Stratford junior rugby league teams open for Warriors at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium

Stratford Toa Rugby League under-10 player Archer Moore, 10, keeps possession of the ball while being tackled.

Stratford’s up-and-coming league players swapped their home field for Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium earlier this month.

The Stratford Toa Rugby League under-8s and under-10s teams played curtain-raiser games against the respective Ōtāhuhu Leopards teams before the Warriors faced the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks on Sunday, July 16.

Stratford Toa chairman Jade Wylde says it was a “once-in-a-lifetime experience” for the 40 players and their families.

“They had the full experience. Running out on to the field, playing in front of a few thousand people, commentators and also being on the big screen. There were about 100 of us who travelled.”

He says the games were focused on having fun and with no scores kept for junior league teams featuring players under 12, the day is all about participation rather than competition.

Jade says the Warriors won their match 44-12.

“It was such an awesome game to watch. The Warriors were on top form and won convincingly.”

Playing the curtain-raiser and watching the Warriors match weren’t the only highlights of the trip, he says, with the players also visiting Rainbow’s End theme park.

“We drove up on Saturday and stayed at a Christian youth camp in Ngāruawāhia. On game day we hired some buses to take us to Rainbow’s End. We spent the morning there and then travelled to Mt Smart Stadium.”

The Stratford Toas aren’t the first Taranaki league team to play a curtain-raiser for the Warriors — the Pātea Warriors Rugby League Club has played them twice before, the most recent being in May.

George MacDonald, 10, during the under-10s game.

Jade says he contacted the Pātea club last year, to find out how to organise something like that for the Toas.

“I contacted the club delegate to get advice on how to get in contact with the Warriors. They gave me an email. I kept in contact with them and when the draw came out they told me to pick a game. I selected this one.”

He says Toa club players and their families fundraised for the trip.

“We ran a Mother’s Day raffle and then each kid was given a sponsor sheet.”

Jade says without people supporting the fundraising efforts, this wouldn’t have been possible.

“Because of their support, we were able to provide a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. There were a number of kids who told their parents it was the best day of their lives.”

Image 1 of 10: The Stratford Toa Rugby League teams on the day.