Match miss 'guts' Mahoney

Black Fern Rebecca Mahoney was "gutted" at missing Wellington Pride's NPC women's rugby match with Auckland on Saturday.
Mahoney, one of seven Eketahuna players in the Wellington squad and in her first year as captain, pulled out just hours before her side were due to fly to Auckland because of a stomach bug.
"I basically left it as long as I could but there was no way I could have played," Mahoney said yesterday. "I was gutted, I felt like I was letting the girls down.".
Wellington went into the match as rank outsiders against an Auckland side laden with past and present Black Ferns but were not disgraced, losing 34-15 after trailing 27-0 at halftime. Replacing Mahoney at first-five was Eketahuna teammate Maia Tua-Davidson and, despite the regular midfielder having very little experience in the pivotal role, she was one of Wellington's best performers.
Another Eketahuna player to make her mark was centre Shakira Baker, who scored an intercept try late in the game.
Wellington play Manawatu in Wellington this coming Saturday. with Mahoney expecting to be fit.- .