Touch: Lessons learnt across Tasman

Hawke's Bay touch representatives Luc Harmer, left, and Deanna Muir are eagerly awaiting their next crack at the world champs. Photo / Paul Taylor

Playing against world champions in any code increases enthusiasm and excitement levels regardless of the results.

Just ask Hawke's Bay touch representatives Deanna Muir and Luc Harmer who returned home yesterday after playing for their respective New Zealand Under-21 women's and men's teams at the weekend's Youth Trans Tasman Series in Sydney.

"Do we have to mention the results?" Muir asked.

For the record, her team were beaten 10-1, 15-3, and 13-3 against an Aussie team which included several members of Australia's open mixed team.

"Our team improved towards the end of the series. The style of play over there was a lot faster and more physical than I've experienced before and those 38-degree temperatures were certainly a first for me," Harmer said.

Like Harmer, Muir, 19, was experiencing her first taste of playing in New Zealand colours. A Hawke's Bay rep for the past five seasons, including the national title-winning under-21 mixed team in 2013, Muir, will aim to represent her country against the Aussies again in 2017 either at open women's or open mixed levels.

An orchard worker, Muir, played every minute of the first game as a winger and then link in the next two. She was also part of the Ivan Pomare-coached NZ team's leadership group.

The Galaxy club player who first dabbled in the code when at Hastings Girls' High School is grateful for all the coaches she has had over the years while representing the Bay at under-15, 17 and 21 levels and who have got her up to national standard.

Harmer's Phillip Pahina-coached team lost 6-2, 10-2 and 10-7. The 20-year-old said pulling on his New Zealand singlet was the highlight of a touch career which began as a 7-year-old.

A link player, Harmer, is hoping to make the Counties-Manukau open mixed team for the Auckland-hosted nationals in March. If he is unsuccessful, he will play alongside Muir in the Hawke's Bay under-21 mixed team which will attempt to improve upon last year's third placing.

The Outkast Sports club player ranked Counties-Manukau and New Zealand open men's player Henry Dunn as his hero. Should the Karamu High School product continue to gain national honours and get regular game time against the Aussies, he could become a touch whiz who is idolised as much as Dunn.

Like Muir, Harmer, had a lengthy list of coaches he wanted to thank for his rise to international honours. Raymond Rima, Reva Joseph, Hape Gill, Matt Marsh, Anaru Bartlett, Dion Te Ahu and Daniel De Thierry have all helped the pair.

Should their Hawke's Bay under-21 teammates be receptive to their new tips from across the Tasman and Harmer remain in black and white colours for the nationals, there's a good chance the Hawke's Bay touch fraternity will be toasting another national title in March.

If that happens, expect Muir and Harmer to quietly thank those world champions across the ditch.