AUSTRALIAN touch football just keeps getting stronger, with Port Macquarie star Simone Smith once again playing a major part in a green and gold jersey.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Playing in New Zealand, Smith joined the rest of the women’s under-21s youth Trans-Tasman touch team, who triumphed over the Kiwis in the three-game series at the Trusts Arena in Auckland.
Smith said while she enjoyed the trip, it wasn’t exactly what she or her teammates expected.
“We played some pretty good games but it wasn’t as fast as we thought it would be,” Smith said.
“It was still very tough and they gave us a good run. The crowd, with us being the away team, was against us and the weather was really hot but we were confident we could win.”
Brisbane coach Wayne Rovelli took charge of the team, a new experience for Smith but one she enjoyed.
“It was really good to meet some of the new girls and to be coached under Wayne,” she said.
“It was very different, as he’s a different type of coach to what I’m used to, but I learnt a lot of new things, so it was a good experience for me.”
Smith’s Aussies defeated New Zealand 8-2 in the first game and 8-4 in the second before completing the whitewash with a 4-2 victory in their third and final game.
Other results included another big three-game victory to an Aussie women’s side, this time the opens division defeating the Kiwis 6-3, 8-4 and 6-4 in games one, two and three respectively.
The men’s sides also faired, well with the 40s, 20s and 18s divisions all upstaging the home side to take out their respective titles.
Another Port Macquarie sporting star, Paddy Coelho, was in the men’s under-18s team.