Some positional changes paid dividends but it wasn't the desired result for the Hawke's Bay Tuis rugby side in their final outing of the season on Saturday.
The Tuis were beaten 36-10 by Wellington in a Porirua Park-hosted women's NPC clash after trailing 12-10 at halftime.
"We were in the game in the first half but Wellington used the windy conditions better in the second half and ran away a bit during the final 20 minutes," Tuis trainer Dan Rodden said.
Regular backs Nuia Momoisea and Gemma Woods performed admirably in the blindside flanker and No8 positions respectively for the Tuis. Regular loosie Kaylah Clarke-Winiata was tidy at halfback.
Lock Ditte van Vliet scored the Tuis try and first five-eighth Sylvia Bockman kicked a penalty and conversion.