Local side going for touch glory (+video)

Local touch team Lock-N will be going for glory, when they compete in the Elite Touch Series Tournament for the first time.

The invite-only competition, showcasing the top North Island men's and women's sides, kicks off today in Auckland, at Gallaher Park, and will be held over the next three weekends.

Lock-N men's team will compete against five other contenders for the title: Bulletz, Titan and Loaded, from Auckland, and Freeflow and Wombats, from Hamilton.

Co-captain and New Zealand Touch Blacks player Shaquille Stone, 22, said he was confident in his side's ability and insisted "solid team patterns and structures" would be essential for success.

"It means a lot that we have been selected to compete against the best of the north and we want to put Rotorua on the map in this sport," he said.

"The standard is very high but I am positive we can do well.

"The whole squad is hungry to win and to perform and compete we have to play to our strengths and make sure we keep our formation."

Maurice Stone Snr, the men's team's manager and women's team coach, said: "The depth and strength in the squad is very high and we have to go in with a winning attitude."

Lock-N men's team was established in 2009 by Maurice Stone Jnr, with the aim to build a team combining experience and youth.

The side is no stranger to success, having won the annual Whakatane Touch Tournament in 2012 and previously reaching five semifinals and the final in 2015.

"The players have a high fitness and skill level, which they have worked on over a number of years," said Stone Snr.

"We are taking a lot of experience in with them, which is crucial in key situations in matches."

Lock-N will also field a women's team, formed this year, who will battle it out against Bulletz and Freeflow for the trophy.

Team founder Nadine Stone will miss this series because of injury, but will manage and coach the team alongside her uncle.

"This side is about development of youth, experience of senior players and fuzzing the two together," she said.

"Both the men's and women's teams train alongside each other, which lifts the play certainly for the women.

"We aim to compete and hopefully make the finals but ultimately this is about having the experience of playing alongside each other, learning from each other and for all of them to progress to higher levels in the game of touch."

Today's fixtures:

2016 Elite Touch Series Tournament
Saturday, October 8, Gallaher Park, Auckland.

Men's rounds:

Wombats v Loaded, Kick-off 10.50am, Field 1.
Lock-N v Bulletz, Kick-off 10.50am, Field 2.

Titans v Free Flow, Kick-off 12.30pm, Field 1.
Wombats v Lock-N, Kick-off 12.30pm, Field 2.

Titans v Bulletz, Kick-off 14.10pm, Field 1.
Loaded v Free Flow, Kick-off 14.10pm, Field 2.

Women's rounds:

Bulletz v Free Flow, Kick-off 10am, Field 1.

Free Flow v Lock-N, Kick-off 11.40am, Field 1.

Lock-N v Bulletz, Kick-off 13.20, Field 1.

Lock-N men's team 2016 Elite Touch Series squad:
Maurice Stone Jnr, Shaquille Stone, Carlos Savage, Sasu Wihapi, Ngarohi McGarvey Black, Damien Darlington, Jared Tauiwi, Jayden Sargent, Rueben Te-Kani Taylor, Luke Taylor, Joshua Taylor, Jake Tautari, Taonga Akuhata,Sam Nathan, Quinten Gardiner, Tamamutu Whata, Manawa Whata, Te Ra Whata.

Player coach: Maurice Stone Jnr.
Managers: Laurie Watt and Maurice Stone Snr.

Lock-N women's team 2016 Elite Touch Series squad:
Awhi Savage, Regan Stephens, Mystery Kora-McLean, Tania-Rose Raharuhi, Desma Koia, Puawai Gardiner, Dayna Turnbull, Rahera Rauwhero, Toni Billing, Jimi-Leigh McLean, Autumn Stephens, Marcelle Wahapango, Kahlia Keil, Takiri Jade.

Coach:Maurice Stone Snr.
Manager: Nadine Stone.