The school visits are part of the programme to bring the BOP Steamers closer to the provinces, an objective set by Coach Kevin Schuler for the coming season.

Kevin will also set aside some of the morning to take a 1^st XV coaching session, run in conjunction with the E TÅ« Rangatahi programme.

A curtain-raiser between Whakatāne High School and Edgecumbe College 1^st XV kicks off at 12 noon and will provide a great spectacle of school boy rugby in what is a bonafide competition match as part of the BOP Secondary School competition.

There is no age group excluded, as even the youngest of rugby players will have an opportunity to shine on August 8, with exhibition Under 7 rippa rugby matches being played in between the curtain raiser and the main match and at the BOP Steamers half-time period.

Following the match, the BOP Steamers invite the public to join them at the ‘1XX Splash with the Steamers' – a recovery session of water polo being held at the Whakatāne Aquatic Centre from 4.30pm to 6pm.