PPRFC Newsletter - 26 June 2023

In other Senior Rugby news…
Premier Men
Saturday 10th June saw Blake Neve play his 100th Premier game for the Club against Wellington Axemen, with our men coming away with a 68-5 win.
It was back to home turf to face Petone on Saturday 17th June with a win of 53-24 to capture the Ken Gray Cup for the first time, and Luke Omeri play his 50th Premier game.

Congratulations to the following players having been named in the 2023 Wellington Lions wider training squad - Sam Clarke, Joe Faleafaga, Luke Kapene, Louis Northcott and Ethan Webster-Nonu.

Prem Women
Our Premier Women went on to play in the Izzy Ford Cup final in a close match which saw the opposition, HOBM/Wainui take the win in the last few minutes of the game. Congratulations ladies on your season.

Under 85s
With no Colts team for the 2023 season, the Daniel Baldwin Trophy was contested between our Under 85s and the Wellington Axemen on Saturday 10th June. The trophy, played annually between Pare Plim and Axemen Colts recognises and remembers Daniel Baldwin who died following a knock to the head during a game at Ngāti Toa Domain in May 2017. Daniel's parents, Len & Eva Baldwin attended this year's game as always, and Daniel was remembered in the Axemen clubrooms post-match. We thank our Under 85s for taking up the challenge, retaining the trophy and joining the Axemen during their Old Timers Day to remember Daniel.

Game day info for 1st July is below and will also be shared on our social media pages. Draws and results info can be found here on our website.

Junior Rugby
We've had a busy start to the 2023 season and it is hard to believe that we are just about half way through already!

To date our Y4s have attended the Misiluni Moananu Memorial Shield tournament held every year at Poneke.
We've held our annual Christian Cullen/Kings Birthday 7s tournament; unfortunately our first interclub games of the season were postponed due to field space with councils; and our teams and planning for this year's NZ Junior Rugby Festival in Taupo is well underway. The team management are currently putting together fundraising ideas to help support the teams to get there, please do your best to support our coaches in the huge role they play with our Tamariki.

Our (now first) junior interclub is scheduled to take place against Wainui on 2nd July, with our next travelling to Feilding on 30th July. If this a new concept to you, this does not involve all teams and players, just a few from each team will get this opportunity.

Thanks to all our volunteers on your work to date - it is hugely appreciated. This also includes many junior players that have taken part in being a ball kid or scorer at our senior games so far this season.
Please always remember, these are kids, we are all volunteers trying to do the best that we can.

Junior Date Reminders:
No games during the school holidays - 7th/8th July and 14th/15th July

Junior Prizegiving - afternoon of Sunday 27th August (Y0/1 through to Y7/8)

Below is a photo of our Y3 tackle grade having crazy hair day the other week.