Juniors switch to Sunday matches

Schoolboy rugby league gets under way for 2009 this weekend, and with it comes high hopes for the sport's revival in the region.
Whangarei and Districts president Sonny Hohepa said this year's matches were on Sundays in a bid to give players more game time and develop the area's up and coming stars.
"Having the schoolboys' competition on Sunday allows players to play two games in one weekend if they wanted to - club games on Saturdays for the older players, as well as schoolboy league on Sundays," he said.
The schoolboys' competition will be staged at three different venues this year - Otangarei, the City Knights' grounds, the Northern Wairoa grounds in Dargaville and Simson Park, home to Moerewa Rugby League Club.
A committee chaired by Paddy Walker - whose children and grandchildren will play for the Manaia View School and Te Rawhitiroa Kura Kaupapa teams in the competition - has been elected to oversee the running of the competition.
There are hopes the competition will attract 400 schoolboys this year, aged from 5 to 17.
To be competitive in age-group league, junior league needed to have the numbers so more talent could emerge to represent the region, Hohepa said.
Each of the eight clubs playing in the Whangarei and Districts senior competition - Takahiwai, Kaikohe, Moerewa, Hikurangi, Wairoa, Bay Slayers, City Knights and Portland - needed to guarantee they would have at least two schoolboy teams of any age, to remain playing senior footy.
"It has been the ruling in the past, but it will be policed better this year," Hohepa said.
Along with club teams, school teams and whanau teams have also been invited to participate.
Hohepa also confirmed under-16 and under-18 Northern zone teams, consisting of players from Whangarei and Districts, Rodney and Hibiscus Coast associations, will compete at the national schoolboys' rugby league tournament in Hopuhopu, Waikato, during August.
Last year, Northland's under-16 and under-18 teams were excluded from the national tournament due to a New Zealand rugby league restructure, which only saw the main league centres competing.
"The smaller provinces missed out again," Hohepa said.
However, that won't be happening this year, with the new Northern zone board overseeing Northland rugby league, he said.
Schoolboy league games kick off on Sunday from 9am at various venues.