Teams contest Gwynne Shield
The rugby stars of the future are in Cambridge this week to compete in the Gwynne Shield rugby tournament.
The competition kicked off on Sunday and runs through to July 17, hosted at Hautapu Park.
Host team Cambridge played its first game of the tournament on Monday, defeating Matamata, 27-5.
On Tuesday, Matamata was to play Hamilton Tigers and on Wednesday the team was due to play two games, against Te Awamutu and Hamilton Panthers.
On Thursday Matamata will take on North Waikato and then on Friday there are two games, against Hamilton Wasps and Tokoroa Tritons.
The tournament includes teams from Hamilton, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Matamata and Tokoroa.
During the tournament week, teams will play 10 games. Each game will be 40 minutes long, with two 20 minute halves.
The teams are made up of players from local children in school years 7 and 8.
The round robin tournament is a weighted tournament where all players must be under 57kg.
R J Gwynne donated the Shield in 1921 for play between Waikato Primary Schools. It is only in recent times it has been a competition for sub-union representa- tive teams. Up until 1941, there were teams such as Marist, Whitiora Primary School, Southwell and Morrinsville District High School in the competition.
Teams from Waipa and Mangakino have also won the Shield. In 1974 there was a South Waikato team and just two Hamilton teams playing against other Waikato sub-union of Matamata, Cambridge, Te Awamutu and North Waikato. In 1975 South Waikato was divided into the two teams, Putaruru and Tokoroa. Hamilton was asked to enter a third team, Hamilton South.