HSOB Light Bears win the 2023 Under 85kg Club Cup. Photo: HSOB
NZ Rugby (NZR) have announced that an official national Under 85kg team will be selected to tour South Asia next April.
The side will be selected from the 2024 Under 85kg National Club Cup competition, alongside any existing Under 85kg teams competing in their respective club competitions across the country.
NZR head of rugby participation Mike Hester said the opportunity was an exciting prospect for the Under 85kg players competing in existing provincial union grades and the
"It is a great opportunity for the U85kg provincial union competitions, to have an additional draw card for our already, outstanding Under 85kg National Club Cup," said Hester.
"This is an awesome chance to showcase our Under 85kg talent globally as we look to promote participation in this grade. We want to provide every opportunity possible for players to be involved, so we have decided to extend registrations for the Under 85kg National Club Cup a further week."
Photo: Supplied
Hester said New Zealand Rugby were undertaking final negotiations with the host country.
"It has been a thorough process, but we are currently in final negotiations with the host country. We are all excited for this opportunity and we are hoping we will be able to confirm where this group will be touring in the coming weeks."
The final for this season's Under 85kg National Club Cup will be a curtain raiser to the All Blacks versus Australia Test match at Sky Stadium on 28 September. It will be the second time the fixture has been played before a test match, with the first being at FMG Stadium Waikato before the All Blacks' 53-3 win over Argentina.
Under 85kg National Club Cup has run since 2020, and has seen teams from Auckland, Otago and Canterbury take out the title. Last year it attracted more than 50 teams from around the country, with the final between the HSOB Light Bears and Takapuna taking place at North Harbour Stadium.
The Under 85kg grade was introduced in the late 1990s in Auckland and Wellington, at the peak of its popularity seeing more than 30 teams each in both union's competitions.