Northern Swords rugby league U18s vow to put on the best show in Rotorua

Northern Swords U18 head trainer John Komene will travel with the team to Rotorua for the NZRL national youth competition. Photo / Tania Whyte

Despite missing three players due to Covid restrictions, the Northern Swords rugby league U18s side is quietly confident of a good outing at a national tournament to be played over multiple weekends.

Tomorrow morning, the team's charter flight leaves Whangārei directly for Rotorua, where the side will play its first match against Wellington Orcas on the same day in the New Zealand Rugby League national youth competition.

On Friday, they play the South Island Scorpions before returning to Whangārei, then flying back down to Rotorua next weekend for matches against Central and Mid Central.

The finals are scheduled to take place in Auckland on October 30, subject to Covid-19 alert level changes.

Northland Swords U18s team manager Michael Laiman said a squad of 18 players was named about a week ago, minus three who study in Hamilton as Covid restrictions prevented them from travelling to Northland.

Luckily, he said seven players attending high school in Auckland managed to come up north before the lockdown.

"This year has been hard as there was no official under-18s competition in Northland and Covid, so we had to start from scratch. There's plenty of talent up here and we're confident we can foot it with the other teams," Laiman said.

"Our preparation has been really disruptive but we are going with a mindset of winning games. We know the players' skill levels, it's just about getting them there. And although we are lacking in certain areas, we are confident the team will perform at the standard expected of them."

Laiman said with the absence of a proper competition, selectors have had to rely on players' past performances to put together a formidable side for the annual tournament.

Khalan Clyde, who attends Westlake Boys High School in Takapuna, will lead the side.

The national competition was originally set down over five days but the lockdown put paid to those plans.

Auckland teams will not compete this year due to level 3 restrictions in the Super City.