Touch New Zealand’s Development Tour for the Under 15s and 17s National Boys and Girls is now underway with a large tour contingent of coaches, officials, parents and players crossing the Tasman today to participate in the Touch Football Australia X-Blades National Youth Championship in Port Macquarie, NSW.

The tour provides players with experience firsthand of the Australian game and referee style as they go up against the best young Australian Touch players and follows on from successful tours in 2010 and 2011.

The experience that the players and coaches gain from the tour is an invaluable part of the pathway into the Youth Trans Tasman teams and Touch Blacks. Past players who have participated in the Development Tour and then gone on to represent the Touch Blacks include Tyla Nathan-Wong, Rebecca Kersten, Marama Davis and Carlos Savage.

The following National referees will also be on tour and officiating at the tournament.

• Richie Heap
• Craig Irwin
• Aiden Tibbotts
• Jonathan Broughton
• Bradley Parker
• Bronson Marsh

Touch New Zealand wishes the contingent well on the tour. Check touchnz.co.nz and facebook.com/touchnz for updates, photos and match results.