Boosting performance in rugby

Bay of Plenty Steamers coach Clayton McMillan says the new competition will improve rugby in the Bay. Photo: Supplied.

The Bay of Plenty Rugby Union have announced a new competition comprising of four teams, Bay of Plenty, Samoa, Te Waiariki, Western Bay of Plenty and Eastern Bay of Plenty.

The Baywide Pro 4 series will include three weeks of round-robin fixtures, with the final week being held on Saturday, September 2 at Eastern Districts Rugby Football Club in Paengaroa.

The new competition has been established to achieve a number of outcomes, such as providing more involvement of players and coaches, helping the growth of Sub Union Rugby in the Bay and providing player's with the opportunity to be immersed in a semi-professional environment.

"We know Sub Union Rugby has a rich history and if the series is successful we would like to get all sub unions involved next year and have the Te Hurunui Apanui Shield up for grabs," says Bay of Plenty director of rugby and Bay of Plenty Steamers head coach Clayton McMillan.

"The Central Bay of Plenty had committed to the Stan Meads Cup this year so will not be involved but their players will still be considered for the apprenticeship places.”

Clayton says up until now the Bay of Plenty Development team has been seen as the best way to promote players into the Bay of Plenty Steamers, but through further research, they have found that this apprenticeship will be more successful.

"We will be selecting players from the series to come into an apprenticeship programme, where they will be contracted to train and be part of the Steamers squad environment.”

"This provides us as coaches, an opportunity to work with those players more, get to see how they tick, and most importantly the players get to see what a semi-professional environment is like and whether they are willing to do the hard yards to be part of it full time"

'We hope that the increased number of players, coaches and management involved it will provide them with the opportunity to take their key learning's from the series back to their clubs and assist the growth and development or their club personnel.”

Selection of teams will be determined by the players' eligibility, if a player is eligible for more than one team, the player will choose what team he will player for in the series.

Baywide Pro 4 Series Draw:

Saturday 19 August:

Kick-off: 2.30pmEastern Bay of Plenty v Bay of Plenty Samoan, Lawson Park, ParoaTe Waiariki v Western Bay of Plenty Sub Union, Richmond Park, Matata

Saturday 26 August:

Kick-off 2.30pm:

Eastern Bay of Plenty v Te Waiariki at Rugby Park, WhakataneWestern Bay of Plenty v Bay of Plenty Samoan, Blake Park, Mount Maunganui

Saturday 2 September:

Kick-off: 2.30pmEastern Bay of Plenty Sub Union v Western Bay of Plenty Sub Union, PaengaroaTe Waiariki v Bay of Plenty Samoan, Paengaroa

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