Eight players and two coaches from Kiama Oztag proudly represented Australia over the weekend when they made the long trip to New Zealand for the Trans-Tasman series.

Held in Auckland from April 4-6 across 15 divisions, the Australian Tagaroos faced off against the New Zealand Tag Blacks in five consecutive matches - one on the first day and two on each of the following two days.

Kiama had players competing in the men’s and women’s open divisions, the men’s under-45 division, and the men’s under-60 division. Meanwhile, the two Kiama coaches managed the mixed under-21 team.

A list of all the Kiama Phantoms in New Zealand. Source: Kiama Oztag

To have so many individuals representing Australia from a town as small as Kiama is an incredible achievement.

Four of the five teams with Kiama representatives finished undefeated against New Zealand.

The men’s open team lost two games, won one, and drew one before their final match.

“The boys were losing the series and went into their fifth game needing a win by a certain margin,” says Kiama Oztag coordinator Keiron Duncan.

“That game went into a drop-off, where the teams played five on five, and Kiama’s own Cooper Lee was involved in Australia’s five. The Aussies ended up winning that game and ultimately the series.”

At the end of the series, an all-star team was selected, and Cooper Lee was chosen to be part of that squad - an incredible achievement.

Duncan, a man of many talents, was also one of the individuals representing Australia in the men’s under-45s division.

He describes the weekend as an unforgettable experience.

A few of the Kiama men in the Under-60 Australian team. Photo: Kiama Oztag.

“Any time you get to represent Australia is special. Your teammates come from all over - Queensland, Gold Coast, ACT, Central Coast, everywhere. Sometimes, there are only a few people you know on the team,” said Duncan.

“You meet lots of great people, and the fact that you might only play with them during that tournament makes the experience even more meaningful.”

The Trans-Tasman series marks the end of Duncan’s Oztag year, as he now prepares to rest before gearing up for the next season. He’s excited about the upcoming season and the plans he has in place to make it even better.

“We’ve got some big plans. We don’t need to build tons of teams; we just want to maintain the quality and ensure the competition remains fun for everyone,” says Duncan. 

“Moving to the Kiama Leisure Centre this season has been a big help, so hopefully we can stay there. Plus, with the support of Kiama Leagues Club and other sponsors, we can now offer things like ‘Man of the Match’ vouchers, which will help us grow in small ways.”

The new season will kick off around September-October, so start gathering your friends and get ready to join one of the biggest sports in Kiama.