Rugby: Tuis on song after wahine win in mud

Members of the Te Matau A Maui Wahine team celebrate their winning of the annual Te Tini A Maui tournament in Palmerston North at the weekend. Photo / Supplied

New Hawke's Bay Tuis women's rugby coach Tom Blake is buzzing about some of the new talent available to him.

"And if we end up playing in some atrocious weather conditions around the country this season we'll know how to handle it too," Blake said yesterday.

He was reflecting on the weekend's Tuis-dominated Te Matau A Maui Wahine team's title-winning effort at the Te Tini a Maui tournament in Palmerston North. Te Matau A Maui beat Manawatu 36-15 and Wairarapa 39-7 on Saturday to capture the Toko Te Kani Taonga.

The fact the majority of Blake's squad were backing up after playing for their respective Clive and Havelock North teams in Friday night's hard-fought Hawke's Bay women's final, won by the villagers 34-31, added to the significance of the feat.

Most of Saturday's squad, who left the Bay at 7am to arrive in Palmy in time for their first match at 10am are expected to feature in the Tuis' NPC rehearsal against Manawatu at Park Island on Saturday.

Central Hawke's Bay winger Kirsty Thomas, who has played club rugby in Auckland and North Harbour, and Cook Islands Sevens rep Taria Arere were among Blake's new backs to impress. Former world champion Black Fern Amy Williams was outstanding at second five-eighth and experienced halfback Gemma Woods relished the difficult conditions.

The loose forward trio of No8 Te Aroha Hunt and flankers Naomi Hunt and Laurae Blake functioned well.

Props Sharlene Maui and newcomer Harmony Lone, alongside hooker Forne Burkin, provided plenty of grunt in the engine room.

Te Matau A Maui adopted a relaxed attitude to both games and ran in six tries against Manawatu.

Four hours later they conceded an early try against Wairarapa but produced a near-perfect second half.

The Christie Bartlett-coached Te Matau A Maui Colts won their grade and the Huri Maniapoto Taonga.

On Saturday they beat Horowhenua-Kapiti by default and on Sunday Poverty Bay East Coast representatives Turanganui A Kiwa 15-10.

"I was rapt with how our boys shook off the disappointment of not having a game on Saturday as the Horowhenua-Kapiti boys had too many injuries from their first game," Bartlett said.

"There weren't any conversions or penalties as the mud was too thick to kick out of. Our halfback Caleb Harmer scored the winning try after Turanganui tied the score at 10-all."

Prop Gordy Falcon captained the Te Matau A Maui team in admirable fashion.

Hooker Jack Smith-Ballingall was another to shine in the frontrow.

Bartlett's first five-eighth Heperi Harrison and centre Matt Bird performed well. Like Blake, Bartlett intends to defend the title in Gisborne next year.

A lack of players forced Te Matau A Maui's senior men's team to withdraw from the weekend's tournament.

The Hawke's Bay Tuis open their NCP campaign against Auckland at Park Island on Saturday, August 22.