Fund supports sports teams to keep in Touch

The Sports Knowledge Exchange Fund, which the Foundation launched this year, provides grants that allow representatives from New Zealand sports bodies to travel to Asia to connect and collaborate with their Asian equivalents. It is aimed at sports administrators, national sports organisation representatives, event organisers, coaches, umpires and officials.

The fund was established following research the Foundation commissioned looking at the growing connections between New Zealand and Asia through sport. The report, launched in 2022, identified sports development opportunities through greater collaboration at an administration level between sports bodies in New Zealand and Asia.  
 
“We see this fund as a tool for New Zealand national sports bodies to deepen their relationships, by creating mutually beneficial exchanges of knowledge, enhancing the sports sectors across both Asia and New Zealand,” says the Foundation’s sports programme manager Kirsty Sharp. 
 
Touch NZ Chief Executive Joe Sprangers says the Sports Knowledge Exchange Fund came just as they were looking to strengthen their connections in Asia. 

Recently awarded the 2028 Touch World Cup, Touch NZ are on a mission to increase the number of teams from Asia competing.

Earlier this year, with support from the Sports Knowledge Exchange Fund, Touch NZ representatives travelled to Singapore to attend the 2024 Federation of International Touch Member Forum.

The value of meeting the country delegates face to face was not lost on Touch NZ, who sent both their CE, Joe Sprangers, and board chair, Stephen Upton, to Singapore.

In attendance were representatives from throughout the region: China, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines. 

The forum was the first step in establishing connections and gaining an understanding of what a sustainable delivery model looks like for each country.

“At the Conference, we engaged with all the Asian nations individually and collectively to ascertain their level of development and the support needed,” Joe says.

Joe Sprangers: "Key to building successful relationships is spending time together" (pictured with Touch representative from Japan and China)

Touch rugby has been played across Asia for many years, though it has relied heavily on the expertise and support of expat communities. 

A good example is Malaysia, who hosted the Junior World Cup in 2017 and the Open World Cup in 2019.

While both these global events were made possible through significant government backing, five years later Malaysia sees itself in a rebuilding phase, with expats moving on and little local expertise to drive the game. 

The goal of Touch NZ is to help countries like Malaysia develop sustainable infrastructure that will provide the basis on which touch rugby can go from strength to strength.

One only needs to look at what Touch Australia has achieved through their work in Japan to see what’s possible.

Kirsty says, "With a dedicated plan to grow touch rugby in Japan, Touch Australia have helped both the Japanese men’s and women’s teams rise rapidly in the world rankings to be in the top three respectively.”  

She says many of the attributes required of sports that are popular in Asia are also advantageous in touch rugby athletes.

“Badminton, Kabaddi and Sepak Takraw all require agility, coordination, flexibility, explosive power and a high level of fitness – attributes that the best touch rugby players have.” 

Touch representatives from throughout Asia met at the 2024 Federation of International Touch Member Forum

Since the International Touch Member Forum, Touch NZ have been working extensively with touch rugby sporting bodies in Taiwan and Indonesia. 

“Key to building successful relationships is spending time together, talking outside of the forum programme, establishing a level of trust and friendship,” Joe says.

Touch NZ says with the world cup approaching, the next four years are key to growing a sustainable touch rugby model across Southeast Asia.

“We have a four-year window to deliver a programme that will increase local capability and player base across SE Asia," Joe says. 

 “We see touch in Asia and the South Pacific as the future of the sport.”

2028 may seem a way off, but Joe says embedding the sport in Asia is going to take time. He says strong representation in Asia will be hugely beneficial for the sport, both at home and abroad.  

“The stronger the Asia nations become the better for the sport globally” 

The next Sports Knowledge Exchange funding round will open mid-October 2024, for travel in 2025. 

The Foundation's Sports Programme provides New Zealand sportspeople opportunities to grow more knowledgeable, connected and confident with Asia.

Our Sports Knowledge Exchange is a fund for New Zealand sports sector representatives to establish connections and develop relationships with their counterparts in Asia.