RED AND BLACK REPORT 2026: EDITION NO.3
The Red and Black Report shines a spotlight on Canterbury Rugby League juniors featuring in Australia’s and Britain’s elite and lower-grade competitions.
A host of Canterbury products were in action in the third round of the NSWRL and QRL junior reps competitions, as well as the NRL’s Pre-season Challenge and Super League Round 2.
Have we missed anyone? Email will@crfl.co.nz to let us know!
NRL
Halswell Hornets prop Tanner Stowers-Smith made another case for Round 1 inclusion with a powerful performance in the Warriors’ 38-34 loss to the Dolphins on Friday. The 2025 rookie churned out 14 runs for 148 metres.
Linwood Keas hooker Makaia Tafua, after scoring a sensational solo try a week earlier in Napier against Manly, made a dummy-half cameo off the bench for the Warriors.
Aranui Eagles product Jamayne Isaako scored a try, kicked two goals and made 92 metres from eight runs on the wing for the Dolphins, while Burnham Chevaliers junior Kodi Nikorima had a line-break among four runs for 41 metres at five-eighth.
Another Chevaliers junior, Siua Wong, racked up 12 runs for 109 metres – the most of any Sydney Roosters forward – and a team-high 35 tackles off the bench in a 28-22 loss to Parramatta Eels.
While Brisbane Broncos’ first-choice side was in England for the World Club Challenge, Eastern Eagles junior and Greymouth product Antonio Verhoeven scored a trial try for the second week in a row in a 58-22 win over Souths Logan Magpies.
SG BALL CUP
While the Canterbury-stacked Warriors had the Round 3 bye in SG Ball and Harold Matthews Cups, ex-Warrior and Hornby Panthers junior Isaiah Savea came off the bench in Melbourne Storm’s 28-24 victory over Newcastle Knights.
HAROLD MATTHEWS CUP
Hornby Panthers second-rower Riley Smart scored the opening try of Sydney Roosters’ 32-4 rout of St George Dragons.
Linwood Keas hooker Kaci Heath and Sydenham Swans lock Evander Tafua featured in Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs’ 28-22 defeat of Central Coast Roosters, with Heath scoring a crucial try as they came from 16-0 down.
TARSHA GALE CUP
Linwood Keas junior and Canterbury age-group rep Olive Connolly continues to make huge strides in her belated debut season with Penrith Panthers.
The front-rower, whose 2025 season and scheduled move to the Panthers was wiped out by injury, scored a powerful second-half double in a 36-0 shutout of Canberra Raiders in Belconnen on Saturday.
QRL HARVEY NORMANS UNDER-19s
A Linwood Keas CRL Bartercard Women’s Premiership grand finalist at Canterbury Bulls 18s Girls rep in 2025, Kayshana Rapana lined up in the second-row in Brisbane Tigers’ 22-12 win over Redcliffe Dolphins in the Harvey Norman Under-19s competition on Saturday.
SUPER LEAGUE
Aranui Eagles product Daejarn Asi had a busy game at five-eighth in Castleford Tigers’ 24-12 loss to Toulouse Olympique.
The former Cowboys, Warriors and Eels utility back made 93 metres from 20 runs, had two offloads and made 12 tackles on the southern France road trip.
Burnham Chevaliers junior Jazz Tevaga played his second game for Wakefield Trinity, contributing 12 runs for 100 metres with three tackle-breaks and 12 tackles off the bench in an 18-16 eclipse of Huddersfield Giants.
Have we missed anyone? Email will@crfl.co.nz to let us know!
