Rugby league: Local debutantes score win at national tourney

The best female league players in the country have shown off their skills at the NZRL National Women's Tournament in Rotorua.

Counties-Manukau Stingrays claimed the national title at Puketawhero Park yesterday after defeating Akarana Falcons (Auckland) 34-0 in the final of the three-day tournament.

The home team, Wai-Coa-Bay, which covers a huge area including Bay of Plenty, Waikato and Gisborne, entered a women's team into the annual competition for the first time.

They struggled to keep up with the more experienced sides but recorded a 10-0 victory over Canterbury on Saturday.

One of the Wai-Coa-Bay coaches Alan Utanga, from Tokoroa, said it was great to see women in the region given a chance to play league.

"We have just been improving as the tournament has gone along, and this is a reflection of that," he said. "A lot of the ladies play rugby and their interest has just flowed on to league."

He said there was no women's league club competition in the Bay of Plenty or Waikato - something they hoped to see in the future.

"Wai-Coa-Bay, in terms of the men's team and the youth teams, have done really well and I think it is a flow-on effect getting the women involved as well."

Utanga said players had come from all around to play for the Stallions at the weekend but most were from rugby league-mad town of Tokoroa.

He said the Tokoroa women's rugby team coach, Adrian Purnell, had done a lot of work in getting a Wai-Coa-Bay women's league team into the competition this year.

"There was a lot of interest to continue into league."

The Player of the Tournament award went to Sarina Fiso from Counties-Manukau.

-Final placings: Counties-Manukau 1, Akarana 2, Central 3, Auckland Vulcans 4, Wellington 5, Wai-Coa-Bay 6, Canterbury 7.