Rachel Stratford, our current Touch Blacks Mixed team manager, is set to take on a new challenge. Herself, Toni Wall, and Shelly Johnstone, are taking on the mammoth task of managing two different teams at the 2022 Bunnings Homegrown Touch Series. Rachel is managing both mixed sides, TE HAU TONGA HANUMI & TE HAU Ā URU HANUMI, at the event taking place this weekend. When asked about the upcoming weekend, Rachel said that she’s looking forward to watching some elite level touch, “it’s the end of our season and we’re finally being able to tap off. I’m so excited to connect with our players and High Performance management team, it feels like it’s been ages since we’ve been together”. 

The Homegrown Touch Series fuelled by Indomie, brings players from all over the country together for a weekend of representative touch. When asked about the concept of the Homegrown Touch Series, Rachel mentions “it’s going to give us a good solid base to build on as we head closer to the Touch World Cup. The series brings players from all over Aotearoa, the kaupapa for our team names fit perfectly. Ngā Hau e Whā – the four winds”.

For our talented youth players, the Homegrown Touch Series is a great opportunity to get the exposure and opportunity to perform at an elite level. When Rachel was asked about some of the new players coming through the ranks, she said “There’s so much talent coming through.  We have so many new women’s players to watch both in the Women’s and Mixed teams.  As well as our incumbent players, there’s a really good mix”. 

After having an unsettled representative calendar in recent years and a World Cup only two seasons away, the Homegrown Touch Series is the perfect chance for our High Performance Touch community to perform and compete at an elite level, leading up to the World Cup in 2024. When asked about the preparation for the World Cup, Rachel said “The Homegrown Touch Series is so important to showcase our elite and up and coming players as part of our build up to the Touch World Cup. With the Touch World Cup only two years away, players need to be taking these opportunities to play at a higher level.  After this series, we should see the bases of three strong squads to continue to build on towards the Touch World Cup”. 

Article added: Tuesday 12 April 2022