New Zealand Golf has selected a strong team to take on Australia in the annual Trans Tasman senior tournament in Christchurch next week.
The New Zealand team will defend the Sanctuary Cove Cup they won in Australia last year in a two-day competition at Clearwater Resort on February 15-16.
The team is led by the evergreen Wellingtonian Rodney Barltrop, who was at the helm last year and also picked up his third Australian senior amateur championship.
The 12-strong team includes nine members of the New Zealand team who won 16-8 last year, with well-known Paraparaumu Beach player Frank Borren the only rookie to the competition.
The competition comprises foursomes and fourball on Monday with singles on Tuesday to decide the contest.
Australia won the competition 19-5 at Sanctuary Cove in 2007 and 13-1/2 to 10-1/2 at Titirangi Golf Club in 2008.
Many of the Australian and New Zealand players will travel north to Omanu Golf Club in Mt Maunganui for the New Zealand Seniors championship on February 19-21.
The New Zealand team is: Rodney Barltrop (Royal Wellington), Frank Borren (Paraparaumu Beach), Eric Brodie (Wairakei International), Ian Donaldson (Waitikiri), Owen Kendall (Mt Maunganui), Murray Martin (New Plymouth), Andrew McKechnie (Hamilton), Phillip Mosley (Muriwai), Ron Olivecrona (Waikanae), Arthur Parkin (Maungakiekie), John Sanders (Christchurch), Barry Shannon (Wanganui).