Our 1st XV Manager, Bruce Baldwin, shares an update on the MGC Rugby team.

Our fabulous team are a very enthusiastic, well mannered, disciplined group of young Wahine that the College can be proud of. So far, we have only managed to play 2 out of 4 games due to the weather, with a Nelson team not wanting to travel, and Jubilee Park being under water with that last rain.

We recently played Nelson Girls College, and secured a win. Even though we won by a good margin (30-15), not once did the team lose sight of their fantastic sportsmanship, which shows in the Fair Play Points Table, where we are first equal. We met with stiff competition from Motueka High School last Wednesday evening and despite a tough and even game Motueka won on the night.

Wednesday the 29th June, Tasman Rugby held a Skills Development Day, which the team travelled across to. We had a chance to view the Women's World Cup Trophy and speak to some Black Ferns who attended and trained alongside the girls. This was a fantastic chance to promote Women’s Rugby and allow the girls to see the avenues available to them if this is where they see their chosen sport to head to. Tasman have received our coach, Michael Dillons nominations for the Tasman U18 Squad, and four of the QCC girls have been nominated, alongside one of the MGC students, Isabella Baldwin. 

On that note as we are halfway through the season, our focus is to get a head start on next years organisation, including funding applications and sponsorship.

One area we are focusing on is assessing funding for a PT Brayden Graham, to work with the girls around 8 weeks out from the start of the season to gain not only optimum fitness at the start of the season but also working how to body position for safe tackling, moving bodies utilising the oppositions size in our favour and general strength to promote safety on the paddock, which in turn will lessen injuries, which touch wood we haven’t had too many of to date.

If you are interested, the team has both a Facebook page and an Instagram account to promote the team in the community. We have a good number of followers. Each game we give a shout out to one of our Sponsors in kind recognition of their support.

By Bruce Baldwin, Manager