Today rugby players and fans flooded Blake Park to watch and practise with their idols.

Friends Petera Wharepapa-Maxwell, Tātana Wharepapa-Maxwell, Kairangi Brown, and Rangikapua Grace gathered and watched as the All Blacks Sevens trained before joining them for a skills and drills event with the Black Ferns Sevens.

The event was open to all to celebrate the teams’ recent success as they prepare for the Paris Olympics, says spokesperson Libby Boggs.

Black Ferns Sevens Mahina Paul in the skills and drills session. Photo John Borren.

From 11.00am Blake field filled with kids of all ages to get the chance to train with the best.

Petera, Tātana, Kairangi and Rangikapua say they are big fans of the All-Black Sevens and the Black Ferns Sevens.

Kairangi says his favourite player is Cody Vai.

All four of the boys play rugby and ripper and want to be professional rugby players when they’re older.

“I want to play for the Warriors first and then the All Blacks,” says Kairangi.

He says he started playing at 6-years-old. “My dad wanted to make me play Ripper until I had a tantrum to play rugby so he put me in the under eights.”

“I started when I was six,” says Tātana, “I started when I was seven,” says Rangikapua.

When asked who they look up to they said their teammates and coaches.

The boys said they were most excited about the skills and drills session hosted by the All Blacks Sevens and the Black Ferns Sevens.

All Blacks Sevens opening training session. Photo John Borren.

A week after their triumphant Hong Kong Sevens wins, the All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Seven got amongst the Tauranga community with the opening training session and skills and drills event.

“There are two more tournaments scheduled on the World SVNS Series this season; Singapore at the start of May and the Final in Madrid in June,” says Libby.

All Blacks Sevens opening training session. Photo John Borren.