New Zealand's top junior volleyballers are battling it out this week against Australia in a five-match series.

The first two matches are being played in Tauranga.

The public are invited to get amongst it and watch the fierce competition in the quest between the trans-Tasman rivals to take top spot and win the coveted Jenny Kirk Trophy.

The five matches in the NZ v Australia Junior Women's Volleyball Trans-Tasman Test Series will be taking place in Tauranga, Cambridge, Hamilton and Auckland.

The Jenny Kirk Trophy is renowned for formidable and intense battles between the Australian and New Zealand teams.

'It started back in 1999,” says Jenny Kirk.

'But it became the Jenny Kirk Trophy in 2003.”

Australia named the junior men's cup after Murray Mansfield, an Australian volleyball management person, and Volleyball New Zealand wanted to name the women's cup after a woman, so asked Jenny if they could name it after her.

'I had been chairperson of Volleyball Bay of Plenty and the New Zealand manager for many years. So it was in recognition of that time and work.”

She says it was an honour to have the cup named after her.

The New Zealand Junior Women's Volleyball team. Image: Volleyball New Zealand.

'At the time I was a little surprised. We'd had exchanges earlier, but the cup got called Jenny Kirk Trophy from 2003.

'We had annual exchanges with Australia. They would come here and then we would go there. Each year. They were really intense high level volleyball, it was really good competition. And we did dominate the series at that level – the Under 19 Junior Women level - which was great.”

Over the last two years there hasn't been a series with Australia due to Covid.

'So that's why this is quite exciting. And it's a full strength team as well.”

She says it's also special that the series is back in the Bay of Plenty. In other years, it's been played in the South Island and other parts of the country.

'A lot depends on who the coach is, where they are located, and how they can make things work. Back in the days when it came to the Bay of Plenty, Stewart Henderson was the coach.”

Jenny worked as Stewart's manager for 18 international tours and they are both life members of Volleyball New Zealand.

'We've had a very good innings, and continue to try and get people playing. We go back a long way with keeping volleyball going. It's a great sport, and a great sport for women too.”

Jenny says they have about 2000 members that play each week in Tauranga.

'It's really popular still. Stu and I have kept the sport alive and kicking. So it's great to get a couple of high level games here.”

It's the first time in a very long time that the Jenny Kirk Trophy series has been back in Tauranga.

'It hasn't visited the Bay of Plenty for many years. So it's nice to have it back where we've got a lot of passionate locals who play volleyball, to experience a high level game.”

This year, the Volleyball New Zealand athletes are Angelina Paenga, Cathy Porter, Holly Isherwood, Janke Pretorius, Leilani Williams, Lilly Zwart, Maude Rewha, Meile Rose Green, Pippa Henderson, Rosa Vesty, Taylah Holdem, and Tineke Hinton.

They are coached by Sam Ryburn, and manager of the team is Paula Vesty, both from Christchurch. Two of the athletes are from the Bay of Plenty - Anglina Peanga and Meile Rose Green are both from Taupo.

The Australia Junior Women's Volleyball team. Photo: Supplied.

The first test will be held at 7pm tonight at the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre in 11th Ave, Tauranga.

Test #2 follows at 7pm on Thursday, July 14, at Aquinas Action Centre, 183 Pyes Pa Road. Entry to both matches is by gold coin koha, with doors opening at 6pm.

The third test will be held at 7pm at Cambridge High School on Saturday, July 16, followed by a test at Hamilton Boys' High School at 7pm on Sunday, July 17, and the fifth and final test at Carmel College, Auckland at 5pm on Monday, July 18.