Touch: Experienced brothers seek world cup gold

Rotorua brothers Maurice Stone Jnr (front left) and Shaquille Stone will compete at the Touch World Cup next year. Damian Darlington (back, left), Ngarohi McGarvey-Black, Vernon Johnson (Tauranga), and Joshua Taylor. Photo / Ben Fraser

Brothers Maurice and Shaquille Stone are no strangers to representing New Zealand in touch.

They have 14 years of experience between them playing for the New Zealand men's touch team, the Touch Blacks.

But they still lack one thing in the black singlet - a world cup winner's medal.

The Rotorua brothers have been named in a 16-man New Zealand team to contest the Touch World Cup in April next year in Coffs Harbour, Australia. The Australian men's team have won all seven world cups to date since the tournament began in 1988.

Shaquille, 21, said they had a good team this time around and should give Australia a good run for their money come April.

"We have a good mix of youth and experience so hopefully we have a good chance at gold," he said.

He said Australia were very structured in the way they played touch, whereas New Zealand were better known for razzle-dazzle.

"They are fit and fast and structured, and we are trying to meet that and have a bit of structure [ourselves], but at the same time incorporate a bit of flair."

Shaquille and older brother Maurice jnr have been playing touch since they were kids, and grew up watching both their parents represent New Zealand in the sport.

"It has just been embedded," Maurice jnr said. "When we were young we would go and watch the parents play and ended up being around it and playing."

Maurice jnr, 27, who was first picked up for the Touch Blacks while still at high school, said he had only defeated Australia in a series once before, during his 10 years in the national team.

Maurice jnr said it was always good to play alongside his brother in the New Zealand singlet. "Having grown up together we can read each other well [on the field]."

Maurice jnr and Shaquille both play in the middle for New Zealand, as playmakers.

Other Rotorua players to be named in age group New Zealand sides include Vernon Johnson (men's U21), Joshua Taylor, Damian Darlington, Ngarohi McGarvey-Black (all men's U19) and Autumn-Rain Stephens (women's U21).

The age group teams will contest the 2015 Youth Trans-Tasman Touch Series against Australia in January in Sydney.