Team work, passion, commitment, excitement, competiveness, fellowship, energy, perspiration, exhaustion, focus, mission, fun, are just some of the adjectives used to describe the 2009 Touch Rugby Tournament held in Auckland on Saturday 21 November at Gallagher Park in Manurewa.

Each player’s registration fee of $12 went towards providing Scripture for the Youth of New Zealand, a cause everyone attending the event applauded.

(The average subsidised cost of providing a Bible is $12)

Teams from previous years faced off against new teams and each other over four rounds before progressing through to the semi-finals in the Plate and Championship divisions.

Different churches, denominations and groups were represented with one team even being made up of ex-substance abusers who commented that it was the most exercise and fun they had for years; testimony that this Touch Tournament was not only a fundraiser but a time of fellowship and active ministry.

In the end it was the all teachers team of Team Morris who played off against Crossroads  in the Plate  Trophy  final with Crossroads Methodist Church of Papakura taking the honours.

The Championship Shield final was fought between the Nuway teams from St Martins Presbyterian Church in Papatoetoe. This was one team who had split themselves in half at the start of the day, leaving no reserves, so that we could have an even number of teams for the tournament.

In the end it was the undefeated team of Nuway 1 that took the honours but St Martins was the real champion and the obvious team to watch out for at next years’ tournament. (A little birdie has told me that one team is already trying to organize some practice games to improve on this years’ result).

Thank you to the Auckland Bible Society Regional Committee and the Papatoetoe Action Group who organised and help run this event and a big thank you to all the teams who participated in this years’ tournament. We look forward to your participation and support at next years’  Tournament.

Blessings & thanks

Michael Mardon

Auckland Regional Representative of Bible Society New Zealand