2023 Te Arawa Secondary School Kī-o-Rahi National Placings
2023 Final Placings - Te Arawa Secondary School Kī-o-Rahi National Placings
Shout out to the brother Tihirangi Brightwell from the Waihora Taniwha - Lincoln High School who put together this awesome image for us all that shows our final placings from 2023 Te Arawa Nationals.
You will see we have a number of teams finishing in equal positions and that is either because the decision was made to not play the final round of the day so that we could finish the day and everyone could watch the final. Apologies from myself to teams from 17th - 29th equal as I made a stuff up in the draw which meant you guys didn’t actually get to play the teams you were supposed to, so your placings aren’t specific. Arohanui ki a koutou!
Some awesome things I picked up from this image is that in the brackets it shows how teams have done at the previous two nationals and which rohe they represent.
The coolest thing for me that I’ve seen from this is the spread of teams from right across our country in the Top 8 and Top 16. It hasn’t been so well spread out in years gone by so to see this variety is good for our taonga.
The other thing of interest is the amount of new schools who have made moves - Westlake Boys & Girls High School winning the tournament at their first attempt is massive. To know too that they have a number of students from their Māori unit in the team is such a cool thing!
Kaokaoroa o Pātetere at 3rd equal is a big big move and tribute to the kura and their kaiako who reach out to other kura to help get the extra games in for their tauira.
Wainuiomata at 7th place is a massive jump from where they were in Te Tai Tokelau and a tribute to the mahi that staff and students do getting around the country to strengthen their knowledge and experience, and at the same time helping other kura!
TKKM o Kaikohe in the Top 8 is so awesome to me, a Kura that has been plugging away for a long while, finally getting to see the fruits of their hardwork - I don’t think there’s been a Tai Tokerau team in the Top 8 since the days of Taipa who were an awesome team too.
Te Kuiti’s result is a rewarding one for their coach and kura who have been sitting in the top 8 for a number of years - finally breaking into that Top 4 gives them a taste of how close they are to making a final.
He mihi nui tēnei ki Te Arawa me ā rātou pukumahi, ā rātou manawanui hoki ki te kawea tēnei kaupapa. Mihi nui ki a Tamihana, the man bro!
It’s so cool we’re heading down to Te Waipounamu in 2024 another chance for us to grow and strengthen the game in other areas of Aotearoa.
All the best for your continued growth in Kī-o-Rahi, see you in Waitaha!