Ross Shield rugby received a major boost with the Jarrod Cunningham Youth Sport Trust announcing today it will help kit out all the teams over the next five years.
Jarrod Cunningham played for Hawke’s Bay, Wellington Hurricanes, Auckland Blues and was an All Black trialist but never played Ross Shield rugby.
Following his death from motor neuron disease in 2007, Jarrod left $750,000 to a trust set up in his name with the aim of benefiting youth in sport throughout Hawke’s Bay.
Trust chairman Tony Maidens said Hastings East coaches Lou Papuni and Jason White approached the trust to see if it would be interested in financially supporting their team this year.
“We decided it was a great idea to get in behind Ross Shield rugby but we wanted to spread the trusts support to all six teams.
“One of the most costly parts of the competition is providing playing and training gear, so we decided to lighten their load and fund the playing kit.
The Trust will financially contribute $5000 to one Ross Shield team a year for the next six years. The order of priority after this year is for the host team to get new playing kit.
“Hastings East made the approach to us and they have strong links to Jarrod as he lived in Havelock North,” Tony said.
The Trust will also select a player from the tournament to receive the Jarrod Cunningham IRANZ Scholarship to attend the International Rugby Academy of New Zealand in Palmerston North. The course will be for five days and include specialist coaching from former All Blacks.
“The Ross Shield has been a breeding ground for many famous All Blacks including fellow trustee and former All Black captain Taine Randell.
“There are also some players that drop off the radar after playing Ross Shield rugby and we want to make sure that they remain in the game or at least play sport.
“Our objective is to motivate youth to participate in sport as there are many social benefits such as building self confidence and leadership.
Hastings East co-coach Jason White says “Lou and I are delighted that Jarrod’s Trust is involved in the future development of Ross Shield players.
“It is extremely important to us that the players understand what a privilege it is for them to be associated with both Jarrod’s legacy, together with the iconic and prestigious 106 year old Ross Shield Tournament.
We both played in various rugby teams with Jarrod, so experienced first-hand the dedication and passion he had for rugby, it seems extremely fitting that Jarrod’s Trust is now supporting the talented youth of Hawke’s Bay school boy rugby at its highest level,” White said.
The parent body of the Ross Shield, Hawke’s Bay Primary Schools’ Rugby, is also extremely grateful for this generous assistance to all districts and teams over such a sustained period and are delighted to have the Trust support a promising player with a scholarship for their future development.
“In the past the Primary Schools’ have provided scholarships and the success of such players receiving them is evidence of the opportunity taken to enhance not only their rugby but their character and education.
This year’s recipient will surely be an asset to rugby and possibly to Hawke’s Bay,” Errol Hantz said.
This year’s Ross Shield tournament will be hosted by Wairoa from Monday September 28 through to Friday October 2.
