New Zealand Rugby League is pleased to announce the NZ Clubs v NZ Schools national representative fixtures for 16s and 18s boys and girls in 2024.
The NZ Clubs v NZ Schools contest was established in 2020 for 18s boys before the inaugural 18s girls match-up the following year and has since become a popular match on the grassroots calendar.
The national representative fixture is now set to be launched in the 16s age grade to align with the 18s level. This will increase representative opportunities for players, coaches, and management staff from throughout Aotearoa, while providing standout young players an opportunity to wear the Black & White jersey.
Motu Tony GM of Football and High Performance at NZRL said: “The massive growth of rangatahi playing rugby league is leading to the talent within our grassroot teams also growing. This contest allows us to reward players, coaches, managers, trainers, and referees with a representative opportunity.
“This tournament in October will be a key event for our young players to display their skills in front of their families and friends as well as selectors who are looking for our future Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns.”
The NZ Clubs sides will be selected from the NZRL National Youth Competition and the NZ Schools sides from the NZRL National Secondary School Tournament (NZSST). NZSST had a record 49 teams participating this year with the Youth Competition also expecting increased participation.
Many homegrown talents have progressed from the 18s NZ Clubs v NZ Schools contests to higher-level rugby league opportunities including the NRL, NRLW, and feeder competitions.
From the inaugural 2020 boy’s cohort Ali Leiataua and Zyon Maiu’u of the NZ Schools team and Josiah Karapani from the NZ Clubs team all went on to make successful NRL debuts.
The 2022 NZSST girls MVP and NZ Schools representative Sharnyze Pihema earned selection for the Manly Sea Eagles Tarsha Gale Cup team in 2023. She then captained the Ahi Kā Aotearoa national 21s women’s team in 2024, earning MVP of the Harvey Norman Women’s National Championships.
Her 2022 NZ Clubs opponent Alexis Tauaneai is in her second NRLW season with the St. George Illawarra Dragons, where she is a predominant player in the team at just 19 years old.
The NZ Clubs v NZ Schools matches for 18s boys and girls will be played in Cambridge on Saturday 12 October and the 16s boys and girls will be played in Auckland on Monday 28 October.
Fixtures:
12 October – 18s NZ Clubs v NZ Schools
Location: St Peters School, Cambridge
28 October – 16s NZ Clubs v NZ Schools
Location: Bruce Pullman Park, Takanini
