Te Teko Rugby Club is set to celebrate its 135th anniversary in style by having a women’s team.

They don’t want the team to be a one season wonder like it was back in 2020, they want it to be the foundation for many young female players coming through and hopefully one of the strongest in the Eastern Bay.

Te Teko have signed Randall Ruki to be the coach of the women’s team.

He will be supported by Rangi Raki and Hudz Ngaheu, who bring a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm.

For the 2025 season, they will start in the Bay of Plenty Women’s Championship division with the hope of mixing it with the top teams in coming years.

Te Teko Rugby Club’s Dean Eruera said it was an exciting time for the club.

“We want to create a space for our young wāhine who are growing up to feel welcomed and be part of. We want them to come and represent their hometown.”

They have had a couple of musters to date and Eruera said things looked promising.

“We have Kokako Raki, my daughter Herataimai Eruera, Jayde August, who have all played rugby and then there’s young stars like Nivaloh Elliot, who we hope will represent the club and Reve Ngaheu is another talent. It’s about allowing pathways for them.”

He said the focus was making sure the environment was right.

“We want an environment which is going to be enjoyed by everyone; something where everyone feels part of the team and can have input. We’re open to players of any skill level to come and play. For us it’s creating an environment that is safe and welcoming.”

Te Teko Rugby Club is no stranger to women’s rugby, fielding a successful campaign of teams from the early to late 90s and producing notable players such as Emma Thomas, Exia Edwards, Heidi Reader, Mere Kingi, and Tamaku Paul.

Eruera said they’d work in with the men’s sides for a while until the women were confident and ready to take on their own training.

“Our mission is to develop women interested in building their knowledge, skills, and fitness in rugby.

“Our coaching and management staff aim to provide opportunities for players to understand the rules, regulations, tactics, and strategies of the game.

“Our sessions will be designed with player input and will aim to be enjoyable and engaging, whether participants want to train for their own wellbeing or compete in a sports arena.”

He said a key focus would be on player safety.

“Safety and preparation are paramount. The coaching and management staff will be aiming to ensure all our players are mentally and physically ready before taking to the rugby field. Beyond the game, we also aim to focus on building team building and leadership skills to support individual players, their whanau, hapū, iwi, and their communities.

“We are very fortunate to have a supportive Te Teko Rugby and Sports Club committee that is currently continuously assisting the Te Teko Women’s rugby coach and management staff as we are quickly approaching our 2025 season campaign.”

If the club gets things right, there’s no reason why they can’t have players in the Volcanix, playing Super Rugby Aupiki or representing the Black Ferns going forward.

“A big thing for the club is creating a pathway to excellence. Given the rich history of women in Te Teko rugby, we would hope to create a pathway for women to carve their names into the club, regional rugby, or even national rugby. There is a great opportunity today for them to achieve this.

“Lastly, we will be working to establish a further platform in the Eastern Bay of Plenty where our women can play rugby locally, rather than traveling outside the region.

“This would also open the door for women outside the Eastern Bay of Plenty to hopefully come play rugby.”

Training starts today and anyone wanting to play rugby or return to the sport is welcome to head along to the Te Teko Rugby Club and see what it’s like.