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As we enter 2021 and creep over the halfway point of the current touch season we thought we would take a look back at some of the highlights from the first half of the touch season throughout Southland.
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OCOTBER 2020 MULIAINA SHINES FOR NZ U16 BOYS Southland Boys' High School student Rico Muliaina headed to Auckland to take part in the NZ U16 Boys domestic tour of NZ. Due to COVID-19 the team was unable to travel to Australia but still managed to take on some of the best touch players in NZ. Rico performed well and with another season remaining in the U16 grade expect him to help push the Southland U16 Mixed team to a top finish at the Youth Nationals next month.
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NOVEMBER 2020 DEVELOPMENT PRGORAMME CONTINUES TO GROW Off the back of the success of Touch Southlands junior development programme in 2019, this season saw Te Anau & Northern Southland become involved for the first time with a girls & boys team taking part in tournaments respectively. Over 32 teams and 350 + players took to the field in tournaments in Winton, Invercargill & Queenstown highlighting the continued growth and popularity of this concept. For more information on Touch Southlands Junior Development Programme click here or have a read of this article from December 2019. |
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NOVEMBER 2020 MODULE ADJUSTMENTS TAKE FLIGHT There were two noticeable adjustments around some of the Touch Southland Primary Modules in term four 2020. The first was creating two venues for the Invercargill Primary Module. Schools across Invercargill & surrounding areas split in half with the Waikiwi Rugby Club playing host to schools from the northern end of Invercargill. The addition of Waikiwi as a venue was a huge success with plenty of positive feedback received from players and parents at both locations. The second addition in term four was the introduction of Girls 4 a-side grades in Invercargill & Queenstown in the year 1&2 and year 3&4 grades. 20 + teams took part and the feedback received from coaches and players was fantastic. The concept was created to encourage more young females to give touch a go with their friends where they get to be constantly involved in the game with touches of the ball and many tries. Touch Southland hope to further push this concept into modules throughout Southland. |
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DECEMBER 2020 CENTRAL SOUTHLAND COLLEGE CLAIM BOWL AT NZSS Flying the flag as the lone Southland school at the 2020 NZSS Touch Champs in Rotorua, Central Southland College had an outstanding weekend winning 6 out of 8 games to claim the bowl title. The team was unbeaten over the final two days of the tournament. After a tight first up loss to Western Heights HS in a game that was livestreamed on Sky Sport Next on day one - The rural Southland school didn't look back after that and played some fantastic touch scoring plenty of tries. The team was spearheaded by Southland player and NZ U18 World Cup trialist Lochie Earland with plenty of other valuable contributions across the park. It was an Earland affair for CSC with Lochies brother Henry coaching the team. |
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WHATS COMING UP
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