14 August 2024
New Zealand Rugby League’s (NZRL) annual National Youth Competition will move to Canterbury in 2025.
Traditionally held in Rotorua, the rangatahi tournament has been running since 2010 in its current form, with the seven Zones and Auckland in attendance. In recent years, the tournament has seen districts Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Coastline attending.
2024 especially is set to be a standout year for the tournament, likely to attract 50 teams from the Districts and Zones across all grades (16s and18s) for both the boys’ and girls’ divisions.
Spurred by rugby league experiencing strong growth in the region in recent years especially, Canterbury Rugby League and NZRL are excited to host the tournament in the South Island.
“This is a very exciting time for Canterbury Rugby League,” says Canterbury Rugby League CEO Malcolm Humm. “It is a real honour for us to host the 2025 National Youth Competition and we thank NZRL for this opportunity.
“We believe with the exceptional facilities we have at Ngā Puna Wai and the progress the city has made with the rebuild, this will contribute to an enjoyable experience for those visiting from other parts of the country.”
Greg Peters, NZRL CEO reiterates the sentiment, “The continual development of our game throughout Aotearoa is paramount. It’s important to us that regions throughout the country continue to grow, not just in player numbers but across the wider game too.
“Canterbury Rugby League are the perfect examples of this, their passion for the game evident. Hosting the National Youth Competition in the area next year is something we’re all looking forward to.”
South Island teams have made a strong showing in the Youth tournament over the past few years, with the South Island Scorpions taking out the 16s boys division in 2023, and the 18s boys’ team securing a final spot for the third year running also.
2024 will see Canterbury enter the boys’ tournament under their own banner, with Otago, Southland, Aoraki and West Coast Districts remaining under the South Island Scorpions.
Come 2025 however, Humm explains, for the first time in many years both male and female rangatahi will play for Canterbury, “so for them to be able to play in front of their friends and whanau in the red & black is very special”.
A pathway to higher honours, the tournament has seen the likes of Kiwis players Griffin Neame and Jordan Riki both take part.
Canterbury also lays claim to a number of strong players having come through the ranks, Isabella Waterman and Jaydika Tafua for example, both from the region; Waterman part of the NRLW Newcastle Knights, Tafua on a development deal with the NRLW Cronulla Sharks.
