Marist OB player Usher Panui (with ball) eyes up Horahora tackler Freda Wiki at Horahora on Saturday. Photo / John Stone
Marist OB player Usher Panui (with ball) eyes up Horahora tackler Freda Wiki at Horahora on Saturday. Photo / John Stone
The Horahora women's premier rugby team have avenged their first-round loss in emphatic style on Saturday, beating Marist OB, 100-5.
Playing at home, Horahora showed their talent and experience in a complete performance against the visitors. Horahora went down 41-12 to Kamo Hawks in round one, and to respond with a win by such a large margin will surely be of note to the competition's stronger sides.
The game began with the usual 15-woman format, but due to a broken wrist and a fractured collarbone to two Marist OB players, the two sides agreed to play out the match 10-a-side.
However, the change did not seem to phase the home side who exploited the wealth of experience in their team and introduced fresh talent to the club.
Marist OB's Usher Panui feeds the scrum under the watchful eye of Horahora's Kayla Mohi (left). Photo / John Stone
"It was pretty much a one-sided game but we had a lot of new players, nearly a whole new team that's starting up," Horahora co-coach and player Rana Paraha said.
"Marist had a lot of experience but I think we had a bit more structured play for our new girls and we did have a couple of experienced players."
Players such as Jasmin Iraia, Amiria Te Iringa, Hayley Williamson and Sharlena Short will be valuable for the Horahora club as they share their knowledge of the women's game with the next generation.
Paraha said her side performed well against a shaky Marist OB defensive line and improved on their support lines as the game progressed.
She hoped these skills would be developed across the competition and more players would commit to the games so the level of play could rise.
Horahora's Nikki Te Puni runs the ball through the Marist OB defensive line on Saturday. Photo / John Stone
"It's not just committing to training but also to your role on that field and with the [Northland Rugby Union] generating a lot of opportunities from the bottom with under-15 and under-18 competitions, it'll follow on through and players will have a pathway."
Marist OB coach Gareth Salmon said the early injuries didn't help his young side who were beaten by a better team.
"When we are pushing for numbers already, injuries make it hard for next week but that's just rugby," he said.
"I thought we went well, the players persevered and I think the experienced Horahora ladies were able to control game quite well."
With about 12 out of 16 Marist OB players getting their first taste of a formal women's rugby competition this season, Salmon said he admired their resilience in spite of the scoreline.
"They stuck together as a team and they just never gave up, which is good to have to a core of players like that."
Marist OB player Lessina Lynett Piahitahi tries to shrug off a tackler. Photo / John Stone
He hoped to boost team numbers throughout the season so they could finish with a full squad.
"My goal is just to get a full team there consistently and then work on maintaining that for the next few years, if you can get enough women involved then you can work on rugby."
In the round's other games on Sunday, City trumped home side Dargaville OB, 123-5, and Te Rarawa avenged their preseason loss against Kaikohe to win 17-0 at home in atrocious conditions.
After Northland College defaulted in round one of the under-18 10s women's rugby competition, the team has pulled out of the rest of the season to leave Kerikeri, Wellsford Wolves and Western Sharks as the remaining teams.
The competition's format has been changed to all teams playing each other in three-halved, 30-minute games on Monday nights. On Monday, May 13, Kerikeri flexed their rugby muscle in beating Wellsford and Western Sharks 70-0 and 56-5 respectively in Mangakahia.
Wellsford claimed the other win on Monday by beating the Western Sharks, 43-15.
In Monday night's under-15 10s women's rugby competition, City beat Te Rarawa in Otangarei, 49-25 and Kaikohe beat Kerikeri in Kaikohe, 81-34.
