CANTERBURY BULLS TEAMS TO REPRESENT REGION AT SENIOR AND YOUTH TOURNAMENTS IN 17-YEAR FIRST

Canterbury’s representative players, coaches and volunteers are gearing up for a watershed collective campaign in September and October.

Nine senior and youth teams – all carrying the Canterbury Bulls name in a notable initiative – will represent the region in upcoming tournaments.

Along with the Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls and Trillo Metals Women’s Canterbury Bulls teams’ featuring at national senior level, four teams will run out in the red and black jersey in the first National Youth Tournament staged in Canterbury in almost 30 years.

The latter is a flow-on effect of Canterbury Rugby League’s return to standalone district status in 2024 after a signing an MoU with Southern Zone Rugby League. Canterbury fielded boys teams at last year’s National Youth Tournament for the first time since 2008, while girls teams from our province follow suit this year.

The Canterbury Bulls 15s have already competed successfully in 2025, winning the South Island 16s Tournament in Oamaru in July.

“Back in 2022, when we were developing the CRL 2023-2026 Strategic Plan in collaboration with clubs, a key goal was, ‘Canterbury being represented at all levels of the game nationally’,” CRL CEO Malcolm Humm explained.

“At that time Canterbury had no representation at the NZRL National Youth Tournament. In 2025 we will have both boys and girls representing Canterbury at this tournament in Christchurch – meaning we have four representative teams across these two youth age groups.

“This is the first time in 17 years this has happened. It is also exciting to see the younger rep teams being selected and playing in meaningful competitions.

“In 2022, when CRL performed debriefs with the coaches of the Canterbury Bulls campaigns, a consistent theme was that those wearing the jersey didn’t really know what it meant because they had not had the opportunity to play in the red and black at youth level.

“With 10 Canterbury teams selected in 2025, four of which are girls and women’s, we believe that the pathway to the Canterbury Bulls senior programme is now set and will led to successful outcomes in years to come.”

TRILLO METALS MEN’S CANTERBURY BULLS DETERMINED TO CEMENT SOUTHERN SUPREMACY

The Trillo Metals Women’s Canterbury Bulls will compete in the NZRL Sky Sport National Women’s Premiership once again, while the Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls are vying for the South Island title – and subsequent berth in the national final – in the revamped NZRL National Men’s Premiership.

Providing a direct line of sight from age-group representative rugby league to those elite senior teams, Canterbury Bulls will have boys and girls teams in 16s and 18s divisions of the National Youth Tournament at Ngā Puna Wai in September.

Meanwhile, Canterbury Bulls boys and girls teams are set to compete in the South Island 14s Tournament, and a Canterbury Bulls 14s boys development combination will play in the Ngā Puna Wai Tri-Series.

“It’s the first time in Canterbury Rugby League’s history that all our representative teams will play as the Canterbury Bulls,” CRL Director of Football Jamie Lester reveals.

“Canterbury has a proud history in rugby league, and we want our future generation of players to be proud to put on the red and black of Canterbury.

“It was fantastic to see our Canterbury Bulls 15s Boys win the South Island 16s Tournament in July, and we currently have nine teams preparing for their respective campaigns throughout September and October.

“Seeing the teams at training, it’s clear that they have a heap of energy and enthusiasm to represent the Canterbury Bulls and we look forward to seeing them in action soon.

“A lot of credit needs to go to the coaches, managers, and trainers. We have around 40 volunteers overseeing the teams, most of whom have already been involved with club teams. It’s a big undertaking, I know how much work goes into preparing their teams and I can’t thank them enough.”

TRILLO METALS WOMEN’S CANTERBURY BULLS LAYING FOUNDATION FOR PROGRESS

Former Canterbury and New Zealand women’s rep Sommer Te Kahu is among a host of well-credentialled coaches who have put their hands up to mentor the Canterbury Bulls youth teams in 2025.

Te Kahu, a Kiwi Fern in 1998 and 2000 and a long-serving youth representative coach, will guide the Canterbury Bulls 16s boys team into the National Youth Tournament.

“It’s just a really exciting time for the rugby league community here in Canterbury to have a lot of opportunities pop up for the kids,” she says.

“Then obviously it’s great to see our men’s and women’s Bulls team looking pretty strong this year, from what I’ve seen and who’s been named.

“In terms of the National Youth Tournament, I remember back in the nineties – the last time it was here out at Burnham – going along and watching. That was a long time ago, so to have it back here in Christchurch pretty special.

“So I’m really excited about that and so are the boys, to be able to play at home in front of their friends and family. That’s a bit of a theme that we’re bringing into our team as we build our campaign.”

While her primary focus is on her Bulls 16s boys side, as one of the region’s most decorated female rugby league products Te Kahu is thrilled to see the return of Canterbury girls teams at the NYT.

“It is exciting to see the growth there with the girls, especially watching it at the highest of levels in the NRLW,” Te Kahu enthuses.

“It’s awesome to see the tournaments run side by side, and an opportunity for, again, more friends and family and exposure to rugby league in the South Island for the girls as well.”

Te Kahu also revealed the collaborative nature of the representative scene in Canterbury – from coaches helping one another, to teams training together.

As is the case with all grassroots sports, the dedication of volunteers is this foundation rugby league in Canterbury is built upon.

“There’s a lot of volunteers and people behind the scenes that put a lot of time into it.

“We have a lot of great coaches here in Canterbury. Personally I’ve reached out to some of our best coaches – Archie (Jacobs), Andrew (Auimatagi) and Ray Hubbard, for example – just to get a little bit of support, whether it be just chatting with them or them actually coming along to help with some of the boys.

“So that’s great just to see that support from the wider community. We all train together on a Wednesday down at Ngā Puna Wai and it does have a really awesome vibe between the four teams.

“It’s good to just build that community between ourselves with the boys and the girls training along alongside each other.”