Junior rugby in Te Puke is booming after the annual Tai Mitchell rugby tournament. And the town is celebrating.

The Te Puke team are 2024 Tai Mitchell Shield champions in the boys’ competition after winning the final by more than 60 points and going through seven tournament games in five days undefeated.

Praise for Te Puke came from all quarters.

“Phenomenal — an exceptional team,” says Ray Atkins, coach of the Tauranga East team who were thumped by Te Puke earlier in the tournament, and one of the tournament organisers.

“There was Te Puke and then everyone else. Head and shoulders above, outstanding.”

And winners both on and off the field it seems.

“Their sportsmanship was superb, their attitude commendable. They demonstrated a lot of respect towards their opponents at the end of a game,” says Ray. Even though many of those opponents were dispatched by big scores. “It was a privilege to play against them.”

It is estimated more than a thousand people watched the final yesterday, with more than 10,000 spectators over the five days at Blake Park.

“Fantastic tournament, best ever,” says Ray. And a unique tournament that gives intermediate-age players their first taste of representative rugby.

Surprisingly, the biggest problem for the 19 boys’ and girls’ teams comprising more than 500 players was sunburn. The tournament was played in stunning weather, which assisted the big turnout.

“How many rugby tournaments are played where there’s an ongoing demand for sunscreen?” says Ray.

The organisers of the first Tai Mitchell tournament in Tauranga for 10 years also received their share of the plaudits — a well-run tournament and excellent facilities at Blake Park.

“Some of the sub-unions in the wider Bay of Plenty aren’t blessed with the same level of facilities we enjoy at Moun Manganui,” says Nikki Hansen, partner of coach Ray.

“They enjoyed Blake Park, thought it was amazing. The grounds, everything, was superb.”

The tournament was also a family affair, with son Kai Atkins, a former Tai Mitchell tournament player, putting school aside for three days to assist with running the tournament.

“He was happy and proud to do it — loved being part of Tai Mitchell at a different level,” says Nikki. The family were at Blakes Park from about 6.30am most days for the tournament, and did not get home for 12 hours.

The Tai Mitchell tournament is always about the kids.

“And they had a ball, it was awesome,” says Nikki. One of the new features of the tournament this year was the player zone — a special area where kids and coaches could chill, chat, and mingle. Next year the tournament heads to Rotorua.

Result of the boys’ competition — Te Puke 1, Tauranga West 2; Whakatane 3, Rotorua Maroon 4; Tauranga East 5, Tauranga North 6; Galatea 7, Ōpōtiki 8; Rotorua Gold 9, Rangitīkei 10.

Girls’ competition — Tauranga West 1, Tauranga North 2; Whakatāne 3, Te Puke 4; Rotorua Maroon 5, Rangitāiki 6; Tauranga East 7, Opotiki 8; Rotorua Gold 9.