Doubles to Rickard, McMenamin in YMP win

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

YMP women set the tone for their men in the curtain-raiser to the Poverty Bay Premier club rugby final on Saturday.

YMP and Waikohu women went head-to-head in their first 80-minute fixture of the season at Barry Park  — hosts YMP winning

20-0.

The men followed that up by beating their Waikohu counterparts 15-0 in the Lee Bros Shield Premier grand final.

Last year’s Turanga Wahine squad gave women’s rugby a big boost and that has continued into 2023 with the three-team club competition involving YMP, Waikohu and Tapuae.

Those three teams met in the opening games of the Poverty Bay women’s competition on July 2, and Saturday’s game followed on from that.

The weather was better than the men’s rain-battered final and allowed the experienced players to hone their skills while getting their new team members  involved.

The focus was on ball movement so golden oldies scrums were used to keep play flowing.

The combination of YMP halfback Maia Rickard  and former New Zealand rugby and rugby league international Trish Hina put Waikohu under pressure from the get-go.

Rickard pounced on a Waikohu fumble from a scrum inside their 22 — diving on the ball in the in-goal area for the first try.

Multi-talented No.8 Bronya McMenamin scored the second try — a classic forwards effort as YMP kept the ball tight and McMenamin drove over the line from a pick and go.

Following the halftime break, Waikohu returned to the pitch with a much more physical attitude.

Strong defence led by Waikohu prop Serenity Hemaloto-Ngatu and lock Amy Outwin gave the likes of centre and captain Nikita Wharehinga — a stand out in last year’s interprovincial women’s competition — space to make metres.

However, attacking rugby was not easy in the conditions, with both teams producing handling  errors.

McMenamin put YMP 15-0 ahead with her second try, picking the ball up from the base of the scrum and running  10 metres to the line.

Rickard also collected a double with a bit of football skill.

After YMP were awarded a penalty in their 22, Hina tapped and ran, the ball was kicked deep  into Waikohu territory. Rickard gave chase, then  kicked the ball along the ground until it ended inside the goal area in the corner for her to dive on it for the try.

The game came to a close with both teams joining together in the after-match huddle.

The sides meet again tomorrow in Tapuae in a game of “three halves” also involving the hosts.