In tandem with the establishment of women's sevens in the Bay of Plenty, is the revitalisation of the Bay of Plenty Women's Rugby competition.

Three club teams and a Bay of Plenty Secondary Schoolgirls team kicked of the Baywide competition in mid-August 2012.

In addition the Bay Secondary Schoolgirls representatives will play in a Provincial Schools competition sandwiched in between the Baywide rounds.

One of the major advocates for a Bay women's rugby competition is former Black Fern and Opotiki women's coach Exia Edwards.

'While women's rugby has been alive in a couple of Bay clubs, the teams have had been playing just one game a season for the last few years. After a highly successful women's tournament last year, there has been a desire to play more than one game a year.”

Opotiki and Rangitaiki will represent the Eastern Bay along with Rotorua's Ngongotaha and the Bay Secondary Schoolgirls.

The Bay youngsters are also playing in a regional schoolgirl tournament, with the draw accommodating the Bay youngsters, allowing them to play in both competitions.

'I have been coaching the Opotiki Sports women's team since 2000 and are happy to coordinate the draw, with the response from the players having been overwhelming.

'This is a great opportunity to develop our young players and for the more experienced players to get back into quality rugby,” says Exia.

This Saturday Ngongotaha will host Opotiki Sports, while The Bay Secondary Schoolgirls will play Counties Manukau in the first round of the Regional Secondary Schoolgirls competition.

Bay of Plenty Rugby Women's Competition Draw

1^st September: Ngongotaha v Opotiki Sports, Ngongotaha.

8^th September: Rangitaiki v Opotiki Sports, Edgecumbe Domain

15^th September: Opotiki Sports v Ngongotaha, Opotiki; BOP Secondary Schoolgirls v Rangitaiki, Rugby Park Whakatane

22^nd September: Rangitaiki v Ngongotaha, Edgecumbe Domain

29^th September: Ngongotaha v Rangitaiki, Ngongotaha Domain; BOP Secondary Schoolgirls v Opotiki Sports, Rugby park Whakatane

Provincial Secondary Schoolgirls Draw

1^st September: BOP Secondary Schoolgirls v Counties Manukau, Counties Manukau

8^th September: BOP Secondary Schoolgirls v Waikato, Bay of Plenty

22nd September: Northern Region Finals Day, Auckland