Victory double to Tūranga

Nikita Wharehinga on the attack for the Mana Wāhine rugby team in a game against Thames Valley last year. Wharehinga and Sharn Down are co-captains of the Tūranga Wāhine team who are part of the historic first Heartland North Island women’s competition which kicks off this weekend. Tūranga are on the road to face Thames Valley at Te Aroha on Saturday. They also have games against King Country (Aug 26, Gisborne), Whanganui (Sept 2, Taihape), East Coast (Sept 9, Ruatōria) and Wairarapa Bush (Sept 16, Wairoa), culminating in finals weekend in Taupō (Sept 23). Picture by Paul Rickard

Tūranga Tuatara finished their season with a 26-13 win over King Country Development in the curtain-raiser to Poverty Bay’s Heartland Championship opener at the Oval on Saturday.

Andrew Tauatevalu, at centre  for Tuatara, scored two tries as the home side came back from 7-0 down at the halftime break.

Tūranga applied pressure early but it was KC who opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a try to centre Delane Bell.

Inside back Jarod Von Rooyan converted for 7-0.

Tauatevalu was yellow-carded in the 33rd minute after his reaction to a scuffle.

He returned from the bin with a vengeance and crossed the line for the first of his double in the 44th minute after Tūranga started the second half with intent.

Tauatevalu converted his own try and Tūranga were back in the mix at 7-all.

Van Rooyan kicked a penalty and replacement back Rhys Ellery followed up with another penalty to put KC ahead 13-7.

That would be the last time they were in front, thanks to some Tauatevalu brilliance and a strong finish by Tūranga.

A clearing kick downfield was received by Tauatevalu inside his 22. He countered up the middle of the field, went straight through the defence and with one player to beat, drew and passed to flanker and captain Shyann Wyllie, who ran the last 20 metres to score.

Tauatevalu slotted the conversion to put his side ahead for the first time in the game — 14-13.

Tūranga sealed the win with  two tries in the last five minutes. Salesi Niuvoa scored one, which Tauatevalu converted, and Tauatevalu crossed for his second in the 80th.

Tūranga Wāhine travelled to Wairoa to take on Hawke’s Bay Women’s Development squad at Lambton Square and put on a show in defeating their hosts 27-0.

Head coach Lenny Ferris is leading the team, with Matatua Ruru assistant and defence coach.

Defence proved their strength as Tūranga kept their opponents pointless and ran in four tries — two to openside flanker Kaylah Clarke-Winiata and one each to centre Payton Wainohu and No.8 Jaye Nepia.

Prop Paku Hiko added two conversions and kicked a penalty.

“The defence we ran was new to a lot of our ladies but they adopted it well,” Ruru said, praising first-five Amanda Reynolds for the way she directed the players defensively.

“There were a lot of new and old combinations in there but they worked well together. “

To keep Hawke’s Bay at nil was “a big boost” for the side and solidified trust in the person next to them.

“Lenny has been working hard at training with the ladies and it paid off. It was a good confidence boost for our team going into this year’s Heartland women’s competition.”

Tūranga Wāhine head to Te Aroha this weekend to play the Thames Valley Vixens in their Heartland North Island opener.

When the sides met last year in Gisborne, the then Mana Wāhine team won 38-22 and kept the visitors pointless in the second half.