http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/thepress/4609634a6429.html
Teenage Canterbury back Sam Franklin has been signed by the Warriors, and the NRL club's under-20 team head coach, Tony Iro, is targeting more South Island talent.
Warriors first grade assistant-coach John Ackland and director of football John Hart were at Christchurch's Rugby League Park yesterday for Canterbury's 16-years and 18-years trials.
Hart says the Warriors want to spread their scouting net as they have "probably been too Auckland-focused" in the past.
Iro, who is guiding the Warriors' youth team in the new Toyota Cup National Youth Competition (NYC) Australian under-20 competition, said Franklin was the first Canterbury signing.
The Hornby club product, who can play centre or wing, has played for Canterbury representative teams up to National Junior Cup level.
Iro said Franklin was already living in Auckland and would join a young Warriors squad which already includes players from Wellington, Taranaki, Foxton, Waikato and Northland.
"We just need to get the South Island content up a bit now," the former Wigan, Warriors and Kiwis player said.
Iro was impressed with the calibre of Canterbury players at yesterday's trials despite the atrocious conditions underfoot.
"We saw the kids who were prepared to roll up their sleeves, who kept the ball and kept making their tackles, even though the going was tough. With our under-20 side, we now have an opportunity to offer kids some football against the Australians, and we hope to be a bit more proactive in looking for players not just out of Auckland, but across the whole country."
The young Warriors are in sixth place on the NYC table and have already supplied three players Auckland second rower Sonny Fai, Ben Matulino (Wellington) and Russell Packer (Foxton) to Ivan Cleary's first-grade side.
Iro said the new competition had been "more successful than the NRL expected".
"It's become the feeder to NRL teams. There was some doubt at the start of the year that that was going to be case, but this weekend we've seen the 28th player from the NYC play first grade. We've added our share."
Hart said the Warriors believed "another six or seven" of Iro's squad would play NRL football in the next "12 to 18 months".
Iro said there were enormous opportunities for young players to make their mark.
"There's a lot of talent in New Zealand, right across the country. That's why the Australian clubs always have scouts over here. We know we won't get every player, but we are looking to entice some our way."
Hart said the Warriors had 50 New Zealand juniors in their under-20 squad and youth development programme.
The Christchurch visit, which he said arose from discussions with former Warriors and Kiwis coach Frank Endacott, was "the first step to try to establish" a more formal relationship with Canterbury.
The Warriors Weekend saw Kiwis legend Ruben Wiki and fellow first-graders Manu Vatuvei, Patrick Ah Van and Epalahame Lauaki come south in NRL bye week for a fundraising dinner at Christchurch Casino last Friday.
The players also met and mingled with Canterbury junior players on Saturday morning and attended the trial matches.
Canterbury Rugby Football League chairman Justin Wallace and general manager Graeme Sole, who organised the visit, hoped it would become an annual event.
