Holmes to make her Hawke's Bay senior debut

ON A MISSION: Renee Holmes is on a mission to impress in this year’s Farah Palmer Cup. She is set to make her debut for the Hawke’s Bay senior women’s rugby team today in a warm-up game against Wellington. The match is being played in Ashhurst, near Palmerston North. Picture supplied

GISBORNE Girls’ High School student Renee Holmes has completed an impressive first 12 months in rugby by being selected for the Hawke’s Bay women’s side to compete in the Farah Palmer Cup.

The highest-level domestic women’s rugby competition in New Zealand, the Farah Palmer Cup runs from early September to early November.

Holmes, 17, will make her Hawke’s Bay senior debut in a warm-up match against Wellington in Manawatu today.

She caught the attention of the Hawke’s Bay selectors when she was playing for Hastings Rugby & Sports Club (HRS) in the Hawke’s Bay women’s competition this season.

HRS finished fourth in the competition, and Holmes was the team’s top pointscorer.

At the club’s prize-giving last week, she was named HRS women’s MVP (most valuable player) for the season.

Holmes usually plays first five-eighth for Gisborne Girls’ High School.

For HRS, she played fullback, and her vision and kicking game made her an important part of the team.

Hawke’s Bay coach Terangi Maeva has been impressed with Holmes this year.

Maeva says Holmes can kick, read the game, communicate well with her teammates, tackle and take on the line.

Having played mostly at first five-eighth or fullback, Holmes is set to try another position.

Hawke’s Bay want to play her at centre for the Farah Palmer Cup.

At the start of the rep programme, they were looking at using Holmes as a utility back.

However, following consistent form in club games and at training, she is set to make her Hawke’s Bay debut today, at centre, in a pre-season game against Wellington at Lincoln Park, Ashhurst, near Palmerston North.

Next weekend, Hawke’s Bay play Wellington Samoa in Napier as they continue to build for the Farah Palmer Cup opener in Wellington on September 2.