Trans-Tasman Rivalry as New Zealand Takes on Australia at Ultimate Frisbee This Weekend
NZ’s best young ultimate players will represent their country against Australia this weekend in Auckland in the
bi-annual trans-Tasman Trophy
The visiting Australians will bring two squads (U20 Men and U20 Women) to across the Tasman to play against their
counterparts from New Zealand in three tests each across Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September at Auckland Grammar School.
The New Zealand teams were selected in June and have been preparing for the series with three training camps and plenty
of individual work in the players’ regions since. New Zealand last hosted Australia in 2011 for the inaugural
trans-Tasman Trophy, an event which saw New Zealand win both sets of matches 3-0. Home field advantage is obviously a
big factor as the Australians won the trophies back when New Zealand teams visited in 2013.
The series serves as an important milestone as the New Zealand squads will continue afterwards to prepare for the World
Junior Ultimate Championships to be held in Wroclaw, Poland in August 2016.
“This series against Australia provides a fantastic opportunity to get some competition for our junior teams as they
prepare for the World Championships” says Iain Stewart, executive officer of New Zealand Ultimate and coach of the NZ
U19 Girls’ team. “It’s difficult to just train for 18 months in the lead up to Worlds. This competition breaks up that
monotony and the history of sporting fixtures between NZ and Australia just adds some spice to the mix. Our players are
looking forward to the challenge”.
Each match in the series will be played to 15 points with time capped at 90 minutes. All games will be played at
Auckland Grammar School (Mountain Road, Mt Eden).
Sunday 26 September
1.00pm New Zealand V Australia (U20 Women)
2.45pm New Zealand v Australia (U20 Men)
Sunday 27 September
9.00am New Zealand v Australia (U20 Women)
10.45am New Zealand v Australia (U20 Men)
12.30pm New Zealand v Australia (U20 Women)
2.15pm New Zealand v Australia (U20 Men)
ENDS