Te Arawa under-21 women's player Regan Stephens dives for the try line during Maori Touch nationals in Rotorua last year. Photo / File
Te Arawa under-21 women's player Regan Stephens dives for the try line during Maori Touch nationals in Rotorua last year. Photo / File
Scorching speed, silky skills and natural flair are all on the menu during a feast of touch rugby action in Rotorua.
Nearly 4000 players and supporters are expected at the Maori Touch Nationals at Puarenga Park on Saturday and Sunday.
Touch is the sport in which rugby league stars Benji Marshall and Shaun Johnson learned to leave players in the dust and players with similar levels of x-factor are expected to be in attendance this weekend.
The annual tournament, which was first held in Hopuhopu, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and there will be a hui tonightnight and a po whakangahau tomorrownight to mark the occasion.
New Zealand Maori Touch national co-ordinator Sue Panapa said 60 teams had entered the tournament, which was similar to other years.
"It's the best Maori players in New Zealand so the skill level will be very high. It's very competitive, all the teams are very strong. They're friends on the sideline and enemies on the field," Panapa said.
She said the under-17 grades and the under-21 men's and mixed grades were "maxed out", which was good for the future of the sport and the tournament.
"Most of them are New Zealand representatives, there are some really exciting up-and-coming players in those grades."
She said the tournament had remained strong for 20 years because of the dedication of those involved.
"Just the passion to keep it going, it's a whanau-orientated event. We have parents playing in our senior mixed tournament whose young ones are coming up through the age groups as well.
"It's very nice to see the kids coming through the younger grades and then playing in the open grade throughout the years."
Te Arawa under-21 mixed player Ceiza James makes a run during last year's Maori Touch Nationals. Photo / File
There will be about 60 volunteer referees at the Maori Touch Nationals.
"We wouldn't have a tournament without them, they give up their own time. We have a couple who have been coming for 20 years and we want to acknowledge them," Panapa said.
Te Arawa has teams entered in the under-21 men's and mixed, open mixed, masters' mixed and under-17 girls' and boys' grades.
Last year's Te Arawa under-17 men's team, who finished runner-up to South Queensland, have made the step up to the under-21 men's tournament and coach Steve Hudson said they were aiming to at least make the semifinals this year.
"It's hard to tell which teams will go well because you don't know which players will be there. All the teams are pretty hard and this will be their first year in the under-21s," Hudson said.
He said the flair with which Maori touch players approached the game was "awesome to watch" and the Te Arawa players needed to focus on defence and yards.
"The attack comes easy, especially in Maori touch, but they have to defend and communicate well. This tournament is definitely a highlight each year and it's excellent to have it in Rotorua - it's good for Rotorua too, all the people coming and staying in hotels. Heaps of families come," he said.
Open men: Mataatua, Tainui, Te Atihau Nui a Paparangi, Te Aupori, Te Rarawa, Wairere
Open women: Nga Uri o Tai, Tainui, Te Aupouri
Open mixed: Ngati Whatua, Raukawa Ki Runga, Raukawa Ki Runga, Raukawa Ki Waikato,Tauranga Moana, Te Arawa, Te Koutu, Te Whakatohea, Tuwharetoa, Waitakere
