Wai-Coa-Bay's hopes of winning a national title this year at the NZRL National Youth Tournament in Rotorua are over.
The best, young league players in the country have been battling it out for national titles this week at Puketawhero Park in the under-15 and under-17 grades. The home region, Wai-Coa-Bay, qualified for yesterday's semifinals in the under-17 grade but lost to Counties-Manukau 26-16.
Wai-Coa-Bay Under-17 coach Eugene Davis said his team played well during the weeklong tournament but came up against a strong Counties team in the semifinal. "They are a power-play side, they have a lot of strength and a lot of size and our boys matched them but not for the whole game," he said. "We didn't contain them enough and were playing catch-up football."
Wai-Coa-Bay trailed Counties 18-0 at halftime before coming out firing in the second period to get back in the game. They scored two tries early in the second half then bombed a try out wide as Rotorua's Reuben Taylor starred at hooker.
Counties replied by scoring the next two tries to kill the contest and earn a spot in the under-17 final against Akarana of Auckland today. The annual tournament always receives plenty of attention from NRL scouts on the lookout for future stars. Davis said about three or four of his squad were already signed to clubs for the future. He said his team should be back strong again next year at the nationals. "A lot of them are only 16, so nine of them could be back next year."
