Revitalised tournament a tribute to former player

Maori rugby has come a long way in Northland over the past few years thanks to a few individuals' passion and commitment to grow the game.
Players' renewed enthusiasm and desire to represent their province will be witnessed on Saturday at the annual Johnny Isaacs Maori Rugby Tournament, held at Dargaville Old Boys Rugby Club.
Northland Rugby Development Officer and co-ordinator for this event Hector Davies, said he has seen immense change in Maori rugby in Northland since joining the Rugby Union six years ago.
"Maori rugby always played second fiddle to everything else, it was moved around all the time and it was a struggle to get enough people to play at the Johnny Isaacs Tournament which has been going since 1979 ... it was sad how it used to be," Davies said.
However, things gradually began to change when Davies along with Maori Rugby Board chairman for Northland Moses Cherrington and secretary/treasurer Henry Mackie pushed for change in the Maori game.
"Traditionally the tournament was just for senior players but we got a very good bunch of young players together and started from there ... from junior players, 18-19 year-old players started coming through and strengthening the senior teams."
The tournament expanded to include North versus South Zone games for Colts, Under-16s and Under-14s.
With the junior players came renewed enthusiasm and desire to continue representing Northland throughout all the grades, along with pride, Davies said.
Last year's event was held in Kawakawa and it attracted over 2000 people, which made organisers think it was time to stage the tournament in Dargaville. Dargaville was home to the late Johnny Isaacs, who played 53 games for North Auckland and several matches for New Zealand Maori and contributed greatly to the administrative side of rugby in Northern Wairoa before he passed away in 1977.
"I thought it had grown big enough and its status was significant enough to hold it in Dargaville ... it deserves to be there as that's where Johnny Isaacs played most of his rugby," Davies said.
Following Saturday's tournament - the Northland Maori Senior, Colts and Women's teams to contest the Northern Regions Maori Competition will be announced.
The Northern Regions competition starts with two home games in Whangarei against Auckland on February 19 and North Harbour on February 26, before the teams head to Rotorua during the first week of March for the finals.
Northland Colts were runner-ups in this competition last year, but won the Northern Regions' title for the five previous years.
The Northland Seniors - a team infused with many Northland ITM Cup players who might have overlooked competing in the Maori side in previous years - took out the prestigious title last year for the first time in 10 years. The success of the teams made all the hard work which goes into organising the tournament and teams, worthwhile, Davies said.
Saturday's festival of Maori rugby kicks off at 11am, when the Under-14 North Zone play the South Zone on field two at Dargaville Old Boys Rugby Club. The Under-18s North and South teams kick off at 11.30am on field one while the Under-16s start at 12pm (field one). The senior game gets under way at 1.30pm on field one.