League: Kiwi Ferns inject North talent

The Far North connection was a strong one in the Kiwi Ferns side who played the Jillaroos at the recent Anzac test in Sydney. From back: Annabelle Hohepa (left), Kelly Maipi, Teuila Fotu-Moala, Krystal Murray, Kahurangi Peters, Shontelle Dudley. Middle: Sharnita Woodman, Kristina Sue, Georgia Hale, Janna Vaughan, Tasha Davie, Atawhai Tupaea. Front: Krystal Rota, Nora Maaka, Hilda Peters, Laura Mariu, Rona Peters, Maitua Feterika, Alan Jackson (coach).

Three Far North rugby league players have managed to strut their stuff on the international stage.

Krystal Murray (Kaitaia), Janna Vaughan (Kawakawa) and Nora Maaka (Te Hapua) featured for the New Zealand Kiwi Ferns in the side's recent, 22-14 loss to Australia's Jillaroos at Suncorp Stadium last month in an Anzac test curtain-raiser.

Despite a solid performance, Murray ended up leaving the field early after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the heated clash.

The match, which saw the Jillaroos' Mahalia Murphy score a hat-trick to secure a good win for the 2013 world champion Australians, was an even affair 25 minutes into the second half.

However, an inability to finish well proved the difference between the Kiwi Ferns and their Aussie counterparts.

The defeat ended the Kiwis recent run of form against their arch-rivals, which included victory in the last test between the two nations in October.

The New Zealand team also claimed victory over their fierce transtasman rivals in the Auckland Nines by winning two matches to one this year.

The three Peters sisters in the New Zealand side also have strong roots to the Far North.

Sisters Hilda, Rona and Kahurangi are daughters of well-known Te Kao couple and leaguies Georgina and Alwyn Peters.

Although the Peters sisters now live in Auckland, they return home regularly to Northland.