Programme Overview 

The Magpies Rugby Holiday Programme is back again in the April school holidays! The programme is designed to give kids aged 7 to 13 the opportunity to develop their skills as rugby players and make friends.  The sessions are run by the Hawke's Bay Rugby Development Officers and include some of our academy players as well.

Throughout the day the kids will rotate through stations in small groups. Each station develops the core fundamental skills involved in rugby. The stations involve tactical awareness, team work, run, catch, pass, tackle, carrying the ball into contact, kicking, breakdown, and conditioning games. To finish the day the players will be able to put their new skills to the test in a mini rugby game.

Session Information

Run Catch Pass: Learning the fundamentals of running, catching and passing is essential to all players. 

Tackle: Making an effective tackle is the cornerstone of every defensive system. The players will learn several different tackling techniques and when to use each one. With tackling the best technique is the safest technique.

Ball into contact: Being a strong ball carrier is much more than running ‘straight up the guts', it’s about using your feet, offloading the ball, fighting though the tackle and planting the ball securely. The coaches will break this skill down for the players and then get some quality practice in.

Breakdown: Just like the tackle, the best technique is the safest technique. The players will be coached in how to effectively clean out at the breakdown and the decision making process thats involved.

Kicking: The programme teaches the Grubber, Chip & Punt kicks and some other fun variations. For those players seen to be proficient, advanced coaching is available.

Strength & Conditioning: To play rugby you need to be good in several different areas of strength and conditioning. These are essential pillars to every player: speed, power, agility, strength, muscular endurance and aerobic capacity are all trained on the rugby field and the players are run though new techniques used by the magpies.

Details and Cost
Player registration: $50 

Player registration and cap: $70 

Limit of 100 kids per day.

Duration: 8.45am - 3pm.  (Kids must be signed in & signed out at the start and end of the day.)

Gear list: rugby training clothing (jersey & shorts), rugby boots, MOUTH GUARD, other protective gear i.e. shoulder pads, warm jersey, water bottle, lunch, positive attitude and keen to get involved!

All money raised from this programme is invested back into the program for next year or used to develop junior rugby within Hawkes bay.