Rāranga to back the 2023 Senior Men's Premier Competition

Wellington Rugby Football Union has announced a partnership with Wellington-based construction recruitment company Rāranga, which sees them named as the 2023 Senior Men's Premier Competition naming rights partner. 

Rāranga, born through a partnership between construction company LT McGuinness and Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira, aims to help support people into meaningful careers in construction and surrounding industries. 

The partnership will provide Rāranga with channels to kōrero directly to Wellington-based clubs, participants and stakeholders within the community about careers opportunities. 

Wellington Rugby Football Union Chief Executive Officer, Shannon Paku, said he was pleased to welcome Rāranga onboard.  

“The principles of te whare tapa whā, whanaungatanga, hinengaro, tinana, and wairua aligns with both Rāranga and WRFU [Wellington Rugby Football Union]. Both organisations have a holistic approach towards the continued development of our rugby talent and the fostering of the game in the Greater Wellington region,” said Paku.          

Te Rūnanga O Toa Rangatira Chief Executive Officer, Helmut Modlik, said he was thrilled with the partnership and felt there was a very clear “alignment between Rāranga and Wellington Rugby Football Union.” 

“We are excited about this partnership with Wellington Rugby Football Union as many of our values align. These include to foster, grow and develop people in our community through upskilling, developing leadership, and mana in the construction industry.  

“We believe that we can make a positive impact with this programme working directly with our rugby community,” said Modlik. 

Roydon Shaw, Rāranga Recruitment Manager, echoed these sentiments. 

“At Rāranga we seek to promote a sense of connection, honesty, integrity, respect and reciprocity all values commonly found in rugby clubs across Wellington. This partnership is a natural fit and I am excited about the to see what opportunities it will bring. 

“Working in construction and playing in a rugby team have many similarities, particularly in training and development. To be at the top of your game on the field you have to work hard, train hard and grow in as an individual the same can be said for working in construction, at Rāranga we encourage training, development, and growth for all our kaimahi,” said Shaw. 

Rāranga are on a mission to revitalise the construction labour market through leadership, innovation, and connectedness. 

“We feel that by linking up with Wellington Rugby Football Union, we can further our ability to communicate messages supporting the Poutama Pathways Programme, to increase awareness and open new kōrero between rangatahi, their whānau and other partner organisations within the Wellington Region and beyond,” said Shaw. 

The Poutama Pathways Programme is designed to support people entering the construction industry, either from other industries or those joining or rejoining the workforce. Poutama is a one-year training program designed to help participants build a strong foundation to start their career, without requiring any previous experience.  

For further information visit; https://raranga.net.nz/  

For more information on the 2023 Senior Men's Premier Competition draw, visit; https://www.wrfu.co.nz/senior/draws-results