Touch: Bartlett brothers step up

Fears Hawke's Bay's Under-15 mixed touch team will miss this week's Nelson-hosted nationals have been alleviated.

The Mataeus Marsh-captained team will travel south tomorrow with former New Zealand Open men's representatives Anaru and Nui Bartlett as coach and assistant coach respectively.

Last month the team was withdrawn from the nationals by the Touch Hawke's Bay executive for a variety of reasons, including claims previous coach Charlie Wynyard and assistant Layton Dunn weren't suitable role models for their respective roles.

Since then two factions have been battling to govern the code in the Bay. Anaru Bartlett understands Touch New Zealand is still recognising an executive that has Zane Johnson as president while the battle is ongoing.

"Zane jacked us up to coach the team ... the main thing is this talented bunch of youngsters now have the opportunity to play at the nationals and push for higher honours," Bartlett said.

"It would have been a shame for them not to go. These players need to be unleashed on the national stage for New Zealand coaches to see ... there's no doubt in my mind several of these players will gain national honours," he said.

Captain Marsh was a New Zealand Under-15 basketball and touch representative last year. He is eligible for the Under-15 age group again this year and was a leading player in the Outkast Sports open men's and mixed teams which won their competitions at the Taradale and Bill Mathewson Park modules.

Bartlett said he wouldn't be surprised if Marsh's younger brother Hunta, who was also a New Zealand basketball representative, and vice-captain Buster Keefe gain New Zealand honours.

Bartlett, who works as the Hawke's Bay development officer for New Zealand Rugby League's Mid Central Zone, won two silver medals when playing for the Manawatu over-30s and open men's teams at the Palmerston North-hosted open and masters nationals which ended earlier this month. Naturally he is eager to help the Under-15 side, which won bronze last summer, improve their national ranking this summer.

"We've got an excellent support group of parents coming down to Nelson with us. Layton [Dunn] is our manager and Charlie [Wynyard] will be there.

"I wasn't sure how Charlie would take losing the coaching role to me. He was over the moon that the team had the opportunity to go ... he's a great guy who has sponsored training gear and prizes for the team," Bartlett said.

In addition to the Hawke's Bay Under-15 mixed team playing in Nelson, Outkast Sports and Hastings Boys' High School 16-year-old Ashton Robinson will play for the Central Force Under-17 mixed team. Robinson has been tipped to gain New Zealand Open Men's selection in the future.