Come and cheer Northland Taniwha and Kauri rugby teams - under 14s are free

Multimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·

9 Oct, 2020 04:00 PM3 mins to read

Entry for under 14s are free for both the Northland Kauri and Taniwha games tomorrow at Semenoff Stadium. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Fill up the car with as many kids as possible and get to Semenoff Stadium tomorrow to fire up the Northland men's and women's rugby teams and get their autographs afterwards.

That's because the Northland Rugby Union is allowing free entry to under 14s for the Northland Kauri and Taranaki clash in the Farah Palmer Cup and the Taniwha v Southland Mitre 10 Cup match.

Kick-off times have been re-scheduled because of the Bledisloe Cup match between the All Blacks and Wallabies in Wellington starting at 4pm tomorrow.

The Farah Palmer Cup match will kick off at 10.45am followed by the Mitre 10 Cup clash at 1.15pm.

"It's a great way for us to go back to the Northland rugby community and say 'thank you'. People have had hard times out there. We have too, but this is a small way for us to say thank you to the community," NRU chief executive Cameron Bell said.

"But also to be bit more innovative around how we can encourage people to come here because do have the challenge of the All Black game afterwards but there's nothing like seeing rugby live and right now."

He said both Northland teams with great character and culture were playing hearty rugby— rugby that really inspired others.

Bell said he had spent time going out in the community as part of NRU's ongoing commitment to connect with the grassroots.

"This is a way of trying to say to someone in Panguru or Horeke 'jump in the car with Mum and Dad, you only gonna pay for two adults, come fill the car or van up with as many kids and come down and see the games' and hopefully something like this could inspire the next Jack Goodhue.

"It could bring them out of the woodwork. Where's the next Norm Berryman coming from? Where's the next Ian Jones coming from? One of the things I really love is, at the end of the game, win or lose, the number of kids that come on to the field — that's what our game's about," Bell said.

The teams, he said, were loving and appreciative of the support from their fans and urged as many to come along and lift the sides.

Despite a number of injuries, Northland Taniwha has named a formidable side to take on the Stags with Mid Northern midfield back Kalani Going set to make his debut in the Cambridge blue if he takes the field.