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Super Saturday–Women’s Provincial Championship

It doesn’t get any better than this. Another Saturday full of rugby union (insert happy face here). Normally, Last Word On Sports would be celebrating Mitre 10 Cup or The Rugby Championship. Yes, of course there are three quality Mitre 10 Cup matches being played, with a weeks break for International rugby but importantly, today’s focus is on the Women’s Provincial Championship.

That is the Farah Palmer Cup, the premier competition within New Zealand (NZ) rugby for women. Launched in 2016, fans will know and respect the effort put in by these ladies. They play with as much skill and commitment, as the men do. And it has been a tremendous season so far, that will only ‘ramp up’ over this Super Saturday.

COUvAKL
Eloise Blackwell of Auckland Storm beats Hanna Brough of Counties Manukau Heat to a lineout ball in a Farah Palmer Cup Rugby Match (Photo by Dave Rowland/Getty Images)

Women’s Provincial Championship

This competition has now completed it’s seven regular rounds of competition. There were plenty of top-class matches played, and the quality was obvious. International standard, filled with current and future Black Ferns players (see Eloise Blackwell above). The round-robin was a great way to build into this weekends two semi final games. All nine teams have put their all into reaching the knock-out rounds, so congratulations to all the women involved.

The top seeds have been decided–they are Counties-Manukau, Auckland, Canterbury and Wellington. Possibly a predictable quartet, the placings all seemed to be decided in the final match of the round-robin competition: Counties 7 Auckland 3. 

Yes, you read that correctly. 7-3. That might seem like a score from 1956 but the weather played a huge part last weekend [torrential rain] and the South Auckland team took advantage. They scored the only try of the game to Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali.

Semi final broadcast on Pay-TV

Semi-final draw:

Counties Manukau Heat (1) v Wellington Pride (4)
Saturday 24th September
ECOLight Stadium, Pukekohe
Kick off 12 noon
Auckland Storm (2) v Canterbury (3)
Saturday 24th September
Auckland University Rugby Football Club, Colin Maiden Park
Kick off 12.05pm (Televised live on Sky Sport)
While fans in NZ can enjoy the live coverage on local Pay-TV, LWOS recommends International rugby fans organize a download/live-stream of both the women’s matches.

COUNTIES-MANUKAU v WELLINGTON

The Pukekohe Stadium will host a second match; after the men’s Mitre 10 Cup team played Waikato on Friday night. Fans should enjoy this high activity, to celebrate the success of the women’s team.

Last weekends win over Auckland was a ‘double delight’ because both women and men’s team defeated Auckland. The Farah Palmer Cup win was just as crucial as the Mitre 10 Cup victory–it elevated the team into first place. So if they beat Wellington, they will be seeded first in the Grand Final next weekend (tbc)

Coach Davida White is confident her girls have the skill and motivation to beat their opposition. More favourable conditions should see an open game, where the speed and elusive skill of Portia Woodman might be a key factor on the day.

Wellington will be confident, knowing they have secured three wins, to the two victories by Counties. On the day, it will be about enthusiasm, to confront the naturally big girls from South Auckland. Do that, and Wellington could steal a finals berth from under the hosts.

AUCKLAND v CANTERBURY

Suffering their first loss in six clashes with Counties-Manukau, Auckland will still be reflecting on that loss. The long term champions of women’s rugby must now rebuild, to see off an improving South Island side.

Canterbury have recorded just one victory over Auckland in 19 attempts. Their solitary victory came in 2009, when they beat Auckland 20-15 but since then, the gap has been clear. After Counties success, it will invigorate the visiting team.

Canterbury’s Kendra Cocksedge is the key-weapon. If she can weave her magic, the side will have a chance. She will have to counter Tyla Nathan-Wong and the well drilled team. If any weakness can be found, it might be in the scrum–upset the Auckland machine, and they could have a chance.

Final to be played on Saturday 1 October

Next weekend will be the final of the Farah Palmer Cup. That will be a great celebration of women’s rugby in New Zealand. LWOS will report on the results of the semi finals, highlight the teams competing in this final and the continued growth of women’s rugby.

And for those of you who watch International women’s rugby, the upcoming Eden Park Bledisloe Cup curtain raiser is of course, a NZ women’s rugby match #NZLv AUS

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Super Saturday – Heartland Championship/Mitre 10 Cup

As well as the Women’s Provincial Championship, there are Men’s rugby matches of course. The Heartland Championship and the Mitre 10 Cup hold a strong place within ‘grassroots rugby’ in New Zealand.

HEARTLAND CHAMPIONSHIP

Beside the Farah Palmer Cup, the Heartland Mitre 10 Championship takes the attention in the rural areas of New Zealand. Played in smaller towns, the matches are just as intense and this week’s round five clashes are over halfway through the competition.
Fixtures: THAMES VALLEY v SOUTH CANTERBURY, Paeroa Domain | BULLER v EAST COAST, Victoria Square, Westport | HOROWHENUA KAPITI v KING COUNTRY, Levin Domain | MID CANTERBURY v WEST COAST, Ashburton Showgrounds | NORTH OTAGO v WAIRARAPA BUSH, Oamaru Stadium | POVERTY BAY v WANGANUI, Rugby Park, Gisborne

MITRE 10 CUP

Several classic ‘derby’ matches are being played today. The South Island clash is the inter-city rivalry between Chrictchurch and Dunedin, being played in the Garden City. Otago are on a high, so expect a frenetic battle with a Canterbury side coming off a surprise loss [to Manawatu].

ITM Cup match ball
Adidas match ball used in the Mitre 10 Cup (Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images)

In the North Island, the mid-North contest see’s Taranaki takes on it’s southern neighbour. The New Plymouth/Palmerston North argument has been long held, ‘who is the bigger town?’. Expect fans to travel north, after a good win last week. The Manawatu bucket-heads will be confident they can overturn another Premiership side.

Fixtures: 2:35pm – CANTERBURY v OTAGO, AMI Stadium, Christchurch | 5:35pm – TARANAKI v MANAWATU, Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth | 7: 35pm – HAWKE’S BAY v TASMAN, McLean Park, Napier
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So add these three matches to the six Heartland Championship games, and the two Farah Palmer Cup semi final games, and you have 11 games to celebrate. I don’t know about you, but Last Word On Sport calls this another ‘Super Saturday’ with the Women’s Provincial Championship taking the main focus.
Good luck to all sides playing. Enjoy the rugby this weekend, and be sure to read the NZ Rugby Grandstand column–out on Monday.

“Main photo credit”

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