Junior league players to test skills

A festival of rugby league for under-10, 11 and -12 teams from around the country will take place in Whakatane at the weekend. Photo/File

Rotorua youngsters will join sides from around New Zealand taking part in a grassroots rugby league festival in Whakatane this weekend.

The Junior League Festival is a three-day competition for young league players and has the purpose of giving them an opportunity to play against clubs from around New Zealand.

The tournament is for under-10, -11 and -12 teams and will start with an opening ceremony at Mataatua Reserve tomorrow.

The tournament proper will kick off on Saturday and finish on Sunday.

Teams from Ngongotaha Chiefs and Pikiao Warriors will be joined by those from as far afield as Christchurch, Wellington, Dannevirke, Auckland and the Waikato, as well as Tauranga.

''It's a new festival and it's going to be an annual event in Whakatane,'' said event manager Nathan Stewart of Global Games, which specialises in junior sporting events.

The games will be played at Rugby Park.

Bay of Plenty rugby league development officer Brent Jones said the tournament will fill a gap.

''There's no real tournaments for (this age group) where they can match themselves against other teams from other zones,'' he said.

''There's also the culture side of things too, getting the teams that are travelling coming to another area, buddying up with another team where they'll stay together on a marae - so it's not just about what happening on the field, it's what's happening off the field as well.''

As well as the tournament there will be workshops for managers and referees.

''Brent has been a huge help in organising the local teams in the area like the Mataatua club and getting in contact with the other team and contacting the NZRL as well to get the resources,'' said Stewart.