RugbyNZ_ Overview: Women’s final and Heartland Rugby Semifinals

Not only did we see a comprehensive result from the national side at the Rugby World Cup–the All Blacks winning 62-13 over France, we also saw some fantastic rugby in the domestic game. In this report, the RugbyNZ_ Overview covers the Women’s Provincial Championship and the Heartland Rugby semifinals.

All these games help to demonstrate the strength of the domestic game in New Zealand (NZ) the core rugby grassroots that all go into supporting our national side. There would be no All Blacks, or Black Ferns [national Women’s team] for that matter, if it were not for the regional games played in our Heartland and on the grounds throughout the country by Men and Women of all ages.

The Heartland Cup finals will be played next weekend but one competition has been decided already, and we begin our coverage of NZ rugby by focusing on the Women’s game.

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2015 Women’s Provincial Championship Semifinal

Result: Wellington Pride 9 Auckland Storm 39

Played as the curtain raiser match for the Hawke’s Bay v Bay of Plenty ITM Cup semifinal, the final of the Women’s calendar was a great finale that sealed a solid season for this nine team competition. The championship clash featured the favoured Auckland Storm side playing a resurgent Wellington Pride team looking to take away the title for the first time in eight years.

Try as they might though, after 80 minutes of rugby, proud Storm captain Storm Fiao’o Fa’amausili held the Championship aloft as Auckland won their ninth consecutive title. An astonishing sequence of wins, it was built on a strong season and in this match, they conquered their opposition after an even first half but ran away with the game after the break.

Their challenges for this title, the Wellington Pride; were champions in 2006 (the only season when Auckland did not hold the national title) They began the match with a committed gameplan. Needing to keep out the likes of centre Theresa Fitzpatrick, halfback Emma Jensen and pivotal player lock Shannon Leota, the Wellington side showed good intent. Working as a unit,an early try was scored against them in the first ten minutes but they kept formation and looked to subdue most of the Auckland attack. Really, every Storm player needed to be managed, being the best performing side in regulation play.

A well prepared Wellington side played with good spirit after they had faced down the Counties-Manukau Heat team in the semifinals the week before. The most improved side in the WPC, even as it was such a big occasion for many of the ladies involved, the final saw some good defence from both teams but the much more organised Storm side eventually had too many options at their disposal. With only a couple of tries in the opening 40 minutes, the speed of the Auckland team took the game away from the Pride women over the second half.

Tries to Hufunga, Jensen and Eloisa Blackwell were complimented with a hatrick to ‘Player of the Game’ Fitzpatrick who crossed for three tries. The Storm side warmed into the final result and came away as worthy winners yet again to claim the 15th title out of the 16 seasons of Women’s Provincial rugby in New Zealand.

After the game, Wellington captain Jackie Patea said her side came into the game with nothing to lose and were prepared to throw everything they could at the Auckland side. “We were unlucky but I am still proud because we achieved our goal of making the final. Hopefully next year [we can challenge again]” she said.

Player of the Week – Lydia Crossman. Playing in her 50th match for The Storm, this loose forward dynamo has earned her position as one of the premier players in the Women’s game. This season, Crossman has excelled as the blindside loose forward, her consistency a real strength of her game that supports the forward power of this pack. With great finishing ability in support often, she gets around the park and is inspirational at times in the ruck area

Auckland have been dominant is most areas, including the ruck and breakdown, and a lot of that is due to Lydia Crossman working just as hard as Ardie Savae or Sam Cane. Well done on your season and the winning Storm side in 2016.

Along with the plaudits for the forwards, one player has stood out for an amazing NZ Rugby record. Try scoring machine Makineti Hufanga has just created history as the the first player (Man or Woman) to score more than 15 tries in a domestic season. She takes that record off of Terry Wright (Auckland) and Brendan Laney (Otago) scoring an amazing 16 tries scored this year.

This phenomenal left winger continues to reap the rewards of a leading side and this proud Aucklander will certainly be wearing a Black jersey when recently appointed Black Ferns coach Glenn Moore names his side (he has been signed to take the national team to RWC 2017)

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PINK BATTS HEARTLAND RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS 

Results: Meads Cup semifinals- South Canterbury 25 Wairarapa Bush 21 | Mid Canterbury 11 Wanganui 26

Lochore Cup semifinals- Horowhenua-Kapiti 12 North Otago 57 | Buller 6 King Country 20

After weeks of competition, the semifinalists were chosen last week and the results over this weekend have sealed our four finalists.

With many games being North Island versus South Island matches, provincial pride played a big part in the support base. Possibly a little difficult for some fans from the King Country to make the hike down to Westport [approximately nine hours drive, including ferry crossing] but from reports, at each match there was representation of each side, especially Wanganui fans presence in Ashburton.

South Canterbury had to overcome a lead by Wairarapa Bush, just surviving 25-21 but that South Island side are known for their hard work and it again paid off for them. At halftime, 21 points down it took some fine work by the homeside to recover, but two tries and well taken penalties were the difference in the end, but Wairarapa should be proud of their season and achieving so much in 2015.

South will now host a home final for the leading Meads Cup again, so will have a big crowd there to rely on–a real bonus when you get to the final in such a strongly contested ‘premier’ division, as the system really benefits the top two qualifying sides.

On the other side, they will face the ‘Butcher Boys’ from Wanganui. No surprise for some, when they went south and reclaimed some lost credibility after a draw and a loss that meant they had to beat Mid Canterbury in a classic Heartland encounter. On a clear but windy day, the local showgrounds swelled with the ‘Green and Gold’ as Mid supporters willed their men on to a possible third Meads Cup but all that parochial support could not replace the well-drilled steel of a formidable Wanganui team.

Close throughout, it was not a secure game until right at the death when reserve winger Simon Dibben did well to run hard and scored under the posts. That took the wind out of the Mid Canterbury team, who had played well all season but for the first time, could not complete the task and visiting Wanganui captain Mike Rowe summed up his sides determination by saying “The boys enjoy travelling and getting away together,” said Rowe. “We’ve performed well away from home.”

Now his side have another fight on their hands when they travel (again) to Timaru to contest the Meads Cup. Rose believes that his side has as good a chance as any “It’s finals footy. Anything can happen” and that is why we love this game.

In the Lochore Cup games, the game in Levin did not live up to the expectations of the home fans. Reaching this stage, Horowhenua-Kapiti seemed to have good motivation but possibly lost the match early as North Otago took it to them from the get-go. The Barry Stevens coached side seemed hell bent on being in the lead and never looked back, not dropping a beat in an out-of-the-playbook performance.

With plenty of tries scored; nine for North Otago with flyers Oscar Pamment crossing twice and Sala Halaleva celebrating with a hatrick. Terrific rugby, it bamboozled the opposition, who try as they might could not compete for long periods and even as they crossed twice themselves, it was not nearly good enough and the Southern Men left the ground in a resounding performance 12-57.

In the match played on the West Coast of the South Island, a much tighter game had it’s highs and lows, with the Buller side holding some chances but not being able to score points easily. Played on a dry-track, the ball was shared between backs and forwards, each team expressing themselves but with King Country leading 0-10 by half time, the Buller side had to respond and it was only through a pair of penalties that they were able to score.

That loss at home will play on that sides minds over summer, as they had chances and had beaten their northern rivals in opening round but King Country never let them gain any clear footing and the team from Te Kuiti take a huge bonus away with them. Now hosting the Lochore Cup final early Saturday afternoon, this game at home will certainly be a time to clear the memories of a loss in the semifinals last year. They look good and will be a challenge for North Otago to overcome.

Future fixtures:

Meads Cup final
South Canterbury v Wanganui
Saturday 24th October – Alpine Energy Stadium, Timaru
Kick off: 4:35pm

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To keep up with all NZ Rugby results, follow the RugbyNZ_ overview weekly for full match coverage and finals results after this weeks epic final games. Last Word On Sports are proud to support ‘grassroots’ rugby and highlight the Men’s and Women’s rugby games from LWOS South.

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