Women’s Heartland rugby: Whanganui snatch bonus-point victory over King Country at Cooks Gardens
Anahera Hamahona dives over for a try against King Country. Photo / Whanganui Rugby
Their opposition are nicknamed the “Trailblazers” and perhaps the Chesters Plumbing & Bathroom Whanganui Women’s team could be called the “Jail-breakers”, after two tries in 90 seconds snatched a stunning 34-29 win at Cooks Gardens on Saturday.
Kickoff for the inaugural Women’s Heartland competition saw a determined King Country show up ready to play, bringing some hard-running forwards and smart distributors in their backline.
Other than a solid Whanganui comeback shortly before halftime to temporarily lead 17-14, the visitors held their advantage right up until the last three minutes.
Two fantastic runs down the touchline by prop Harmony Kinloch and then lock Leigha Stormont set up tries by winger Paris Munro and flanker Anahera Hamahona to first equalise and then take the lead in the 80th minute, for the proverbial “get out of jail” victory.
Munro and Hamahona’s tries were their second after excellent games, along with centre Brooklyn Walker making a series of crucial busts, while No 8 Waimarie Rauhina stayed intense on attack and defence, grappling with the impressive King Country pack.
The visitors’ best players were well-rounded first five Nicola Chase, goal-kicking centre Kowhai Boynton-Rameka, imposing lock Karli Feneva, and the two Fouas at prop - Tiana and Uleah.
Whanganui getting the first-up win with a bonus point is an important launching pad in this six-team competition, with the top two sides at the end of the round robin to contest the championship final in Taupō on September 23.
But as this was the first game since early June for the majority of the side, coach Junior Nepia knows there is plenty of work to do.
“That’s not a bad mindset to have, we’re not where we want to be, particularly defence,” Nepia said.
“We let ourselves down in that area quite a few times, purely just by not getting off the line.
“Attack sort of took care of itself - they knew where the space was, a lot of the time you can’t teach that, and they’re willing to chance their hand and have a go.”
The team got a sense of how physical this new level of representative rugby could be, with no major injuries but a lot of sore calf muscles and soft tissue.
“Building blocks, even for the team it’s good just to get that one under the belt and out of the way,” said Nepia.
“King Country, wow, they got some great ball-runners and you can just see it in them - they’re here to play rugby, great display from both teams.”
Nepia was delighted by his team’s determination to play right to the finish, planning to have a crack from the restart after Murno’s late converted try which made it 29-29.
“I was calling for Alice [Ireton] to kick, and they were like, ‘nah, mate, this is what’s happening’.
“They chanced their hand and it come out, so heart attack aside, they’re ready to express themselves and I’ll take that.”
Whanganui 34 (P Munro 2, A Hamahona 2, T Karaitiana, W Rauhina tries; K Campbell con, A Ireton con) bt King Country 29 (M King, U Foua, K Boyton-Rameka, K Huata, J Muraahi tries; Boyton-Rameka 2 con). HT: 19-17 King Country.
Happenings
DEVELOPMENT XV: It was a tough trip to Masterton for the McFall Fuel Whanganui Development XV, beaten 50-31 by Wairarapa-Bush Development on the artificial turf at Memorial Park on Saturday. Playing without a couple of their props who were moved up to the Steelform Whanganui squad, the Development XV trailed 24-14 at halftime, with play really opening up in the second stanza.
UNDER-18: The Whanganui Under-18 Girls team kicked off their campaign as the Cooks Garden curtain-raiser to the Women’s Heartland game on Saturday. Facing a solid Taranaki U18 side, Whanganui were deadlocked 5-5 at halftime, but over-run in the second half for a 29-12 loss. They play King Country U18 in Te Kūiti on Sunday.
SCHOOLS: The Whanganui High School 1st XV picked up a 15-5 home victory over Horowhenua College on Saturday in MRU Premier 1. In Premier 2, Cullinane College 1st XV defeated Tararua College 31-0 at home, in a big day for the school as the Cullinane U15s won their Youth 3 semifinal over Palmerston North Boys High U14B 15-10. Premier 2 (top four) saw the Whanganui Collegiate Second XV win 20-5 at home against Palmerston North Boys’ High School Colts, while the Ruapehu College First XV lost 10-3 to Manukura in Ōhakune. In Youth 1 (Top 4), Collegiate Black beat PNBHS U15B away, 19-0.
GIRLS: In the MRU Secondary School Girls midweek competition, Whanganui High School top the table following a default win over Waiopehu College on Wednesday. Cullinane College move back to second place after a 10-7 loss to Feilding High School.
WOMEN’S FPC: The Manawatū Cyclones have topped the Farah Palmer Cup Championship regular season after an important 31-27 away win over the Otago Spirit in Dunedin on Saturday. Whanganui expat Hollyrae Mete got a double, including the winning try in the 79th minute, the second of two tries her team snatched inside the last four minutes. Sosoli Talawadua was at hooker while Mia Maraku was on the bench. Meanwhile, the Taranaki Whio, with their Whanganui flanker Hayley Gabriel, got their first win of the season, beating North Harbour 31-19 in Auckland.
