Kumeu Rugby Club wins $10,000 for junior players at Blues vs Hurricanes match, thanks to nib

In an exciting half-time showdown during the Blues vs Hurricanes match at Eden Park on Saturday, 11 May, Kumeu Rugby Club emerged victorious in the fourth annual nib Little Legends $10K Relay, claiming the coveted $10,000 cash prize.

Kumeu Rugby Club, from the North Harbour region, showcased exceptional skills and teamwork, securing the grand prize to support the health and wellbeing initiatives of their school and players, thanks to health insurer nib, and the Blues.

One hundred young athletes, aged 11-13, from junior rugby clubs and intermediate schools across the Blues supporters regions of Auckland, North Harbour, and Northland came together at the iconic Eden Park to compete for $10,000. This was the fourth nib Little Legends $10K Relay.

The ten teams all showed impressive speed and talent, but Kumeu Rugby Club came out on top amidst the nerves and excitement of the evening. The team plans to use its winnings to help fund players, covering fees, boots and uniforms.

Stephen MacKenzie, Relay Manager at Kumeu Rugby Club said: “It’s life-changing for our club. We can do so much with the money, so we’re super excited. It’s been an incredible opportunity for all of the junior rugby clubs in Auckland – $10,000 is just an amazing amount of money that can be put to good use. So thank you very much to nib and the Blues!”

Kumeu is one of the fastest-growing clubs for women’s rugby, with 25-30% of players female, and a new premier women's team. The club also plans to refurbish a changing room, improving facilities to better suit women and girls.

Rob Hennin, Chief Executive Officer of nib New Zealand, emphasised the importance of proactive health initiatives like the relay.

"As a health insurer we know the importance of proactively looking after your health and wellbeing,” Mr Hennin said. “Encouraging kids to be active is a great way to teach children positive habits from a young age. Our long-standing partners, the Blues are fantastic role models, and it was awesome to see the little legends compete on the same pitch as their sporting heroes.

“Together with the Blues we’ve been encouraging Kiwis to tackle their health issues by staying up to date with important health screenings. We were pleased to have the nib Check Up Clinic in the Auckland CBD in the lead up to the game, offering free health checks to the public.

“Congratulations to Kumeu Rugby Club, we hope this funding boost will enhance the health and wellbeing of their tamariki, and positively impact their whānau and wider community. Well done to all the competing teams and we look forward to holding the competition again next year."

Andrew Hore, Blues Chief Executive said: “It’s been a pleasure to work with our Principal Partner nib to put on this event for the fourth year running and seeing how much energy the teams bring every single time. Not only does the relay embody the values of rugby – team work and mate ship but also hard work and sportsmanship that’s central to our game, we love seeing these young people battling hard for their clubs and one day we hope to see a few battling for the Blues on behalf of their clubs."

The following teams made the finals. They were selected based on submissions covering how they would spend $10K to support the health and wellbeing of their players:

• Koru School
• Auckland Normal Intermediate
• St Dominic’s Girls Catholic School
• Onerahi Rugby Club
• Marist Eastern Rugby Club
• Kumeu Rugby Club
• Northcote Junior Rugby Club
• Manurewa Rugby Club
• Ardmore Marist
• Takapuna Rugby Football Club