News Feed

National Competition News

NZRL — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:00:00 GMT

2nd September: The updated version of the National Competition draw, with new times for some games can be found on the National Competiton / Our Schedule page. Please check the draw for the new time before heading out to the game.

29 August: The first games in round one of the National Competition have been played. Results can be found here. Congratulations to all our first up winners.

26 August: With only days to go until the kickoff of the new National Competition, NZRL Football Manager Tony Kemp is anticipating a competitive new look competition in all three grades, "Having been around the regions with Community camps and Hearts camps it is obvious that the passion and commitment for quality rugby league is at an all time high. There was a lot of competition for places on these teams and everyone has worked hard to prepare."

"The Zones have taken great care to choose coaches, trainers and managers with the qualifications and experience needed to get the best from their teams, the players have gone through a rigorous selection process and attended Heart Camps in their Zones. They completed a Drug and Alcohol workshop with Drug Free Sport, along with presentations about player pathways and nutrition by NZRL Football Department staff. Everyone is well prepared and we are really looking forward to seeing how they all get on."

New Zealand Rugby League formed seven Zones following a review in 2009, and the Northern, Auckland, Counties Manukau, Upper and Lower Central, Wellington and Southern Zones will field teams at all three grades in the new competition.

The Premiers will compete for the Albert Baskerville Trophy; the 17s for the Mark Graham Cup and the 15s will be competing for the Nathan Cayless Cup.

Each team has been selected based on trial performance in their Zone and will feature players from most if not all contributing districts.

The first round kicks off on 29 August when South Island take on Heartland in Christchurch and the Orcas play Waicoa Bay in Wellington.

Full details of the competition, the draw, fixtures and results can be found on the NZRL website www.nzrl.co.nz on the Our Schedule / National Competition page.

League Talent Put Through Paces in Hamilton

NZRL — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Waicoa Bays sides which will represent the Upper Central Zone (Waikato, Bay of Plenty & Gisborne regions) in the inaugural National Competition were put through their paces in Hamilton on Sunday, 22 August in the seventh and final of the New Zealand Rugby League's series of Hearts Camps.

Players came from as far away as Whakatane, Tauranga, Rotorua, Tokoroa and Taupo to attend the Hearts Camp which gave them a taste of what it takes to become a professional Rugby League player.

The day started with a seminar from Drug-Free Sport New Zealand and a presentation by New Zealand Rugby League around the pathways available to Rugby League Players domestically.

National Competition will see New Zealand Merit sides picked from the 15s and 17s grades with a view to playing against Australia in 2011, and a New Zealand Resident's side will be selected from the Premier teams that will play a game at the end of the year.

These were followed by a series of Fitness / Battery Tests which gave the NZRL High Performance team a benchmark to track the players' development. Players will be tested on an annual basis and given advice on how to best train for their position.

The highly successful day culminated in the launching of the new Waicoa Bays jersey, which will be worn by all three teams in this year's National Competition.

The NZRL are working hard to prepare the junior grade players and the Hearts Camp demonstrated that being a professional athlete is as much about maturity and pride as it is about talent.

"The players are under no illusion of what's coming up" says Marcus Reynolds, General Manager of the Upper Central Zone. "Today gave them a taste of what being a professional athlete is all about and the players stepped up both in the seminars and during the battery tests. We have a mature group of people who have a big opportunity to be seen on the national stage, you could see the excitement building."

The 2010 National Competition will see the newly formed Zones go head to head at 15s, 17s and Premier level. Teams will travel across the country and get a genuine look at how they compare to the best players in the country, with Waicoa Bays kicking off this weekend away to Wellington.

The first home game is in Hamilton on Sunday 5 September at Resthills Park.

Talent on Show at Counties Manukau Hearts Camp

NZRL — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The trials for the 15s and 17s for the Counties Manukau National Competition Zone teams were held under lights at the Otahuhu Rugby League club on Tuesday 17 August. Some 34 players at each grade were trialling for 25 positions in their respective squads.

While the 15s played a trial match, watched keenly by the selectors, the 17s were inside with Tony Kemp, NZRL Football Manager hearing about player pathways.

When each had completed their session they swapped places, with the 17s moving on to the field to play and the 15s coming indoors for the player pathway and Drug and Alcohol presentation from Drug Free Sport and to have a meal. Once their trial had finished the 17s also heard the presentations and shared a meal.

Coaches, managers and referees took part in workshops later in the evening as they too prepare for the National Competition.

Trevor Gill, Acting GM for the Counties Manukau Zone was very enthusiastic about the camp, "This was my first camp and I was very impressed. A big thank you to Otahuhu League club for throwing their doors open to us and feeding so many hungry young men. I thought the camp was a great coming together of players, parents, coaches and managers, there was a great deal of enthusiasm and it was apparent that there is enormous good intention to see this new competition succeed."

"As for the players, I was blown away by some of the skills, and I came away very impressed with the standard of play and the way they formed combinations when they didn't know each other. I have a very good feeling about the whole competition."

The final Hearts Camp for the Upper Central Zone is to be held on 22 August.

Very Positive Auckland Hearts Camp

NZRL — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The fifth in the on-going series of NZRL hearts camps was held in Auckland on Monday 16 August at Ellerslie Rugby League club. Selected players attended with the intention of trialling for positions in the Zones 15's and 17's teams which will compete in the new NZRL National Competition kick off 29 August. Unfortunately the weather conspired against them, with the grounds closed and the camp had to move its focus indoors.

Despite this the camp was considered a success by Auckland Zone General Manager Pat Carthy who said "This was an extremely successful event. The teams from the NZRL and Auckland Rugby League worked very hard to prepare and implement 'Plan B' at short notice. Moving everyone inside and focusing on the workshops worked well and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It was a real positive to see so many parents there to support their sons and over 100 parents attended the drug and alcohol lecture along with the 60+players."

Dan Floyd, NZRL Football Development Manager agreed "The original plan was to have the approx 30 players from each grade trial on field for selection to the Zone squads of 25. With the main ground closed we were forced to change our plans, so we put all the players through a basic battery / fitness test to give the selectors a snapshot as to where their players were at physically. This worked well for Auckland who had previously held trials to narrow the squads to 30. Then we brought them inside and completed the usual drug and alcohol workshop, we also took the opportunity to talk to them about player pathways and encouraged them to get to know the other players and members of the management team."

At the same time referees completed a session focused on preparation for the National Competition, and the coaches and managers did workshops with the same aim. The camp was rounded out with a shared meal.

The NZRL would like to thank the Ellerslie League club for their generous and efficient hosting of this event.

The Counties Manukau camp will be held Tuesday on 17 August and the final camp, for the Upper Central Zone, is to be held on 22 August.

Integrated Ticketing for Eden Park Double Header

NZRL — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

In a first for New Zealand Rugby League, integrated ticketing has been arranged to encourage as many people as possible to attend the Four Nations Double Header on public transport.

Buses and trains will offer every person with a valid game ticket a free ride to and from the ground on most routes across Auckland from three hours before the game to three hours after. Details of all the routes including maps can be found on the NZRL website Our Schedule / Four Nations page.

It is anticipated that fans from all four teams will be in Auckland to show their support and with as many as 50,000 people attending Eden Park, ensuring free and easily accessible public transport is seen as crucial to the success of the event.

NZRL Marketing Manager Trina Tamati said "We would like to thank the Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA) and Eden Park for assisting us with this arrangement. Integrated ticketing is very popular overseas as it is an excellent way to get people to and from an event with the minimum of fuss and we are very pleased to be able to offer it to all league supporters for the Double Header."

The two games to be held at Eden Park on 6 November will feature the English taking on Papua New Guinea and the Kiwis taking on their traditional foes Australia. With the newly revamped stadium opening on 10 October and these tests to be the first to be held there, this is an excellent opportunity for not only traditional league fans but all supporters of NZ sports teams to get in behind our boys.

Northern Hearts Are Set On League

NZRL — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

On Sunday 8 July, representative hopefuls from the Northern Zone took to the field in Kaikohe to trial for the upcoming representative season.

Prospects for the 15s and 17s teams spent the full day in an NZRL Hearts Camp receiving fitness testing, a drug education seminar before trialling, while the representative coaches and managers were joined by Premier coaches from throughout the Northern zone in an advanced coaching workshop facilitated by Dan Floyd and Tony Kemp from NZRL.

The local referees also took the chance to receive some specialist training from NZRL National Referees Coordinator Ian Mackintosh.

Northern Zone General Manager Rob Wakelin commented "We had a great turnout particularly from the Premier grade players who have shown their support for the Zone concept and are keen to have the opportunity to once again represent Northland on a national platform".

"The support shown by the Kaikohe community was great for our young players", said Wakelin. "We greatly appreciate the support shown by Far North District Council and we look forward to bringing our representative teams here to play Counties-Manukau on Sunday 5 September."

Premier Coach Revell Neal was enthusiastic about the trial form shown "It is obvious the players are passionate about representing Northland and we have plenty of talent to work with, I look forward to the competition".

The next Hearts Camp is in Auckland on 16 August, 2010. For details see the website National Calendar for details.

NZRL Call for Nominations

NZRL — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

New Zealand Rugby League Awards 2010
Nominate your "Award Winner" today!

Our players, coaches, match officials and volunteers are the heart of our game, and we want to recognise all these people at our New Zealand Rugby League Awards. We are putting the call out across the country looking for the best of the best in all areas of the game.

There are ten Awards categories:
* Kiwi Player of the year
* Kiwi Rookie of the year
* Junior Player of the year
* Domestic Player of the year
* Women's Player of the year
* Coach of the year
* Match Official of the year
* Volunteer recognition award MALE
* Volunteer recognition award FEMALE
* Grassroots Club of the year

From the nominations received, our judging panel will select five finalists in each category with the winners to be announced at the awards in October.

To help you make your nominations please see our Awards Criteria and Nomination form here, then complete and email, fax or post your forms to us as below.

Nominate your "Award Winner" today!

Terms & Conditions of entry:

-          Nominations close 5pm, Tuesday 31 August 2010.
-          All nominations are to be sent directly to NZRL, PO Box 12712, Penrose, Auckland
           or
           Emailed to philippa@nzrl.co.nz
-          Where possible please send a photograph of the nominee.
-          Judging will be undertaken by an independent panel and selected finalists will be
           notified shortly after Friday 10 September.
-          Judges decision is final and no correspondence will be accepted after judging has
          taken place.
-          The nominee will be responsible for their own travel and accommodation costs to and
          from the awards.

For any queries regarding the NZRL Awards please contact Philippa Ivory philippa@nzrl.co.nz phone (09) 571 3863.

Mid Central Hearts Camp Sets Standard

NZRL — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The third in the seven Zone series of NZRL Hearts camps was held in Manawatu on Sunday 1 August. Hosted by the NZ Army at Linton Army Camp, it was attended by coaches, managers, trainers and selectors for the Zones 15's and 17's teams who will be a part of the upcoming National Zone competition.

In the morning the NZRL Football Department staff ran workshops with the new management teams to bring them up to speed with the requirements of the new Zone competition.

In the afternoon a number of trials were held, during which in excess of 100 selected players from the Hawkes Bay, Manawatu and Taranaki were able to trial for selection to the Zones 2010 teams.

Keri Gardiner, Mid Central Zone GM said "It was a fantastic day. Linton was a great venue and we had lots of support from the NZRL & the Army which was amazing, so helpful. I have had very positive feedback from the three districts who all found the day hugely beneficial."

Gardiner continues "It would be fair to say that Taranaki set the standard, and Hawkes Bay and Manawatu players definitely benefited from having the chance to play these boys. It gives them an idea of where they sit and what they have to do to compete, and I heard many of them planning to be better prepared in 2011. This is a really positive outcome. I watched Hawkes Bay v Taranaki 17's and it was an awesome game, especially since Taranaki were runners up in 2009 and Hawkes Bay had only had one weeks training, both coaches came away with something to think about."

The camp followed a Coaches, Managers and Referees course held in Hawkes Bay on the Saturday and was part of the NZRL's commitment to up-skilling everyone involved with Rugby League in New Zealand.

Dan Floyd, NZRL Football Manager concludes "It was great to get to the Hawkes Bay and work directly with the coaches, managers and referees from that area, this follows on from the community camp held in New Plymouth earlier this year; and we have been able to complete our work in the Mid Central Zone with this Hearts Camp in Manawatu. We really want to try and get out to every district where possible, so that everyone hears from us directly."

The next Hearts Camp is in the Northern Zone at Kaikohe on 8 August, 2010.

Sir Peter Inducted Business Hall of Fame

NZRL — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Last night Sir Peter Leitch, NZ Rugby League Ambassador was inducted into the NZ Business Hall of Fame. At a Gala dinner held in Auckland and attended by the Prime Minister and the Governor General, Sir Peter was one of the six laureates to be inducted this year.

Fairfax Media New Zealand Business Hall of Fame
Established in 1994 by the Enterprise New Zealand Trust, the Fairfax Media New Zealand Business Hall of Fame recognises and celebrates individuals who, through enterprise, have made a significant contribution to the economic and social development of New Zealand. Laureates are admitted to the Hall by the Governor-General at an annual dinner.

Each laureate has a story of enterprise, hard work and success. Most have contributed generously to their communities. A laureate's inclusion in this Hall is a celebration of his or her success and an inspiration for others to follow. The Hall itself is situated at the Owen G Glenn building in the University of Auckland Business School.

Royal NZ Navy Wins Tri Nations

NZRL — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) got the New Zealand Rugby League international season off to an excellent start when they won the final of the Tri Nations Navy tournament 24 - 10 against the British Royal Navy (RN) in Auckland yesterday.

Both teams came out hard and fast and had early tries disallowed due to handling errors, caused in part by the cold wet conditions. Eventually on the back of sustained pressure, the Kiwis scored three first half tries and it was 18 - nil at the break.

After half time the RN came out the more determined and were rewarded with two tries bringing the score back to 18 - 10. They scored what was the try of the game, with the winger receiving the ball in space and running 70 metres to score an excellent long range try, earning him the applause of both teams' supporters.

The score remained 18 -10 with time enough on the clock for the RN to catch the Kiwis if they were good enough. Unfortunately despite even more possession and a Kiwi spending ten minutes in the sin bin for a high shot, they couldn't score again and the RN scored a late try to win 24 -10.

It was a gutsy effort by both teams in trying conditions, and was well supported by Navy personnel and the many other league fans who made the trip to Devonport.

All teams were treated to a wonderful after match function at the Ngataringa sports complex where players and shipmates from all countries had the chance to relax and mingle. The formal side of the evening saw players from all teams presented with a variety of awards relating to their on field performances throughout the tournament.

The Royal Navy Tri Nations cup was presented to the Captain of the NZ Navy team, who then laid down the challenge to the other nations to try and capture the trophy in two years time.

This tournament will be held bi-annually, and the NZ Defence Forces Rugby League tournament, Army vs Navy vs Airforce, is to be held in Auckland in September this year.

Jnr Elites Camp Offers Support & Guidance

NZRL — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Some 32 Auckland based potential Kiwi players attended the third in a series of Junior Elite Roots camps being run by the NZRL.

Held at Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday 18 July the camp featured presentations by Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney, past Kiwi players Ruben Wiki and Tawera Nikau along with a Four Nations update by Tony Kemp, NZRL Football Manager.

In addition to these Kiwi legends, the camp was also attended by Tony Iro, Jerry Seuseu and current Kiwis Manu Vatuvei and Simon Mannering.

The aim of the camps is to inspire and offer guidance to those who have been identified as having the potential to become representative players for their country. Each of the Kiwis present talked to the players about what it means to be a part of the Kiwis culture, how important it was to them not only in their league career but in their lives to be a part of the brotherhood.

Following equally successful camps held in Sydney in March and Melbourne in May, this camp represents a continuation of the NZRL's commitment of looking to the future and inviting young Kiwis to be a part of it.

Ruben Wiki said "It's really rewarding for me to be involved in these camps. I've been trying to pass on some tools to the young kids, just reminding them of what they need to think about to succeed and the sacrifices they need to make. These sacrifices are only small - like eating better food, putting in a bit of extra training, focussing on family values to get them through the tough times and working on their mental toughness. Small changes can reap big rewards. The great thing about the boys playing for the Warriors is they are in touch with their identity. I have asked them to take advantage of me being around, to ask for help and support if they need it. I remind them that I come from Otara and if you work hard then dreams can come true."

Stephen Kearney agrees "These young boys are surrounded by so many great role models, people like Simon and Manu who gave up their time to come along to the camp to show their support. Ruben and Tony are just down the road and I'm always looking to the future and we are all willing to support anyone who is prepared to do the work."

"Talent will only ever get you so far, to be a long term success requires hard work, training and commitment and some sacrifices. We just want to remind them of the rewards of making positive choices, and to offer our support to those who are willing to make the commitment."

A final camp will be held in Brisbane later in the year, ensuring no young potential Kiwi misses out on the opportunity to take advantage of this excellent advice and to consider their future with the brotherhood.

Tri Nations Navy RL - Support Our Team

NZRL — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Updated: The Royal Navy now takes on the Royal New Zealand Navy today Wednesday 21 July, 2.30pm at Ngataringa Sports Park. The Royal NZ Navy can win the tournament with a victory over the RN. The scene is set for an exciting final. All league fans are welcome to attend the final game of the Navy tournament.

On Saturday 17 July the Royal Navy (RN) played the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) at Ngataringa Sports Park. This was a toughly fought game with both teams giving it their all.

The RN team came out powerfully and were unlucky not to score early points with some final passes going to ground. Instead it was Australia who scored the first two tries and lead 12 - 4 at half time.

After the break the RN again started strongly and following up on kicks were rewarded with two excellent unconverted tries to the Australians one. With less that ten minutes to go the score was 16 - 12 to Australia.

The RN appeared to have won the game in the final minutes when they scored near the posts; unfortunately they had lost the ball over the line, no try.

In the final minute Australia executed a clever set move for their left winger to score an unconverted try and take the game 20 - 12.

The Royal Navy now takes on the Royal New Zealand Navy on Wednesday 21 July, 2.30pm at Ngataringa Sports Park. The Royal NZ Navy can win the tournament with a victory over the RN on Wednesday. The scene is set for an exciting final.

Pt Chevalier played Auckland Navy in the Auckland Phelan Shield competition at Ngataringa Sports Park the same day and Stacey Jones was on hand to present the Navy Player of the Day awards. Both Navy teams then headed off to Mt Smart stadium by bus eagerly looking forward to the Warriors game.

All league fans are welcome to attend the final game of the Navy tournament. Maori Television will be on hand to provide TV coverage of the game.

Day One
The first day of the Navy's 2010 Tri Nations tournament kicked off under brilliant winter sunshine at the picturesque Navy sports complex at Ngataringa Bay on Auckland's North Shore. The tournament is to be held over three days, Wednesday 14 July, Saturday 17 July and Wednesday 21 July.

Royal Navy v Invitation Team
The tournament kicked off with a game between the Royal Navy and an invitation side which comprised of open grade and restricted grade Auckland Phelan Shield players. The invitational side competed quite well in the first half, although the Royal Navy were leading 18 - 6 at half time. In the second half, Navy ran away with the game and the final score was 40 - 6.

The game was refereed by visiting Englishman Mickey Brighton, who had a good game and will now officiate at some second and third division games on the North Shore to gain further experience in NZ.

Ian Mackintosh, NZRL National Referees Coordinator said "The conditions were perfect for the tournament, the location is stunning, all the Navy boats are in and there was a great crowd. They have wonderful facilities, with moveable bleachers to provide crowd seating. I hope this weather holds, as the upcoming games are going to be really interesting and competitive."

He continues "The games have all been played in good spirits, with lots of Navy personnel there to cheer everyone on, and it has been comforting to know their medical personnel are on hand if needed. Being able to bring the Rugby League World Cup to the ground created a buzz and everyone enjoyed having their photo taken with it. There were really good crowds, and I am sure they will be even bigger at the weekend. With plenty of parking and excellent spectator facilities, I hope we see even bigger crowds for the next two days."

Royal New Zealand Navy v Royal Australian Navy
The second game was a "Test Match" between the RNZN and the RAN. This match was accompanied by the appropriate pomp and ceremony, with a Brass Band playing the National Anthems for both countries, before there was a minutes silence for fallen comrades.

The Kiwis came out hard and fast and blitzed the Australians, with the score 24 - nil at half time. However, as is to be expected from any Australian team, they mounted a strong fight back in the second half and scored consecutive tries and were unlucky not to have scored more. Unfortunately a number of their last passes just didn't stick and the final result was 38 - 18 to the Kiwis.

The match officials were Senior Bay of Plenty Referee Adrian Purnell, with the sidelines covered by Vern Nathan and Greg McIntyre all of whom did both games on the opening day.

Upcoming Games
On Saturday the Royal Navy will play the Royal Australian Navy at 12.45pm in what looks to be a fascinating encounter. If the Royal Navy win, their final game against the RNZN the following Wednesday will be the unofficial tournament final, so there is a lot riding on the game for both sides.

This will be followed at 2.30pm by a game which will hold equal interest to NZ league fans, when Auckland Navy play the third division Phelan Shield Pt Chevalier side, which most will know as the team in which Stacey Jones and other well known retired league professionals play.

All league fans are welcome to come along and watch these games.

On the final day of the tournament, Wednesday 21 July, the RAN will play an invitation team at 12.45pm and this will be followed by the final game of the tournament, kicking off 2.30pm the RNZN will play the Royal Navy. With the Kiwis having beaten the Australians, if the UK team can also beat the Australians then the last game will be the defacto tournament final as well. You can be sure that this will draw a big crowd, and league supporters are encouraged to attend and support their team in this last game.

RNZN team with the RLWC and RAN team lined up for the anthems

Four Nations Launch

NZRL — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

There was an excellent turnout to the press launch of the Four Nations Rugby League tournament at Eden Park on Saturday. Representatives of both the TV and radio networks, along with print media took the opportunity to hear first hand from the Kiwis vice Captain, Adam Blair, Kiwis Coach Stephen Kearney, and Australians Cameron Smith and Steve Price about the biggest sporting event to be held in NZ this year.

Jim Doyle, NZRL CEO lead off by telling everyone that it is the aim of New Zealand Rugby League to bring more international games to New Zealand and he is very pleased that we will have six games here in NZ, including the warm up matches, during October and November. He also announced that the International Rugby League awards are to be held at Eden Park during the tournament.

Stephen Kearney said "It is the first time in a long time that we have had so much international league played here. It's a real opportunity for our game in NZ and I am really looking forward to it (the tournament)."

In response to a question about crowd expectations he replied "I am confident that with the strong following of league in New Zealand and the development work being done at grass roots level by the NZRL, people will want to get along and support this tournament. I hope they will make the most of the opportunity to see first class league in a number of locations around NZ."

Steve Price agreed saying "It is great to have a tournament like this here in NZ, and to have the Anzac test in Christchurch next year as well. With league going so well in NZ I know people around the country are asking for more high level rugby league." He noted that the Warriors had had a large crowd in Christchurch when they played there recently and this was another chance for places other than Auckland to see some really top class games.

Adam Blair added that this was a chance for the Kiwis to play in front of their families on home grounds and he was looking forward to getting into the camp and catching up with the boys.

It was obvious from his expression that the much talked about Kiwis team culture is not only real but very important to the players.

In response to the inevitable question about playing State of Origin v test football both Steve Price and Cameron Smith reiterated that pulling on the Green and Gold jersey means a lot to them. Cameron explained that because they grow up with State of Origin all around them, it was something players aspired to because they saw it as achievable. Playing Four Nations and being able to represent such a large country is almost a dream too far for young players, so to be selected is a huge honour and he is always honoured to be able to represent his country.

Stephen Kearney said he was impressed with the nearly completed Eden Park and called for all league fans to come along and support the double header and the Kiwis on what should be a wonderful occasion. He reminded fans that the more that turn out, the more games we will get in the future and this chance to fill a new 60,000 seat stadium was a great way to send the message that rugby league is growing and thriving in NZ.

South Island Kick Start Preparations

NZRL — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The second in the seven Zone series of NZRL Hearts camps was held in Christchurch last weekend. It was attended by the coaches, managers, trainers and selectors for the Zones 15's, 17's teams who will be a part of the upcoming National Zone competition. A number of other coaches from around the Zone and referees also attended.

NZRL Football Department staff made the trip south to run workshops with the new management teams to bring them up to speed with the requirements of the new Zone competition.

Later in the day a number of trials were held, during which selected players from the contributing districts including Southland, West Coast, Canterbury and the greater South Island were able to demonstrate their skills and abilities to the selectors. Around 120 players took part in the trials for the Southern Zone 15's and 17's teams.

Steve Martin, Southern Zone GM said "Christchurch turned on a fantastic day with the weather starting with a -5 degree frost but opening into a beautiful mid winter day that made playing conditions very pleasant for the South Island Hearts Camp.

The input received from NZRL staff was top notch and the coaches, managers, trainers, referees and players present all got a tremendous amount out of the presentations. Players selected in the final trials in both age groups received additional training the next day with Canterbury RL coaches and Canterbury University Conditioning Coach Grant Robertson as well as a talk from the South Island coaches on what was required.

The camp has kick-started the preparations for the upcoming National Premiership, which everyone in South Island League is looking forward to.

The real positive of the camp was the performance and selection of players from the West Coast and Southland who had made the commitment to attend. This augurs well for the development of rugby league in the South Island."

Tony Kemp, NZRL Football Manager agrees "It was a great turnout, especially from those who had to travel so far to be there. Once again it reinforces the desire in the regions for top level football for our younger players.

The aim of the NZRL and the new National Competition is to offer these young men an opportunity to play with their peers at the highest level and many will undoubtedly be rewarded when they come to the notice of scouts."

Selectors from Southland, Canterbury, West Coast and 17's coach Mike Doreen confer.

NRL Match Official Offers Support

NZRL — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Each day a group of young men, all early school leavers, gather at Mt Smart Stadium under the watchful eye of Henry Turua, former rugby league player, now a teacher to complete their education with a focus on sport.

They start the day with a tough physical training session lead by Ruben Wiki, High Performance Manager at the NZRL before heading into the classroom. They are set a range of goals including running 100 km's at which point they qualify for the 'hundred club' and are rewarded with kit - jerseys, shorts and socks. There are further rewards for those who make the 'two hundred club'.

Managed by the SENZ Training and Employment centre, the young men are exposed to a number of different opportunities and then supported when they apply for employment.

This week visiting NRL Match Official, past NRL and Kiwis player Henry Perenara visited the group to talk to them about the benefits and pitfalls of playing rugby league and to suggest they consider becoming match officials.

Henry says "I loved playing league, I loved everything about it, but the injuries really took their toll on my body. I had three shoulder reconstructions and it would have all been over in my mid twenties if it wasn't for this opportunity. Even the very best players like Steve Price have to finish in their 30's, but referees can go on another 10 - 15 years after that."

"Being able to stay involved in the game at this level is great. The referees are a team just like the teams I played for, and we get paid to do this, to travel and be involved in the game we love, and the worst injury I've had is the occasional hamstring strain."

He continues "I told the guys that if they are interested they should consider getting out and refereeing the little kids, then they still have time to play their own game in the afternoon. It will give them a taste and it might extend their careers. My message was quite simple, don't give up your footy but if you get to a point in your early 20's where you're just playing local reserve grade and then go drinking and have nothing to look forward too, then this is a really great alternative. This is a genuine career opportunity and there are people who want to help you succeed."

Henry says that if any of the young people he meets decide they will follow it up then he is happy to support them and mentor them if they are serious.

Ian Mackintosh, National Referees Coordinator, NZRL agrees saying that both the ARL and the NZRL have the training and support systems in place to help anyone who is seriously interested in pursuing a career as a rugby league official.

Match Officials Panel Meets

NZRL — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The NZRL Match Officials Advisory Panel held its second meeting for the year at Rugby League House today. The panel's aims are to map the direction and promote the growth of match officials within New Zealand, while ensuring that the strategic objectives are in line with those set in the NZRL Game plan.

Wayne Urqhart, Auckland said "We are working to develop a roadmap to help the stakeholders and all the referees associations understand what the future holds for our match officials. We are also setting the milestones on that journey so they are clear with what they are and can measure their progress and eventual success."

Noel Berney, Wellington agrees and comments "This is as much about the grass roots as it is about high performance; we are interested in helping people at all levels of the game to grow and develop. It is important for the development of our game that everyone is included and has a clear understanding of what their part is in its growth."

Ian Mackintosh, NZRL National Referees Coordinator concludes "We really appreciate the members of the panel providing their expertise to enable us to develop our strategic planning. Having planning in place which is transparent and available to everyone is really important so that everyone feels part of the process."

Women in League Shine

NZRL — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

Last night the Maritime Museum played host to some of our unsung Rugby League stars, the women who keep league in this country running. From the women who coach the smallest players, to those who work long unpaid hours to ensure the success of our professional teams, there were heroines wherever you looked. Of course they don't see it that way; they do what they do for love, of their children, their families and their sport.

For the past four years the National Rugby League (NRL) and Harvey Norman have celebrated the Women in League round during the NRL season and this is the first year the Women in League awards event has been held in New Zealand. New Zealand Rugby League and Warriors staff spent some two months working on the event, calling for nominations, planning and organising the dinner, judging each of the five categories and selecting the winners.

Along with the 50+ nominees for the Women in League awards across five categories; including Volunteer of the Year and Service to the Community, the dinner was attended by those who had nominated them and those who wanted to show their support.

The Vodafone Warriors First Grade squad sat amongst the nominees, along with members of the media and visitors from the NRL in Australia. Other special guests included Katie Page, NRL Board Member and CEO of Harvey Norman, sponsors of Women in League, and Mario Fenech, one time first grade player now with the NRL.

MC for the evening Jenny May Coffin, was praised for her good humour and the way she created a positive and relaxed atmosphere for everyone. Women from as far away as Taranaki, Napier, Christchurch and the West Coast of the South Island made the trip to Auckland to be a part of this wonderful occasion.

The official winners were

Service to the Community - Esme Tamati

Service to Refereeing - Sharleen Strawbridge

Volunteer of the Year - Sharon Bird

Women in League Professional - Nadene Conlon

Women in League Volunteer - Jenny Nahu

The New Zealand winners will now go through to the 2010 NRL One Community Awards as nominees in their categories.

Everyone who attended agreed that all the women who were nominated, and many more that were not, are the engine room of our game and deserve to be celebrated whenever possible.

The Vodafone Warriors celebrate the Women in League round this weekend in their game against the Parramatta Eels on Sunday afternoon July 4.

Hearts Camp Beats Winter Blues

NZRL — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

The first in a series of NZRL 'Hearts Camps' was held in Wellington on Sunday 27 June, 2010. Hearts camps, which will be held in all seven Zones, are designed to bring the coaches, managers, trainers and selectors together with the players who are wanting to represent their Zone in the 15's and 17's teams. In addition all the Premiers staff are encouraged to attend so they can take part in the workshops.

The Wellington based camp was attended by 120 players and 47 coaches, along with 12 referees and the turnout confirmed, as previously indicated by the response to the recent NZRL Community Camp in Lower Hutt, that Rugby League is alive and thriving in the region.

Unfortunately the weather meant all grounds were closed, delaying the trials for the new Zone teams. The day wasn't wasted however with Tony Kemp, NZRL Football Manager and Dan Floyd, NZRL Coaching and Development Manager running workshops with all the attendees allowing everyone the opportunity to get an idea of the expectations for the upcoming Zone competition.

Ian Mackintosh, NZRL National Referees Coordinator ran a workshop with the referees regarding the requirements of refereeing at high performance level. They also had a session covering health and safety and legal practices.

The players went through a Player Pathway workshop lead by Tony Kemp, and a Drug and Alcohol workshop with Andrew Sylvester following which they signed a Drug Free Pledge.

Rangi Aukino, the Assistant Coach for the new 15's Wellington Zone team and current coach of the Under 15 Harbour City Rugby League team said "Coming from the Junior perspective I found the whole day so useful. The information we were given was great, the 15's are at a vital age development wise, this is when the really good players start to shine. Learning about nutrition, thinking about looking after themselves, making good decisions as well as the skills information that was shared is just so important to them. It was great that they were there to hear it too."

She continues "Not only that but we got the opportunity to mix with the Senior coaches, and we don't usually get to catch up with them. We learnt so many extra things from them, things we'll be able to use now and to have met Trevor Clark and David Lomax is going to be a real help. I'll be able to contact them for the best advice to give our boys. It's all really really exciting."

Players collect their wrist band from Andrew Strawbridge after signing the Drug Free Pledge.

Revera Join NZRL Sponsorship Family

NZRL — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

New Zealand Rugby League has further strengthened their partnership portfolio by securing an invaluable 3-year sponsorship deal with trans-Tasman computer services company, Revera.

CEO, Jim Doyle said, "We are extremely pleased to welcome Revera on board. They are a world class IT service provider who will no doubt play an integral role in ensuring we are able to communicate with all of our community across a safe, secure, high integrity computer infrastructure system."

"We are continuously striving to improve everything we do, both on and off the field and, as such, are looking forward to partnering with a company who share our enthusiasm for achieving a culture of excellence and believe strongly in our vision for growing the game of Rugby League in New Zealand," says Doyle.

Revera, a proudly owned New Zealand company is highly committed to supporting both the NZRL and the Kiwis, recognising this is an opportunity to align their IT brand with a sporting organisation that has tremendous support and a very loyal fan base both here and across the Tasman.

To find out more about Revera, visit their website at www.revera.co.nz

Vodafone Communications Sponsor

NZRL — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:00:00 GMT

NZRL CEO Jim Doyle confirmed today that Vodafone have agreed to become the Telecommunications sponsor for the New Zealand Rugby League.

"With new staff in the regions, and the importance of quality communications within any modern organisation, we are very pleased to have agreed to a long term partnership with Vodafone" said Doyle.

"Communications is a significant cost to any organisation, and this sponsorship arrangement will allow us to maintain quality communications without having to take from any other area of our budget."

Russell Stanners, CEO of Vodafone said "Vodafone is proud of its long involvement with rugby league in New Zealand. This is an opportunity to support further growth and to provide help at the grassroots level, which is of course where all international success comes from."

In conclusion Doyle said, "We are very grateful to all our sponsors and partners who by providing us with critical services are enabling us to keep building the game. This is a very positive development for rugby league in New Zealand."