SHANE HURNDELL
Ngati Kahungunu's 2005 Sportsperson of the Year, Candis Cardie, capped a memorable week with six tries in a Hawke's Bay women's rugby fixture on Saturday.
On Friday night Cardie was named the outstanding beach female athlete at Surf Life Saving Hawke's Bay's annual awards function in Napier. Cardie had earlier in the week been named in the Aotearoa Secondary Schoolgirls netball side.
The versatile Cardie's six-try haul in her MAC side's 103-0 drubbing of Western Suburbs at Flaxmere's Ron Giorgi Park was a mighty feat considering she was playing first five-eighth for the first time at this level as regular pivot Rebecca Hull and her deputy Te Maari MacGregor were both at a Black Ferns extended squad training camp with the Clive pair of Amy Williams and Mel Ngatai and Taradale's Marina Canterbury.
While MAC manager Honey Cardie was obviously thrilled with her daughter's haul her biggest highlight from the game was third-string goalkicker Whitley Mareikura's 28-point haul. "Whitley is our third-string goalkicker behind Rebecca and Te Maari so her nine conversions and two tries was a huge plus for us," she said.
New MAC winger Aften Kahuroa scored two tries in her premier women's debut. Powerful No.8 Ngavero Heather had another strong game for Suburbs.
Jamie Bruce, the older sister of Highlanders Super 14 player Callum Bruce, relished a switch from wing to centre and scored five tries in her Taradale team's 91-0 walloping of Aotea at Carters Arms Park on Saturday.
Bruce's 25 point haul was pipped by winger Shaylee Tipiwai who scored four tries and kicked three conversions.
Openside flanker Julie Ferguson, first five-eighth Ngahuri Thompson and prop Nani Ngaronoa were others to impress for the hosts.
Aotea's forward pack operated well particularly in the second half when the visitors conceded just 26 points. Taradale coach Arthur Brown was disappointed the game wasn't controlled by an official referee.
"It was our club day and there were 10 referees at the park but none of them wanted to do it so we were fortunate, although unfortunate at times when he was hard on us to have my assistant Steve Woods referee it," he said.
The closest game of the round saw Eskview beat Hastings Rugby and Sports 37-5 at Elwood Park yesterday. Halfback Renee Whitiora, who scored two tries, first five-eighth Sylvia Bockman and prop Tineka Thompson were all prominent for the winners.
"We're improving every time we play," said a happy Hastings coach Joe Heather.
His best players were blindside flanker Kelly Rangi on debut, lock Tina Munokoa and hooker Huara Kaukau.
WOMEN'S RUGBY: Six-try fest caps Cardie's top week
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