The Tauranga top 16 rep team is travelling to Pukekohe this weekend to play in the Lancaster Trophy and attempt to break a 24 year drought having won it in 1987, the first year the Lancaster was played.

The Lancaster Trophy is a top 16 event contested between North Harbour; Auckland; Waikato; Thames Valley; Counties and Tauranga, it is contested over 2 days with each member of the team playing 15 Games (a mixture of Fours, Pairs and Singles) to make up what is a mentally gruelling event.

The 2012 Lancaster team is a very strong one with 2 2011 New Zealand players, 3 Current North Island reps, 3 former North Island Reps and a total of 12 national titles, 2008 National Singles winner Keith Setter is skipping team one, with very experienced player Don Harris playing 3, Former North Island rep Geoff Coughy playing 2 with Lynne Hamilton making her Lancaster debut having been selected as reservmany times.

Team 2 is skipped by Former North Island rep Simon Poppleton with New Zealand player and current North Island Rep Fiona Wilson playing 3, Willie Rhudolph playing 2 and member of the winning 1987 team Henry Pratt playing lead; Team 3 is lead by the other member of the winning 1987 team, Craig Whiteside with top outdoor bowler Ben Thurston playing 3, Young Bowler Alex Reed playing 2 and North Island rep Lorraine Phipps playing lead; Team 4 is skipped by North Island player Paul Smith with New Zealand Player and Current North Island rep Mike Phipps playing 3, Experienced bowler Debbie Reed playing 2 and 16 year old Josh Saywell making his debut as lead.