Schoolgirls set for first big test

A fledgling Wanganui girls' rugby league team will tackle their first big challenge when they contest the Lightning League Secondary Schoolgirls 9-a-side tournament at Cooks Gardens on Sunday.

The Whanganui Boxon girls' representative side was open to all secondary schools in the region, with the final selection featuring players from Wanganui City College, Wanganui High School, Wanganui Girls' College and Ruapehu College.

And after just six weeks of training, the girls will need to dig deep when they take on a Taranaki college selection on Sunday.

Coach Tua Nanai said the girls were looking sharp for their first big test.

"This bunch of girls are really committed and come from varied backgrounds, including rugby, netball, touch and basketball, and each have a good set of skills," Nanai said yesterday.

"None of this could have happened without the behind-the-scenes support from the Boxon Rugby League Club, the parents, my wife Delanie Davies, who is manager, and of course the girls themselves - big ups to all of them. We don't know anything about the Taranaki side but then again they don't know anything about us either, so it's going to be interesting.

"Taranaki will certainly know they have had a match because our girls are a very skilful bunch and are looking really sharp and keen as." Nanai said he and his girls were also barracking for the Boxon premier men's side playing in the Manawatu league this weekend.

With no suitable competition for the girls to enter, Nanai said the plan was to try and organise one-off games on a semi-regular basis.

There was a chance the Whanganui Boxon Girls could take on a Wellington secondary schools selection in a curtain-raiser to the upcoming Central Vipers clash with Wellington at Cooks Gardens. However, Mid Central Zone Rugby League chief executive Lisa Reweti said this had yet to be confirmed.

This weekend, the Lightning girls' league will run in tandem with the inaugural Issac Luke Cup tournament for secondary schoolboys from the Mid Central Zone. While the girls will play their Taranaki counterparts twice on Sunday at Cooks, at 11am and again at 1pm, the boys will attempt to qualify for the Issac Luke Cup finals at Cooks on Sunday with matches at Wanganui City College on Saturday.

Reweti said a gold coin donation this weekend gained entry to both venues, where hangi and barbecue food would be available.