By Gabe Bowen

Apii Te Uki Ou has made history this year as the first international Rip Rugby team to compete at the Zespri AIMS Games.

The school from the Cook Islands began their long journey to Tauranga on Friday (Cook Islands time) but high winds impacted their flight and delayed their arrival.

The team finally arrived at 1am on Monday morning (NZT), with just nine hours to spare before their first game against Whangārei Intermediate School.

This also meant they unfortunately missed flying their flag and wearing their 'Ei (a traditional Cook Islands garland worn on the head or around the neck) at the opening ceremony on Sunday evening.

Blurry-eyed on Monday morning at Blake Park, the young athletes were putting on their uniforms, shoving in their mouthguards and squeezing in some last minute practice.

Despite the whirlwind arrival, the Cook Islands athletes were determined to make their debut count – and they did, winning their opening game.

The team is made up of 10 young athletes: Alice Noovao, Avaiki Williams, Brooklyn Pearman, Dominic Akava, Iaveta Arthur, Kiamana Cribb, Tangitoru Heather, Tevai Mitchell, Tiana Bamber and Vaeiheana Roi.

They were finding the early spring weather in Tauranga a bit cold compared to home, but warmed up on Monday evening with a team trip to the Mount Hot Pools.

Apii Te Uki Ou would go on to win three more Rip Rugby games in the week-long tournament, which culminated with a Cook Islands cultural performance on Thursday evening, where the team finally got to wear their ‘Ei in front of and alongside other students from the competition and their parents and supporters.

“It felt good to represent our island and our culture with all the other athletes, we have had a really enjoyable time here,” said Dominic Akava, 12.

School principal and team manager Liz Cribb, who is a former Tauranga resident, said Apii Te Uki Ou was excited to enter their first Rip Rugby team into the AIMS Games.

“We just want to show people that even though we are a little island, there is heaps of talent that is there to be showcased, it just needs the right opportunity,” she said.

“I have known about AIMS Games for a while and thought it would be an awesome opportunity for our students to compete against different schools.”

Article updated: Friday 05 September 2025