The world's best Touch Footballer's have arrived in Brisbane ahead of the highly anticipated Opens Trans-Tasman Test Series (Trans-Tasman).
The Trans-Tasman is widely regarded as the pinnacle international Touch Football event outside of the Touch World Cup and will see elite Touch players compete across Mixed, Women's and Men's divisions.
Traditionally a contest between arch-rivals and the world's top two ranked nations in Australia and New Zealand, the 2023 event will be further bolstered by the inclusion of the third ranked nation, Japan.
The event marks the return of international touch fixtures following a four-year hiatus, the last major international tournament held was the 2019 Touch World Cup in Kuala Lumpur where Australia was crowned World Champions in Mixed, Women's and Men's divisions narrowly defeating New Zealand.
The Opens event will be the first time the Pain Away Australian Emus have played on home soil since 2017, a factor that no doubt will be used as inspiration in the face of tough opposition from New Zealand and Japan.
TFA Chief Executive Officer Jamie O'Connor said Touch Football Australia (TFA) is looking forward to the dual role of hosting the event and competing on the field.
"We're looking forward to witnessing international rivalries resume on the field and the preparation this event will provide our teams ahead of the World Cup in 2024. But we are equally looking forward to hosting our friends from the international community off the field and welcoming individuals to Brisbane." O'Connor said.
"Touch Football is enormously popular in Queensland enjoyed by 138,000 participants so it's great to be able to place high quality elite content here and showcase the state to a large international audience."
Touch New Zealand CEO Joe Sprangers echoed O'Connor's thoughts:
"The absence of International Touch has certainly had an impact on our High-Performance sector, so we're thrilled to be at this point." Sprangers said.
"We always look forward to taking to the field against our Australian counterparts. The addition of Japan for this series adds another dimension to the mix and we're excited and ready."
Playing formal test matches at the event for the first time, Japan Touch liaison officer Tohru Ogasawara said Japan's involvement will play an important role in growing the game at home.
"The opportunity for Japanese teams to be included and play matches against the world's best cannot be understated. It provides fantastic learning and development opportunities for our players and will help profile the sport in Japan where there is growing interest in Touch Football." Ogasawara said.
Many famous sporting names have previously represented Australia in the event including Kalyn Ponga, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Tamika Upton and Tarryn Aitken to name a few.
The event is expected to attract thousands of supporters to Brisbane and Queensland in the coming days.
Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Brisbane's premier facilities were key in scoring the return of the international touch footy fixtures.
"We look forward to welcoming the world's best touch footy players to our vibrant city for the Trans Tasman Test Series," Cr Schrinner said.
"Players and spectators will enjoy a world-class sporting experience at our new Whites Hill Reserve clubhouse facility, one of the many venues that is set to host future sporting stars in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic games."
"With the event poised to bring a $2.5 million boost to the local economy, the event will cement Brisbane's reputation as the premier destination for touch football."
The Opens Trans-Tasman Test Series starts tomorrow and runs through to Sunday at Brisbane Metropolitan Touch Association, one of the state's largest community sporting organisations and home to 800 Touch teams annually.
Entry is free and the event is broadcast live on Kayo Sport in Australia and Sky in New Zealand.
