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Rotorua student joins NRL club
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Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Rotorua Boys' High School student Rayna Whakaari has signed with the Sydney Roosters.
A Rotorua Boys' High School student has been signed to the Sydney Roosters.
Rayna Whakaari, 15, has officially been given a two year contract with the NRL club last week. He came to the club's attention following a training development camp in Australia last year.
The Year 11 student of Tainui and Ngapuhi descent is a centre and has been playing rugby league for three years.
"I was excited when I was told, it's something I've always wanted," Whakaari said.
"The (Sydney Rooster) coaches were helpful, the whole team was pretty close and I really liked the culture," he said.
Whakaari plays for Pikiao Rugby League Club and is in the NZ Maori U16 Rugby League team. He was selected to play in the Pasifika Youth Cup in January and has a scholarship to attend the NZRL National High Performance Club next month.
He also plays rugby union and is part of the Rotorua Boys' High School 1st XV team which represented New Zealand at the Sanix World 1st XV Tournament in Japan last year.
His NRL contract will allow him to finish his education in Rotorua and and travel to Sydney for league commitments during the holidays.
Whakaari follows in the footsteps of former Boys' High student, Reuben Te Kani who moved to Australia last year to play for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs under 20s squad.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-dail...ectid=11817810
Save
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
Rotorua Boys' High School student Rayna Whakaari has signed with the Sydney Roosters.
A Rotorua Boys' High School student has been signed to the Sydney Roosters.
Rayna Whakaari, 15, has officially been given a two year contract with the NRL club last week. He came to the club's attention following a training development camp in Australia last year.
The Year 11 student of Tainui and Ngapuhi descent is a centre and has been playing rugby league for three years.
"I was excited when I was told, it's something I've always wanted," Whakaari said.
"The (Sydney Rooster) coaches were helpful, the whole team was pretty close and I really liked the culture," he said.
Whakaari plays for Pikiao Rugby League Club and is in the NZ Maori U16 Rugby League team. He was selected to play in the Pasifika Youth Cup in January and has a scholarship to attend the NZRL National High Performance Club next month.
He also plays rugby union and is part of the Rotorua Boys' High School 1st XV team which represented New Zealand at the Sanix World 1st XV Tournament in Japan last year.
His NRL contract will allow him to finish his education in Rotorua and and travel to Sydney for league commitments during the holidays.
Whakaari follows in the footsteps of former Boys' High student, Reuben Te Kani who moved to Australia last year to play for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs under 20s squad.
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-dail...ectid=11817810
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