Despite trailing 3-1 at halftime, the newly led Touch Blacks Men’s side defeated the Australia Emus on the weekend in a feisty and fiercely contested clash between two of the world’s top touch teams.
The Asia Pacific Opens Touch Cup was played in Mudgee, Australia and marked the first major test for new Men’s coach Luke Chapman. Chapman arrived with strong credentials, having become the only coach to bring home a World Cup title for New Zealand at the 2024 Nottingham World Cup, where the Men’s 40s claimed gold.
His coaching résumé stretches across every level of the game. Chapman has worked within New Zealand’s age-grade pathways, served as the NZ Māori Open Men’s coach, and achieved success from youth development through to the Premier Touch League and elite representative sides.
His first major call for the Open Men’s side was the selection of 30-year-old speedster Tamatoa Ropati, and it proved to be a masterstroke. A player many believed should have been wearing the black singlet long before now, Ropati delivered on the biggest stage.
For Ropati, his long-awaited debut was never just about making the team. It was about proving a point.
“Beating Australia and getting that Gold medal was the big goal I set from the very start of this campaign. The way I trained to get my body into shape was all worthwhile. The hunger I had to beat the Aussies. More than that, I wanted to prove the people who overlooked me in the Touch Blacks selections got it wrong.”
That hunger was evident from the opening whistle. Ropati, alongside vice-captain and Wairere teammate Ifor Jones, drew on years of chemistry and caused problems for the opposition.
Although the Touch Blacks fell to Australia in a close round robin encounter, the two sides met again in the final, where the contest delivered one of the most memorable finishes in recent Touch Blacks history.
In a back-and-forth battle, it looked as though the Emus would take home the cup when they crossed for a late try in the 37th minute to edge ahead 5-4. But the Touch Blacks responded in dramatic fashion.
At Glen Willow Regional Sports Complex, with just 15 seconds remaining, Jones slid through for a crucial try to level the scores and stun the crowd.
That moment sent the final into a four-on-four drop-off. Australia struck first, with Jack Edwards crossing the line to give the Emus a 6-5 advantage.
But it was Ropati who took control.
In reply, the elusive playmaker drew in his defender and put on the burners, creating a two-on-one opportunity before setting up teammate Tre Poihipi for a try in the corner.
With the score level after two minutes of overtime, the teams dropped to three players a side. In an almost identical move, Ropati again stepped and swerved around his opponent before delivering an inside pass for Jones, who crossed for the match-winning try as the Touch Blacks sealed a thrilling 7-6 victory. For all the pressure that came with his long-awaited debut, Ropati said the backing of his coaches gave him the freedom to trust his instincts on the field.
“The trust the coaches had in me to play my game, which is the eyes-up style, is what made me feel relaxed and confident heading into that game. They back me because I attack with intent on anyone that’s in front of me, regardless of who it is. That’s just the way I play. Beating Australia was honestly the best feeling.”
For the Touch Blacks, the halftime message became the turning point.
Jones revealed the coaches challenged the side to leave everything on the field.
“The coaches said empty the tank, believe in the processes and the structures, and the rest of it will take care of itself.”
That belief carried them through one of the toughest tests in international touch and into the history books. It was only the second time the New Zealand Open Men’s side had won a significant trophy on Australian soil, the last coming in 1993.
Ropati’s outstanding tournament was further recognised when he was awarded both the Players’ Player trophy and the Open Men’s MVP award, capping off a remarkable debut campaign in black. For Ropati, the occasion only reinforced why he thrives in matches of that calibre.
“Even reflecting a day later about the matches against Australia, they’ve been the two best games I’ve been a part of. Just because of the grit and passion that both teams showed, and the pace. I really wish I could play them again. I don’t get nervous playing them, because I know it’s the pinnacle and it brings the best out of me.”
Reflecting on the result, Jones said victories over Australia do not come around often, making the moment even more special.
“It doesn’t come along often, beating the boys in green and gold, but when you do, it hits different. To finish like that, it could have gone either way, but to finish like that was the cherry on top.”
While the Men celebrated a landmark result, it was a mixed weekend overall for New Zealand’s other premier sides. The Women’s team fell in a close contest to Australia, 7-5, while the Mixed team were blown off the park in a disappointing 10-2 loss.
For a newly led Touch Blacks side, the victory was more than just a tournament win. It was a statement that this team has every chance of lifting its first World Cup in 2028, with the tournament set to be hosted on home soil.
