I could not be prouder of what the team has achieved this year. They have played some great rugby, but for me it’s been seeing them come together as a team that has really made the season special.

Every player has contributed, each finding their unique role – from the kid that passed the ball, or blew over at the breakdown, or rarely missed a tackle, to the kid that mastered the dark art of the breakdown, or charged down the sideline. Together they produced a season of rugby that provided excitement, delight, a few more grey hairs, great team bonds and some fantastic results.

This year we had 12 players return and 1 new player who integrated seamlessly into the team and picked up the game quickly. The boys all showed exponential growth and started to read the game well. They worked cohesively at the breakdown to bridge, blow over and pass which resulted in some fantastic team tries. On defence, they have shown improvement, with everyone stepping up to make some big, try-saving tackles. The Ron Williams tournament was a highlight of the season with some tough competition from North Harbour and Auckland teams. Winning the plate final was an excellent result for the team.

I want to acknowledge the contribution of Josh and Ryan who took on Co-Coach roles this year, they brought some new ideas and fun to the coaching team. A big thanks also to our refs, Chris and Eric, there was definitely a bit more pressure from the sideline this year, but they coped with it well and were fair and consistent with their calls. Thank you to our supporters who have enthusiastically cheered the team on, helped at training, washed the jerseys, and run the sub bench.

“Who loves the Cote? We love the Cote.”