LEAGUE - Tai Tokerau show class in North

Call for national body to rethink team's dumping
THE Tai Tokerau under-16 team finished third in the National Maori event last week, prompting coach Joe Rau to call on the New Zealand Rugby League to reconsider their move to drop Northland from the NJC under-16 competition.
The decision to axe Northland this year has been made at the top level of the game but local rugby league administrators are still hopeful that a Northland team will compete in the national competition.
Rau called the squad he took down to Hopu Hopu one of the most impressive he had handled.
"I was really hoping that we'd win it because the squad is probably one of the best I've seen for this age group," he said.
The squad had benefited from playing regular football in the new Northland-wide under-16 competition and showed the talent the area could produce.
"Our argument has been that Northland has excelled in this competition in recent years, twice making the final, but I think it's got more to do with funding - or a lack of it - at the NZRL," Rau said.
The under-16 team had to be satisfied with third place after going down to tournament hosts Waikato 16-20 in the semifinal.
Three players to stand out were selected in the tournament side - elusive fullback Jordan Rau, hard-running centre Haylen Rodgers, both from the Hikurangi club, and speedy Kaitaia winger Rawiri Thompson.
But Rau said any number of his side could have been picked in the team and other players were unlucky to miss selection, in particular Sean Covich, Ian Hendricks, Joshua Poasa, Setima Paraha and Hohepa Mete in the forwards, with captain Gavin Causer, Errol Lee and Tepuhi Rudolph excelling in the backs.
The under-18 team also competed well in their grade under Sean Tito and Jackson Katene.
The team put everything into it despite being undermanned and turned on enterprising football in the matches they played. Chosen in the tournament side were Jade Nepia-Gage, who was selected to play fullback, and promising winger Fabain Flavell.
Others to stand out in the backs were captain Sentel Causer, stand-off Kurtis Tito, centres Levi Mcqueen and Sharif Mangu.
In the forwards, Guy Telfer and Tainui Nepai-Gage were outstanding and they were supported well by Steven Nicholson and Tuks Saunders.
The results for the 16s: beat Te Arawa 26-24, beat Hauraki 80-6, lost to Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) 32-28, lost semi to Waikato 22-18. Overall winner: Counties.
Results 18s: lost to Waikato 20-16, beat Raukawa 56-10, lost to Auckland 34-18, lost to Counties-Manukau 28-22. Winner: Waikato.