Fifty five teams from Central primary schools scored hundreds of tries in the annual Dunstan zone rippa rugby tournament at Alexandra’s Molyneux Park on Friday.

The morning was freezing with a frost of about -4 degrees Celsius in Alexandra, but by 11am the temperature had climbed to 3C. 

Teams came from Alexandra Primary, Clyde School, Cromwell College, Cromwell Primary School (CPA), Goldfields Primary, St Gerards, St Johns, The Terrace School (TTS), Maniototo Area School, Millers Flat, Omakau School, Poolburn School, and Roxburgh Area School (RAS).

The Terrace School teacher and sports representative Mike Dalgliesh has organised the tournament on his own for the past five years. 

He said many people helped bring it all together on the day including parents, team coaches and managers, the 19 Dunstan High School year 9 and 10 students who volunteered as referees, the 10 year eight TTS students who helped with scorecards and TTS parent teacher association (PTA) helpers on the fundraising food stall.

Watch a short video of the day’s highlights (1 min and 20 secs). VIDEO: The Central App

Blue skies broke out mid-morning on Friday in Alexandra.

Millers Flat School students were (from left) Lara Brennan (10), Lucy Dawson (10), Ella Anderson (10) and Lucy MacCorkindale (9).

Clyde School girls enjoying some lollies in between games were (from left) Niley Paulin (10), Maddie Petersen-Young (10), Zara Wing (10), Sasha Thomas (11) and Charlotte Spence (11.)

Each team played about four games over the course of the morning and the semi-finals and final rounds were played from 1.30pm. 

Students told The Central App it was a great game to play and they were enjoying cheering on their mates, and practicing new skills of ripping, passing and dodging. 

Rippa is a safe easy to play version of rugby, without tackling or any physical contact and tries are worth five points. 

To prevent a try being scored the defenders must rip the flag from the belt of the ball carrier. This forces the ball carrier to pass the ball. Six rips against the attacking team in one set of possession results in the ball being turned over to the other team.

Seven players are on the field for each team at a time, and there needs to be a minimum of three girls in each team. There is no kicking and like normal rugby the ball needs to be passed in a backwards direction.

The 2024 winners were; CPS Molyneux, Goldfields defenders, TTS tigers (year three and four first, second and third); Goldfields, St Johns green, St Gerard’s mako (Year 5 and 6 first, second and third; RAS yellow, St Gerard’s Taniwha, Cromwell yellow (year seven and eight first, second and third).

Roxburgh Area School team yellow, topped in the year seven and eight category.

The winning Year 5 and 6, and Year 7 and 8 teams from the Dunstan zone tournament will face winners from Wakatipu and Upper Clutha zones in Queenstown for the overall Central Otago rippa rugby title on Friday, June 7.

PHOTOS/VIDEO: The Central App