Touch: World Cup lures sisters

Celeste Lowe (left) and sister Candis Timms will have key roles in the Hawke's Bay Open Women's touch team at this week's nationals in Papakura.

For Candis Timms and sister Celeste Lowe, the scenario at this week's national touch tournament in Papakura was going to be a simple one.

Their Hawke's Bay Open Women's team campaign was being looked on as a final opportunity to play together at the highest level before Lowe travels to Japan next month with husband, former New Zealand Maori, Hurricanes and Magpies rugby flanker Karl Lowe, who will start a two-year contract with the Canon Eagles, and their three children.

After a few trainings with the Junior Armstrong-coached team, the first Bay women's team to attend the nationals in sevens years, were ticked off it didn't take the pair, daughters of former New Zealand representative Honey Amner, long to realise they were in a side which had potential to be more than competitive and propel the pair into New Zealand World Cup team selection.

"That's the goal now ... to make the New Zealand Open Women's team for next year's World Cup," Timms, 25, said before the side's training session in Hastings last night.

She was a member of the New Zealand side which won silver at the 2012 World Cup in Scotland and is keen to help the Kiwis go one medal better.

This week's nationals will be her first since 2010 when she played for a Counties-Manukau side which lost in the semifinals.

"It's good to be back playing for the home province. I don't have to try and learn all the moves for a side from another province in one training session," Timms said.

"Most of us girls all play together for the same touch, netball and sevens teams," Timms said.

Lowe, 30, who like her sister will have a playmaker role with the Bay team, is eyeing selection in the New Zealand Over-30s team.

"If I make the initial training squad of 30 I will definitely travel from Japan as many times as necessary with the aim of making the final cut," Lowe said.

A former New Zealand under-19 World Cup player, Lowe, the oldest player in the Bay side, will be playing at her first touch nationals in 11 years.

"I could have got an over-30s team together for nationals but I wanted to play with Candis. We've got a couple of youngsters in this team who will benefit from playing alongside us older ones ... when I leave I know the future of Hawke's Bay touch will be in good hands and onwards and upwards."

She singled out the youngest member of the team, 16-year-old Taylor Hiko, as a player with potential to gain national honours in the future.

"All of the players in our team who want to catch the national selectors eyes will have an opportunity because they will be watching us to check on Candis' form," Lowe said.

Coach Armstrong is confident the sisters will achieve their goals of New Zealand World Cup selection.

"When that happens it will be Lowey's turn to follow Celeste around the world instead of the other way around," he said, pointing to Karl Lowe who was doing some individual fitness work while his wife and sister-in-law trained with their Hawke's Bay teammates.

He is equally as confident about the Bay's chances of winning the title at the nationals.

"We've got talent right through the squad and a good mix of experience and youth," Armstrong said.

Four of his team, Timms, Nina Pineaha, Rhiarna Ferris and Sara Corbett, who is now injured and taking on a tour manager's role this week, were this summer named in the paper-only New Zealand Maori Open Women's team.

Hawke's Bay will also be represented in the under-21 mixed grade in Papakura.

Hawke's Bay's Open Women's draw:

Friday: 11.40am v North Harbour; 2.20pm v Waikato; 4.20pm v Auckland.

Saturday: 11.40am v Wellington; 2.20pm v Counties-Manukau.

Sunday: Playoffs.

The Hawke's Bay Open Women's team is:

Candis Timms (co-captain), Shaylee Tipiwai (co-captain), Celeste Lowe (co-vice-captain), Nina Pineaha (co-vice-captain), Laurae Blake, Rhiarna Ferris, Jaimee Edwards, Abbey Collier, Sarah King, Whitley Mareikura, Nicky Cross, Taylor Hiko, Celia Van Kampen, Llewellyn Combs.