When New Zealand’s Rocket League team received a direct invitation to the inaugural Esports Nations Cup, it secured the E Blacks a place at one of the biggest new events on the international esports calendar. There would be no qualifiers and no final hurdle to clear. Khrade, Caleb and Laxin had been invited to fly the New Zealand flag on the world stage.
The invitation brings together three players at different points in their competitive journeys. Caleb and Laxin are two of New Zealand’s most accomplished Rocket League competitors, while Khrade has quickly established himself in the Oceania circuit since beginning his competitive career in 2024. Together, the trio have also been representing New Zealand through the 2026 FIFAe Nations League as they prepare for the Esports Nations Cup.
Before they head to their first Esports Nations Cup, we asked each player what the direct invitation means to them, how they manage the pressure of high-stakes competition and what they are doing to prepare for their opportunity on the international stage.
Meet Khrade
Khrade is a 20-year-old New Zealand Rocket League player who has competed across the Oceania RLCS circuit since 2024. He has already achieved a top-six RLCS result and competed for teams including Nothing Better to Do, Farfetch’d and FIZ6 Gaming.
- What does the direct invite to the ENC mean to you?
Receiving a direct invite to ENC is very valuable to me as it is a great opportunity to represent our country and show that we are able to compete internationally. Due to this, it also means our expectations are naturally higher and that want to ensure that we perform as well as possible.
- High-stakes games can come with a lot of pressure. How do you stay grounded and stop that pressure from affecting your performance?
Reducing pressure is mainly about the pre-requisites before the games, ensuring that you feel good heading into the game with good sleep, diet etc. However, when you’re on the field, ensuring that having teammates you can trust and vice versa, not overthinking and hesitating your individual ability are factors that can relieve pressure
- What do you hope to prove to yourself at the ENC, and what would make you walk away feeling proud of your performance?
I hope that I’m able to say that I gave it my all knowing that I tried my hardest and that we are in contention with the other nations in our group.
- What are you doing personally to prepare for the ENC? Are you currently training with your team, and if so, what does that preparation involve? How has the training been going so far?
We’ve been involving in playing another tournament to represent New Zealand in order to prepare for the finals for ENC. We do plan on scrimming to ensure that we unlock our full potential. Playing 2s/6mans are another source of practice that we actively participate in.
Meet Caleb
Caleb Durrant is one of New Zealand’s most established Rocket League competitors. He has competed internationally across the RLCS Oceania circuit and enters the ENC as one of the country’s highest-achieving players.
- What does the direct invite to the ENC mean to you?
Receiving a direct invite to the ENC means a lot to me because it reflects that my hard work, dedication, and potential have been recognized. It shows that others believe I can contribute at a high level, which is both an honor and a motivation to continue improving. To me, it’s not just an opportunity to compete, but also a chance to learn from talented individuals, represent my community with pride, and challenge myself to achieve my best, with ENC being my first international LAN I look very forward to it.
- High-stakes games can come with a lot of pressure. How do you stay grounded and stop that pressure from affecting your performance?
I stay grounded by focusing on what I can control rather than the outcome. Before a high-stakes game, I stick to my usual routine and remind myself to trust the preparation I’ve put in. During the game, I take it one play at a time instead of thinking about the result. If I make a mistake, I move on quickly and focus on the next opportunity. I see pressure as a sign that the moment matters, and I use it as motivation rather than letting it distract me.
- Have your parents always supported your gaming? When did they realise it was something you were genuinely serious about?
To be honest, my mum has never really been on board with the gaming thing, she still questions it but has warmed up to it a bit even though she would probably rather see me doing just about anything else. But once she saw how much time and effort I was putting into improving and competing, she realised I wasn’t just playing for fun, although rocket league is still very fun. She might not fully understand esports, but she knows I’m taking it seriously
- What are you doing personally to prepare for the ENC? Are you currently training with your team, and if so, what does that preparation involve? How has the training been going so far?
I’ve mainly been focusing on what I can control, playing consistently, reviewing VODs, and making sure I’m performing at my best individually. We’ve had some team practice and have been working on our communication and game plans when we can. My goal is just to keep improving every day and be as prepared as possible for the ENC.
- Is there anyone at the ENC you are particularly looking forward to meeting, or a player or team you are especially excited to compete against?
I’m honestly looking forward to meeting everyone, but what I’m most excited about is getting the chance to play against the international players. If I get the opportunity to queue ranked with them, I think it’ll be an awesome experience. It’s a chance to test myself against some of the best players from other regions, learn from how they play, and see where I can improve. I think experiences like that are one of the coolest parts of an event like the ENC.
Meet Laxin
Ivason “Laxin” Tavai is a long-standing figure in New Zealand Rocket League and one of the country’s most successful players. Having played Rocket League since shortly after its 2015 release, Laxin brings years of competitive experience to the E Blacks. The Esports Nations Cup will be his first LAN competing against players from outside the Oceania region.
- What does the direct invite to the ENC mean to you?
What the direct invite to ENC means to me is the opportunity to play a game I have a lot of passion for on a global level and getting the chance to represent the country overseas.
- High-stakes games can come with a lot of pressure. How do you stay grounded and stop that pressure from affecting your performance?
When it comes to high stakes moments when playing Rocket League the main thing that helps me stay grounded is knowing that no matter what I do in game that as long as I’m putting my best foot forward then I can be happy with how I’m playing, when it comes to pressure I’ve had a few moments in my career that I’ve fallen under pressure but with each of these moments the next time is always easier.
- Have your parents always supported your gaming? When did they realise it was something you were genuinely serious about?
My parents have always been supportive of me playing Rocket League at a high competitive level, I’ve been playing the game since two weeks after it launched up until now so they were fully aware of how much passion and love I had for the game as each year went by.
- What are you doing personally to prepare for the ENC? Are you currently training with your team, and if so, what does that preparation involve? How has the training been going so far?
That being said with ENC coming up in November of this year, I am staying true to the amount of time I’ve been putting into the game till now and just continuing to practice to the best of my ability, having a coach on board who has coached me previously in other tournaments is really gonna help me stay locked in for ENC as well.
- Is there anyone at the ENC you are particularly looking forward to meeting, or a player or team you are especially excited to compete against?
With ENC being my first LAN in which I’m competing against other regions I’m excited to not only meet the worlds best but also compete against them as well in front of 1000’s of people on the big stage.
Ready to Represent New Zealand
Three players, three different paths and one shared opportunity.
For Khrade, Caleb and Laxin, the direct invitation is recognition of what they have already achieved, but it is also an opportunity to show what New Zealand Rocket League can do against the world’s best.
When the first-ever Esports Nations Cup begins, the E Blacks will arrive ready to compete, learn and represent Aotearoa with pride. We will share full details on their matches and how New Zealand supporters can follow the team as the event draws closer.
