The Cook Islands Touch Association will kick off their 2022 season this afternoon at The Swamp in Avatiu.

However, if the weather remains wet, the round one games will be moved to Nikao field. Teams will be updated via Facebook and email of any changes.

The 2022 season will feature open men’s and women’s divisions played on Mondays and mixed grades (Opens, U18s and Masters 40+) on Wednesdays.

The association used the Boxing Day Touch Tournament in December and the recent Beach Games as build ups to help prepare participating teams for this weekly competition.

Cook Islands Touch Association’s Rima Browne said: We’re excited to have some new teams onboard for our season this year.”

“Most teams are prepping for the upcoming Cook Islands Games so it’s good to see islands get a head start on prepping for their campaigns.”

Browne says they are also looking forward to the competition in their newly added division to be played on Wednesdays.

“This is the first time we’ve included a masters category in our season. We’ve had four teams register and we’re quite excited to see how this category goes.”

Fixtures

Today (Open men and women’s, F1/F2 = field): Round 1: Men’s - 5pm F1 Nukz Power - Team ATT, 5.30pm F2 GAT-Evolution, 6pm F1 Atiu - Palmerston; Women’s - 5pm F2 Bounty Hunters - Nukz Power, 5:30pm F1 Evolution - Team ATT, 6pm F2 FBI-Palmerston 

Wednesday (Mixed Grades: Opens, U18s and Masters 40+) Round 1 - 4:30pm F2 U18 Nukz Power - BITG, F1 U18 Palmerston - Team ATT; 5pm F1 M40 SAS - Manihiki, F2 OM 007 - Team ATT; 5:30pm F2 OM Evolution - Buffalo Bears, F1 M40 Nukz Power - Atiu, 6pm F1 OM Outlaws - Nukz Powers.