Teams to look out for - 2019 NZ Secondary School Ki o Rahi Nationals part 7
This year we look at the Top 8 teams from 2018’s New Zealand Secondary School Ki o Rahi Nationals.
This week we look at:
TE WHAREKURA O RAKAUMANGAMANGA
2018 NZ Secondary School Ki o Rahi Nationals - Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga Jump Shot
Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga is a small Kura ā Iwi with close to 400 students from Year 1 - 13 located in Huntly, Waikato. The Kura is close to the Waikato River, Waahi Paa and other areas of cultural and spiritual significance to Waikato Tainui.
2018 NZ Secondary School Ki o Rahi Nationals - Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga
Kiingitanga values; manaakitanga, whakaiti, whakapono, aroha, rangimarie, kotahitanga and mahitahi exemplify the culture and practices of the kura. All students at this Kura are of Maori descent, A strong reciprocal relationship with iwi exists. Iwi leaders acknowledge Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga as a Waikato Tainui education provider. However, the kura welcomes and cherishes as their own, all students from all different waka. (Education Review Office, ERO)
2018 NZ Secondary School Ki o Rahi Nationals - Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga
Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga are arguably the most consistent school at Ki o Rahi since Ki o Rahi Nationals first began. They were the second school after Tūranga Wāhine Tūranga Tāne to have won the National Secondary Schools tournament twice, which they did so in Whanganui 2013 and Wellington 2014. In 2015 and 2016 they placed in the Top 4 and in 2017 they placed 2nd.
2018 NZ Secondary School Ki o Rahi Nationals - Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga
Last year, Rākaumanga started Day 1 in Pool B alongside Karamu High School, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kaikohe, Hastings Boys and Hukarere Girls, Te Kura o Kokohuia and Kuratai.
On Day 1, Rākaumanga went through their pool unchallenged with wins against Karamu 32 - 19, Kaikohe 57 - 14, Hastings & Hukarere 46 - 2, Kokohuia 62 - 7 and Kuratai 39 - 5. After 5 games they had scored a massive 236 points and only had 47 points scored on them. Topping Pool B meant they would face second place from Pool C Tūranga Wāhine Turanga Tāne, meaning one of the top teams (of which these two are) would not make the top 4.
2018 NZ Secondary School Ki o Rahi Nationals - Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga
TWTT did push Rākaumanga hard but couldn’t quite get over the top of them meaning Rakaumanga progressed to the semi-finals against Lytton High School. If anyone would like to watch that game we have managed to find it here - https://www.facebook.com/LyttonHighSchool/videos/1309221022511251/ make sure to give a like to the Lytton High School page. Spoiler alert but Rākaumanga beats Lytton 16 - 13 meaning for the second year in a row Rākaumanga would face Te Kura Māori o Ngā Tapuwae in the final.
2018 NZ Secondary School Ki o Rahi Nationals - Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga
The final was a close encounter with the Rākaumanga shooters getting most of their points for their team as they couldn’t score too many tupu manawa (tries) against the Ngā Tapuwae defence they still managed one each quarter. In the final quarter the kaitiaki of Ngā Tapuwae tidied up their blocking and it meant the Rākaumanga shooters didn’t have the same effect they had first time around, Rākaumanga finished 2nd for the second year in a row meaning since at least 2013 they have always played semi-finals at Ki o Rahi Nationals, that is ultra consistent!
2018 NZ Secondary School Ki o Rahi Nationals - Te Wharekura o Rākaumangamanga
For all the awesome photos from Ki o Rahi Nationals 2018 please head along to the Tairāwhiti Ki o Rahi page HERE.