Mixed Touch Blacks Overview

Mixed Touch Blacks Miss Out in Tight Final

Touch World Cup 2011 – Mixed Open Final
New Zealand defeated by Australia 7-10

Disappointment for the Mixed Touch Blacks today in Edinburgh as Australia came from behind to take the World Championship in a match the lived up to expectations even if the result didn’t go the way of the Touch Blacks.

New Zealand got away to a three Touchdown start in a blistering opening. After scoring off their opening set through a clever wraparound play by Kimo Houltham. Jeremy Locke then produced a magnificent solo effort, diving in outside the link. Sean Brown completed the brilliant five minute passage with a longball to Toia Tiwha.

Australia got back into the contest as possession began to even out. Two long balls created two Touchdowns for Australia before Tiwha got her second with a great step around her defender after receiving a long ball of her own.

The Aussies got one back as the match began to see-saw. Grant Robertson then created an opportunity for Melissa Buchanan to score and she made no mistake in scoring. Tiwi Davies then stepped up to provide Tiwha with a first half hat-trick. Australia hung in with another Touchdown and the halftime score was 6-5 to New Zealand and anyone’s game.

An intercept to Australia at the beginning of the second half set the tone for the next period of play and the Aussies amassed quick Touchdowns through longballs that took the wind out of the Touch Blacks.

Now staring down a 6-9 deficit, New Zealand managed one more Touchdown and with it a sniff of a comeback but Australia held on and put the match out of New Zealand’s reach with a final Touchdown out wide.

Thrilling Comeback by New Zealand Senior Mixed in World Cup Final Win

Touch World Cup 2011 – Senior Mixed Final

New Zealand defeated Australia 7-6

After notching up a win a piece in the opening rounds, and in both cases the margin being only one, this match was set to be a close-fought, ultra-intense affair and it didn’t disappoint.

At the end of two frantic halves of Touch the scores were tied at 6-6 and a drop off was needed to break the deadlock. After coming from behind to force extra time, New Zealand weren’t going to let the opportunity slip and Samantha Rowe sealed the amazing performance with a match winning Touchdown.

Australia had the early running in the match and quickly got out to a 3-0 lead with pure speed enabling them to score on the fringes. It was far from the start that New Zealand were after and they steeled themselves for a comeback.

The stuttering start was soon behind the kiwis as their yardage improved with Steve Toki gaining big metres in the drive. George Albert-Jahnke took the scoop from one of these Toki drives and got the ball out wide for New Zealand’s first Touchdown. Australia hit back soon after and the 4-1 lead was imposing.

Things looked ominous for New Zealand but Albert-Jahnke created another Touchdown and then it was Eugene Hepi’s turn to make the yards. Toki took full advantage of the good field position that Hepi provided, stepping on the five and scoring to keep his side well in the hunt at half time. NZ3 – Aus 4

The second half started with end to end action but no further score; eleven minutes in, Albert-Jahnke tied the scores up at 4-4 and it was the boost his team needed. Eugene Hepi then stepped his defender and fed the ball to Sarah Nash who dived over to score and give New Zealand the lead for the first time.

Australia hit back straight away, and then again, to regain the lead with only seconds to go and it looked all over for New Zealand. In a frantic finish to regular time Toki again took the ball down the middle and stepped into the in goal before passing to Albert-Jahnke who scored on his knees moments before the hooter sounded.

The drop off featured Hepi again, who made a brilliant 40m break down the field; the ball was quickly shifted to Samantha Rowe who crossed the line and sealed a phenomenal comeback victory for New Zealand. A fantastic achievement for the Senior Mixed squad who peaked at the right time in the tournament and defended the Championship that they won in South Africa four years ago.

Day 4
defeated South Africa 16-2
defeated Scotland 21-2
defeated Wales 20-0 (Semi Final)

The Mixed Touch Blacks have booked their place in the Final after defeating Wales 20-0 in the Semi Final on Saturday. Sean Brown led from the front and the team has only conceded 11 Touchdowns in their ten matches.

Brown and Toia Tiwha were rested in their first match of the day against South Africa.

Melissa Buchanan recovered from a knock on the head yesterday and played a strong game, scoring three Touchdowns. Longball plays were the flavour of the match and worked well in getting around the SA defensive structure in the comfortable 16-2 win.

New Zealand played consistently well all the way through their Scottish encounter and Sean Brown was particulalry impressive in the 21-2 win. He was happy with the performance of his team; they took a lot of confidence out of the draw with Australia yesterday and established strong belief that they can go all the way.

The Touch Blacks capped off a strong showing with an easy 20-0 Semi Final victory over Wales who had no answers as Tara Mako, Phoenix Hunapo scored four Touchdowns each and the team shut Wales out entirely.

Day 3
defeated Jersey 19-1
drew with Australia 5-5

Today was the big day for the Mixed Touch Blacks and their match against the Aussies didn't dissappoint. The game started with Australia on fire, scoring two quick Touchdowns and the Touch Blacks finding it hard to get involved in the play.

Young Aucklander Phoenix Hunapo then produced some magic to get New Zealand back in the contest, he created two brilliant scoring plays and all of a sudden it was 2-2 and anybody's game.

In the see-sawing half, Australia then scored two more times to put New Zealand on the back foot. The halftime break gave the Touch Blacks a chance to regroup and they came out firing in the second stanza.

Melissa Buchanan was solid in defence, shutting down the Australian attack; the Aussies lost their rhythm and the Touch Blacks sniffed a chance.

Kimo Houltham and Sean Brown began to dominate the middle and a couple of quick Touchdowns followed for New Zealand; the game was locked at 4-5 for what seemed like forever as neither team could make any inroads.

With two minutes to go dangerman Hunapo again created a Touchdown to lock the scores at 5-5 where they remained. Awhina Savage, Jordon Rogers and Melissa Buchanan were the other scores for New Zealand along with Hunapo.

Twelves hours prior to the 'Big One' the Touch Blacks tuned up with 21-1 victory of Jersey that featured five Toia Tiwha Touchdowns and four each from Rogers and Lauren Ensor.

Day 2
defeated Belgium 21-0
defeated Italy 22-1
defeated Wales 15-2

Defending Touch World Cup Champions the Mixed Touch Blacks continued on their way today with three big victories. It was a welcome opportunity for them to build on their combinations and patterns going into the Finals on the weekend.

Impressing for New Zealand in their 22-1 victory ove Italy was the tall youngeter from Wellington Tiwi Davies along with the experienced Tabitha McKenzie.

For the most he Touch Blacks used basic attacking patterns throughout and no doubt have a few cards up their sleeve for the bussiness end of the tournament. Italy did managed one Touchdown that for them was a sweet as a victory.

Matches against Belgium and Wales provided much the same with the focus being on defence and cohesive play. Awhina Savage, Matt Stockman, Toia Tiwha, Grant Robertson and Jeremy Locke all trouble the scrores at regular intervals.

Tomorrow looms as the big one for the Touch Blacks when they take on Australia in a massive match-up that will have all eyes on them.

Day 1
defeated Singapore 21-0
defeated Guernsey 17-0

The Mixed Touch Blacks started off cautiously with a number of new combinations across the field in their match against Singapore. After five minutes though they found their groove and began working through some excellent patterns and breaking the line at will.

Melissa Buchanan and Jordan Rogers (who touched down four times) were the recipients of some organised play in the middle of the park and made no mistake with the impressive finishing.

Young gun Phoenix Hunapo chimed in with three Touchdowns of his own in the eventual 21-0 victory.

Combinations and patterns continued to come together in their second match, against Guernsey, which was another shut-out. On the line, New Zealand produced a lot of variety and Touchdowns were spread throughout the field, and team, as Guernsey had no answer for the slick and organized play.

The halftime score 8-0 of blew out to 17-0 in the second half as Guernsey committed errors in the face of the staunch New Zealand defence and the kiwis responded with more Touchdowns.

They will hope that tomorrow's matches against Belgium and Italy will follow a similar script. The injection of youth in the form of Awhina Savage, Tiwi Davies and Phoenix Hunapo in the team has worked well with the established on field leaders like Sean Brown and Tabitha McKenzie; the team will only grow stonger as the tournament progresses.