Results - 2020 Waitaha Secondary School Ki o Rahi Regionals (Canterbury)
2020 Waitaha Secondary School Ki o Rahi Regionals
Kī-o-Rahi ki Waitaha Regional Championship 2020 (Series Tuatahi)
The first of two Kī-o-Rahi ki Waitaha Regional Championships for 2020 was held on Friday the 13th of March, at Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub. Unlike most other regional Kī-o-Rahi championships around the motu, in Waitaha we play two tournaments, one in Term 1, the other in Term 3. This requires kura to show consistency, and it also provides more playing opportunities for our rangatahi as well.
2020 Waitaha Secondary School Ki o Rahi Regionals
2020 Waitaha Secondary School Ki o Rahi Regionals
In the past the competition has been a ‘two touch’ module, though recently the region has adopted the rippa rules. Tatū is also used before the competition starts, and this is where the rangatahi can advocate for a particular rule change or amendment. For example, this year each team chose a pou to name and increase it’s worth to 2 points. Te Reo Māori is also greatly encouraged, with teams required to call out the number in te reo Māori when touching a pou.
2020 Waitaha Secondary School Ki o Rahi Regionals
2020 Waitaha Secondary School Ki o Rahi Regionals
This year, 14 teams competed; Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o te Whānau Tahi (2 x teams), Te Kura Whakapūmau i te reo Tūturu ki Waitaha, Hagley College, Riccarton High School (2 x teams), Linwood College, Burnside High School, Cashmere High School, Lincoln High School (2 x teams), Rangiora High School, Hillmorton High School, and Mairehau High School. Originally there were 16 teams registered to play, however after a couple of kura were unable to make it to the tournament, it was decided that we run 2 pools of 7 to make the best of the situation. A real positive was that kura each played 6 games each, really maximising the day.
2020 Waitaha Secondary School Ki o Rahi Regionals
At the conclusion of pool play, the playoffs were set up as such: 1st in pool 1 vs 1st in pool 2 for the #1 spot, 2nd in pool 1 vs 2nd in pool 2 for the #3 spot, and so on.
Both Lincoln High School and Te Kura Whakapūmau i te reo tūturu ki Waitaha finished unbeaten after pool play, and so Lincoln High School played Te Kura Whakapūmau i te reo tūturu ki Waitaha in the playoff for the #1 spot.
2020 Waitaha Secondary School Ki o Rahi Regionals
The playoff for the #1 spot was a very tight contest, with Lincoln High beginning as Kīoma. At the half the scores were Lincoln High 9 vs Te Kura Whakapūmau 7, with Lincoln High again Kīoma in the 3rd quarter. A credit to the defense of both the taniwha of Te Kura Whakapūmau and the kaitiaki of Lincoln High as the 3rd quarter saw no points scored, the score remaining 9-7 to Lincoln High heading into the 4th quarter. Te Kura Whakapūmau were able to capitalise on some defensive lapses and missed rips scoring 12 points in the final quarter, with Lincoln High scoring only 3 through their taniwha. The final score 12-19 to Te Kura Whakapūmau. A fantastic result for Te Kura Whakapūmau, who in 2019 were also overall winners of the regional Ngā Manu Kōrero competition, and who also took out the regional kapahaka competition too. Kāore e kore kua ekea te puhitaioreore e rātou.
2020 Waitaha Secondary School Ki o Rahi Regionals
Final placings are still being processed, and these final placings will determine how many overall competition points each kura will get i.e. 1st = 20pts, 2nd = 18pts, 3rd = 16ts, etc. At the conclusion of the second tournament, the kura with the most overall competition points will take home the trophy.
Nā Tihirangi Brightwell