The Tūhoe Wāhine Toa team are back for the second consecutive year at the ANZMRL Tuakana Tournament, to be held over Labour Weekend at Rotorua International Stadium.

The squad features some well-known names from across the Bay of Plenty and beyond – women united by their love for rugby league and their deep connections through whakawhanaungatanga (relationships) and manaakitanga(care and support).

A couple of key names for the Tūhoe Wahine Toa are NRLW Warriors winger and try scoring machine Payton Takimoana, who loves a hattrick, scoring multiple in her first season in the competition, and Rabbitohs winger/fullback Kesha Church who has some similarly silky skills.

The team didn’t come together through the usual “shoulder tapping” approach. Instead, it grew organically through relationships built in rugby union – with half the players also representing the Bay of Plenty Volcanix.

With most of the team having played rugby or league to a decent level, it’s meant the coaches have been able to work on much more than just the basics.

In 2024, the core of the team came from Rūātoki women’s rugby and Poroporo women’s rugby. When other teams withdrew, Tūhoe Wāhine Toa seized the chance to bring in players from outside the region – reigniting an iwi-based side that competed alongside their development squad.

This year, only the Wāhine Toa will take the field to represent Tūhoe. Once again, the team’s formation mirrored last year’s, grounded not in recruitment drives but in a shared determination to ensure wahine Māori have representation in a sport that often lacks support in the region.

The 2025 squad features a blend of talent – rugby union players, Bay of Plenty Volcanix representatives, Waikato Rugby players, sevens specialists, and several women who once faced each other as rivals during the local league season. Players hail from clubs including Rūātoki, Poroporo, Mt Maunganui, Putaruru Dragons, and Mangakino.

Some to lookout for include Myracle Mounga, Jayde August, Finau Mafi, Cheyne Copeland and Hope Parata-Kingi.

Manager Toni Lee Wharewera said it was an incredibly tight-knit side.

“From the outside, it might look like shoulder tapping but in truth, these women chose to represent Tūhoe because of their shared values of whakawhanaungatanga and manaakitanga. That’s what brings them together.”

Guided by the experienced coaching trio of Richard McGarvey, Willie Niupalau, and Pumahu Yates, the Tūhoe Wāhine Toa have continued to build momentum and respect within the tournament scene.

Over recent years, several high-profile players have come through the Tūhoe ranks.

It was at last year’s Tuakana Tournament that Church was first spotted and later selected to represent the ANZMRL Wāhine team. From this opportunity, she was approached by several NRLW clubs to take the step into professional rugby league – ultimately signing with the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the 2025 season.

In Rotorua, Tūhoe Wāhine Toa will line up against Te Aroha, Waikato and Hokianga Storm on the first day, where they’ll be hoping they can secure top spot.

Meanwhile, Helena Coughlan, Janie Kaafi and Jordyn Tihore are lining up for the Ngāti Porou women's team.