From the farms of Katikati to the Papamoa hills, wearing the silver fern and calling yourself an All Black is still the ultimate dream for most youngsters running around the region's rugby fields.

And here in Tauranga, one rugby club wants to give children an extra push towards their dreams by introducing a rugby grade for three and four-year-olds.

Little Raptors Rugby founder Ati Aaifou-Olive and Tauranga Sports lock Keepa Mewett lift Daniel Kelliher, 4, and Ainslee Cook, 3, to test out their line-out skills ahead of tomorrow's session. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Bright and early tomorrow morning, Tauranga Sports' Little Raptor Rugby hits the ground running with more than 30 children taking to Tauranga Domain armed with rugby balls and open minds.

Little Raptors Rugby founder Ati Aaifou-Olive formulated the concept after discovering a gap in Saturday sport here in the Bay of Plenty whilst searching for a side for his son, three-year-old Salesa.

'They play Rippa Rugby at five-years-old but there is nothing before that here,” says Ati, who moved to Tauranga from Wellington in the off-season.

'In Wellington and Auckland they have seen the benefits, where kids are learning the skills a bit younger so when they play rippa rugby they know the game.”

So for the next 15 weeks, Ati, with the help of his Tauranga Sports premier teammates, will teach children the basics of catching and passing as well as drills that top-level players use, including agility tests with ladders and tyres.

The training is free of charge to those interested – which, judging by Ati's phone calls, are quite a few.

'We have 30 kids registered already and I've been getting plenty phone calls,” says Ati.

'We have kids coming from the Mount and Papamoa. I don't want it just to stop at Tauranga Sports - I'd love to share this idea with other clubs.”

Each week four premier players will oversee the budding young rugby players channel their inner Richie McCaw, Ma'a Nonu or Israel Dagg through drills as well as light-hearted games.

Ati says the emphasis is on learning, but having fun is also a key part of the programme.

He hopes to use the 15-week programme as a pilot study to take to the Bay of Plenty Rugby Union in the hope of integrating it across the region.

'Rugby is not a scary sport,” he adds, 'it's just about having fun.”

Little Raptors Rugby runs from 8.30am-9.30am at the Tauranga Domain every Saturday for the next 15 weeks.

For more information contact Ati on 021 590 080.