Women's rugby: Waikite triumph in derby game

STRETCH: Waikite's player of the day Autumn-Rain Stephens strides out during Sunday's clash with Whakarewarewa. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER 280517sp12.JPG

Waikite women's rugby coach Murray Sturt welcomed several players back at the weekend, his bolstered squad getting over Whakarewarewa 32-10.

Among them was Autumn-Rain Stephens who celebrated by putting in a player of the day performance.

"I was happy with the win," said Sturt. "We had a lot of players returning so that's set the benchmark now and we can only get better now."

Also standing out in the win was Eliza Stephens.

"She played really well in 10 and we have a young halfback from Rotorua Girls' [High School] Tamea [Te Rauna], who played out of her skin. And our forward pack dominated around the paddock and it was only really at the set piece where we have a bit more to work on."

Sturt said he expected, and got, a hard clash against the cross town rivals.

"But it was a game played in good spirits and we had a good referee."

The game was part of the fourth round in the Baywide Competition and Sturt said Rangataua and Rangiuru were shaping up as the teams to beat.

"You can't really go past those two, but you can't really let your guard down because as soon as you start letting your guard down, anything can happen, any team can win on the
day.

"It's whoever shows up these days - it's not just because you are the best team out there - it's whoever shows up and whoever plays for the 80 minutes."

Whakarewarewa coach Ron James said he felt the final score didn't reflect the game.

"Our set pieces were really dominant, it was just, I think, that our girls were a little bit overawed in the first 40 minutes."

Down 17-5 at the break, Whaka rallied to 17-10, but then Waikite ran away with the game.

"We ended up having two girls in the sin bin at the same time and that pushed the score out.

"But that was another level for us and the big thing for us is that our girls never gave up.
They fought right to the end which is really good to see."

James told his players at half time that they needed to go back to their systems and back themselves.

"Especially in defence, we weren't getting off the line and putting pressure on them and we weren't contesting at the rucks and the break downs. It's just those little things and they let Waikite come at them in the first half, but in the second half it all changed around."

James said in the previous game against Te Whanau Apanui, it was the backs that fired, but on Sunday it was the forwards, and he is now looking for them both to hit the mark at the same time.

"But it's early days - we don't want to be peaking at this time of year."

Rotoiti women travelled to Te Kaha and beat Te Whanau Awanui 30-10 while Rangataua beat Waimana 52-10 in Tauranga. Rangiuru had the bye.

There are no games in the Baywide Women's competition next weekend due to Queen's Birthday Weekend.