Dress Smart Auckland and the Blues celebrate rugby’s unsung heroes

Dress Smart Auckland and the Blues have announced the winners of their inaugural ‘Kitted for Greatness’ campaign, which celebrates the coaches and teams who make grassroots rugby thrive in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Papatoetoe South School teacher and coach Piuti Iakopo has been named the winning coach, while the Waitematā Hulks U12 team from West Auckland has claimed the winning team prize.

Both received a Dress Smart Auckland shopping spree valued at up to $5,000 in sports-related apparel and footwear, plus an exclusive VIP Blues Rugby experience including a meet and greet with Blues players.

Sense of belonging

The campaign, launched in March 2026, invited the community to nominate coaches, managers and teams whose dedication, heart and commitment to the game deserved recognition. The response of also 200 nominations reflected just how many remarkable people are quietly shaping young lives through rugby.

Iakopo is a teacher and rugby coach who, for more than four years, has voluntarily given up her break times to coach both girls’ and boys’ rugby teams at Papatoetoe South School. She uses sport as a powerful tool to build confidence, resilience, teamwork and a deep sense of belonging among tamariki.

Known for her infectious energy and unwavering belief in every child, Iakopo prioritises growth over trophies, teaching life lessons in perseverance, respect and pride through every training and every game. As a female coach in a traditionally male-dominated sport, she is a strong role model who inspires young people to back themselves and each other, while fostering strong connections with whānau and the wider community.

Iakopo says: “I feel incredibly honoured and humbled. Sport has given me so much and coaching gives me the chance to give something back. These kids work so hard and they deserve every opportunity to shine. This recognition means the world, not just to me but to the whole school community that has supported us along the way.”

Powerful lifeline

The Waitematā Hulks U12 rugby team is proving that grassroots sport can be a powerful lifeline for young boys across West Auckland. Made up of players from a wide range of backgrounds, the Hulks have become far more than a rugby team, they are a family.

Dedicated coach Puttz and his wife Chloe personally pick boys up for training, check up on them, and often ensure they get home with dinner sorted. Fees have been covered, boots purchased and constant care given so every child can take the field with pride.

Training together up to three times a week, the tightly bonded team is learning the values of commitment, respect, hard work and looking after one another. Through Puttz’s leadership and genuine care, the Waitemata Hulks have built a culture of unity and belonging, showing how rugby, when driven by heart, can help change young lives.

Unsung heroes

Dress Smart Auckland centre manager Lauri Solecki says: “We launched Kitted for Greatness because we know the incredible role coaches and volunteers play in building communities through rugby, and we wanted to shine a light on those unsung heroes. Piuti and the Waitemata Hulks are exactly who this campaign was created for. They give their everything because they genuinely care about the young people in their communities. Dress Smart Auckland is proud to support them and to stand alongside the Blues in giving back to grassroots rugby in Tāmaki Makaurau.”