Whanganui club rugby: Taihape pull off extra-time upset to lift crown

There is a new Whanganui women's rugby champion

Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby

There is a brand-new WRFU women’s competition champion as Byfords Construction Taihape pulled off the mother of all upsets with a 37-34 victory after 100 minutes over unbeaten AGC Marist Clovers on Friday night.

In a fascinating parallel to the Taihape Rugby and Sports Club’s first-ever men’s title at Cooks Gardens in 2019, the Taihape women, who were massive underdogs, had to come from 12 points behind at halftime to tie the scores with just six minutes left.

They then somehow got back down to tie it up again off the final play, following Marist’s rapid sixth try, to send the game into extra time.

For a player level that is still developing, it was a massive ask for all involved to have to go another 20 minutes, players on both sides suffering leg cramps, but Taihape found a second wind against their tiring opponents.

They kept them under the pump early in both halves until finally Mohi Te Rina, who had taken over the kicking in the second stanza, popped over a penalty in front with 106 seconds remaining.

A proud defending champion side, Marist trapped Taihape in their own 22m with time up, receiving kickable penalties themselves to potentially send the game into a further 10 minutes of extra time under golden point rules, while having tie-breaker advantage as first try-scorers.

But the big forward pack went for it all with another tap and carry, only to get trapped holding by the brave defenders right on their tryline to get the infringement and an emotional victory for their large contingent of travelling Taihape supporters.

“We put on a spectacle, I think, for a women’s final, and it just shows the degree of rugby Whanganui is bringing,” said Taihape player-coach Ruth McKay, the former Black Fern bringing herself on for the second half and scoring two tries.

“We knew we had something in the tank and we had to give it – the big thing that I put on my girls when we turned up here was about luck.

“Luck doesn’t come easy, you’ve got to create your opportunities, and they did that for us today, and I couldn’t ask any more of them.

“You’ve got nothing to lose, the clock ticks down and what’s going to happen tomorrow? It’s the moment that counts.”

For Marist, centre Awatere McLean-Wanoa ran great lines in Taihape’s danger-zone to score a double, including in the 78th minute which had her team convinced they’d won.

Both wingers Kesaia Siganisucu and Tiana Kauika dotted down, the latter getting a double, along with flanker Catherine Nauga.

As well as McKay, Taihape’s try-scorers were winger Elise Fannin, fullback Brooklyn Walker and the Dygas family – prop Jevonte and reserve Keahleigh – with the latter’s barnstorming run through three defenders to score under the posts on fulltime letting Te Rina save the day with the conversion.

Plucky Taihape halfback and captain Tayla Barrett was named player of the match.

McKay will now join her Marist offsider Junior Nepia as the representative coaching team for Whanganui’s North Island Heartland series, and it is likely a few Taihape women have now played their way into the squad.

“Loving it – a lot of girls have put their hands up, which is fantastic, and once again is huge for Whanganui rugby.”

Taihape 37 (R. McKay 2, J. Dygas, E. Fannin, B. Walker, K. Dygas tries; M. Te Rina pen, 2 con) bt Marist 34 (A. McLean-Wanoa 2, T. Kauika 2, C. Nauga, T. Kauika, K. Siganisucu tries; M. Thompson-Koro con, A. Ireton con). HT: 22-10 Marist. FT: 34-34.