WEDNESDAY 12 MARCH 2025

The excitement is building as New Zealand prepares to host the highly anticipated Open Trans-Tasman Test Series against Australia, taking place at the Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub in Christchurch. The series, marking the first international test in New Zealand since 2018, will feature a thrilling rematch of all three open grade finals from the Touch World Cup, making it a pivotal event for the sport of touch.

For the first time in years, the best of New Zealand's Open Men's, Women's, and Mixed Touch teams will be going head-to-head with Australia in this three-day spectacle, to be held from Friday April 25th – Sunday 27th April 2025.

The series will showcase a total of 14 debutants representing New Zealand across all grades, further raising the stakes for the competition.

Rahul Das, New Zealand Open Men's Coach, is excited for the challenge ahead. He shared his thoughts on the team’s preparation and mindset: “This squad will bring a fearless mix of youthfulness, skill, experience, and heart—driven by a certain hunger to chase excellence. We will be playing in the black singlet, knowing it is more than just fabric. It carries legacy, humility, and a commitment to something greater than ourselves. We play for our whānau, our friends, and the touch community in Aotearoa—honouring those who paved the way and hopefully inspiring those who will follow.”

On the women’s side, Peter McIntyre, New Zealand Open Women's Coach, who was recently honoured for coaching 100 Test Caps, expressed his excitement for the series. “I’m very honest about where we are at the moment – it’s not what you say, but what you do that matters. I’m confident we can leave it all out there and come away with a result we’re proud of,” said McIntyre.

This series will also mark the debut of Damien Burden as Head Coach of the New Zealand Touch Blacks Mixed Open team. Burden is dedicated to upholding the legacy of the team and is driven to make his own impact on the sport: “As a group, we are keen to respect the legacy of the Touch Blacks Mixed jersey by putting our best foot forward and adding our own part to this legacy. Excellence in attention to detail, performance, personal fitness, and preparation is an expectation.” 

The action-packed weekend will see each New Zealand Touch Blacks team – Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed – playing one test match per day. The competition is expected to be fierce, as New Zealand faces off against Australia in what promises to be a thrilling series.

In the lead-up to the event, Touch New Zealand has partnered with Christchurch City Council to offer exciting community activations for tamariki. These free events will provide local touch enthusiasts the chance to meet the Touch Blacks athletes, strengthening ties within the community and inspiring future generations of touch players.

This Open Trans-Tasman Test Series not only promises high-quality sport but also offers a platform to celebrate and honour the rich history of touch in New Zealand, with players eager to create their own legacy while respecting those who have come before them.

All games will be broadcast live, free & exclusively via Touch New Zealand’s YouTube channel.  

The Open Trans-Tasman Test Series is proudly supported by NZCT and Christchurch City Council as well as High Performance Sport New Zealand and Touch New Zealand’s loyal partners ASICS, SAS Sport and Silver Fern.  

Event Details: 

•    What: Open Trans-Tasman Test Series – New Zealand vs. Australia
•    When: Friday to Sunday, 25 – 27th April 2025
•    Where: Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub, Christchurch

For more information about the series or community activations, visit touchnz.co.nz or follow Touch New Zealand on social media. 

TOUCH BLACKS TEAMS 

Touch Blacks Mixed
Alex Howearth (Counties Manukau) 
Codie Taute (Waikato) 
Daniel D'Urban-Burgess* (North Harbour) 
Deena Ranginui-Puketapu 
George D'Urban-Burgess (North Harbour) 
Jordan Tuakana-Hudson (Bay of Plenty) 
Kiera Fisher (North Harbour)
Mariana Winiana (North Harbour) 
Molly Wheeley (Otago) 
Nathan Rollinson (North Harbour) 
Pokaiaua Kurukaanga (Auckland) 
Riley Harrison* (Counties Manukau) 
Sean Wilkie (Counties Manukau) 
Tamatea Winiana* (North Harbour) 
Tiaan McIntyre (Auckland) 
Tiana Tiro* (North Harbour) 

Touch Blacks Women

Bailee McDowall* (Counties Manukau) 
Briar Hadfield (North Harbour) 
Charli Sinclair* (Otago) 
Destiny Katene (North Harbour) 
Emmerson Garrett (Counties Manukau) 
Kairirangi Edmonds* (Counties Manukau) 
Kaitlyn McIntosh* (Manawatu) 
Lysahn Collier* (Bay of Plenty) 
Manaia Waudby* (Waikato) 
Niki Crombie* (Waikato) 
Sammi Stanton (Manawatu) 
Sharni Vilila* (Bay of Plenty) 
Shyan Murphy* (Waikato)
Zayde Sarah-Baldwin* (Waikato) 
Zoe Sosich (North Harbour)

Touch Blacks Men

Danyon Morgan-Puterangi (North Harbour) 
Eifion Jones (Waikato) 
Fin Barnett (Waikato) 
Francis Morrison* (Counties Manukau) 
Hamish Faulks (Otago) 
Harry Kirk* (Canterbury) 
Ifor Jones (Waikato) 
Lantze Davids (North Harbour) 
Matt Sinclair (Counties Manukau) 
Nat Turner (Counties Manukau) 
Raiki Willison (Waikato) 
Reihana Soutar (Bay of Plenty) 
Te Tuhi Muir-Tuuta (Auckland) 
Tiwi Davies (Bay of Plenty) 
Toby Snelgrove* (North Harbour) 
Tre Poihipi (Waikato)

* Denotes debutant