Overview
New Zealand vs Australia touch test matches this weekend. Otago has great representation
To watch go to 

Friday 27 April 4pm Mixed Grade Test 1 featuring Rory van Vugt & Atawhai Hotene, assistant coach Damian Burden.
Friday 27 April 5.10pm Womens Grade Test 1 featuring Dayna Turnbull (Captain), Olivia O'Neill, McKayler Moore, Abbey Johnston, Phoebe Steele
Friday 27 April 6.20pm Mens Grade test 1 featuring Rahul Das (Coach), Toni Wall (Manager)
Saturday 28 April 3pm Mixed Test 2, 4pm Womens Test 2, 5pm Mens Test 2
Sunday 29 April 10am Mixed Test 3, 11am Womens Test 3, Mens Test 3
Tim Lucas Refereeing. Will be updates on our facebook page. 

Touch New Zealand and Touch Football Australia are playing in the Trans Tasman challenge this weekend. It is a three-test series for the best players in each country. Both nations have selected their Open Women, Open Men, and Open Mixed teams for the matches played in Rotorua.  Australia are World Champions in each of the grades, having beaten New Zealand in the finals of each at the 2015 World Cup. This Trans Tasman challenge is the ideal build up to the 2019 World Cup, held in Kuala Lumpur.
Otago Touch Association is proud to support the largest contingent of Otago representatives to represent the Touch Blacks; seven players, two coaches, one manager, one referee. There is an exceptional group of volunteer coaches and managers in Otago that have ensured touch is a great experience for our players. In 2018 seven players have earned the ultimate reward for their hard work, a number Otago Touch daren't even dream of when we started this tenure in 2009.

In the Touch Blacks Womens' team we have five exceptional Otago players. On Friday evening Dayna Turnbull will be playing her 21st test match, captaining the side for the first time. In March 2017 Dayna ruptured her ACL, the discipline Dayna applied to her rehabilitation are the traits we need from our national captain. Joining Dayna in the Touch Blacks are schoolgirls Olivia O'Neill (St Hilda's), and McKayler Moore (Columba). Both were recently named in the Youth World Cup New Zealand Under 18 Girls touch team, set to play this August in Kuala Lumpur. Abbey Johnston is in her second year with the Touch Blacks, having debuted as a year 13 from St Hildas in 2017. Phoebe Steele shifted north to pursue her hockey and touch endeavours, a former student of Columba College and we are proud to support her as a Touch Black.

On Debut in the Touch Blacks Mixed team are two South Otago High School graduates. Atawhai Hotene and Rory van Vugt have earned their silver fern through fine performances for the Otago Open Mixed team and having played against Australia at the 2017 U20 Trans Tasman Challenge. Assistant Coach for the team is Damian Burden. Damian is a school teacher at Kaikorai Valley College and was a 2011 Senior Mixed World Champion player.

Rahul Das continues in his role of Touch Blacks Men's coach. Rahul moved to Auckland in December to be a doctor at Auckland City Hospital, and has already taken Auckland Touch to a National Open Men's title in March 2018. Toni Wall is in charge of the campaign, as team manager.  Toni has been a remarkable contributor to sport in Otago, with specialist skills in touch/netball/basketball/softball/rugby. 

Tim Lucas by day is a teacher at Kavanagh College, by night he is one of the best referees in the world. Tim made his test refereeing debut in 1998, and has officiated in 54 test matches thus far.