"I've still got the chance to play Wakely Shield next year and then aim for Ross Shield in 2021," Robinson said.
She was a member of the Hastings East C grade side which won their representative competition this year and played for Hastings East D grade last year. Like Hales, Robinson, is eyeing Hawke's Bay Tui and Black Ferns selection in the future.
A fan of Black Ferns halfback Kendra Cocksedge, Robinson is grateful for the coaching she has received from club coaches Vaine Maui, Matt Tims, who she has had since fifth grade and Jordan McCalman. She pointed out she has also learnt plenty from Hastings East coach and former Magpies midfielder Sam Giddens.
An Ocean Beach Kiwi Surf Life Saving Club athlete during the summer, Robinson said competing in the beach events with OBK helps give her an edge during the rugby season.
An 11-year-old Havelock North Intermediate School Year 7 pupil, Hales got plenty of nationwide media exposure in June when she played for her school at the annual Super Six tournament despite opposing principals and organisers telling her school her selection contravened Super Six tournament rules where boys play with boys and girls with girls.
The Tamatea 11th grader will be playing at the Wakely Shield for the second year after playing for Napier East last year. She is a former Napier East D and C grade rep.
"While I'm confident we can do well next week I know Napier West will have a strong team too," Hales said.
She heaped praise on the mentoring she has received from club coaches Todd Rogers and Davey Forbes. Hales is on her second year with the Tamatea club after starting at Clive and is eager to play for the Clive women's team in the future.
A regular ball girl for the Hawke's Bay Tui and Magpies, Hales, ranked All Black halfback Aaron Smith and All Black Sevens Women's star Portia Woodman as her idols. Like Robinson, Hales, hopes to play sevens at the Olympics in future and they both plan to attend Napier Girls' High School.
The draw:
Monday: 12.45pm Hastings East v Napier East; 2pm Hastings West v Central; 3.15pm Napier West v Saracens.
Tuesday: 12.45pm Hastings West v Napier West; 2pm Hastings East v Central; 3.15pm Napier East v Saracens.
Wednesday: 11.30am Hastings East v Saracens; 12.45pm Napier East v Hastings West; 2pm Napier West v Central.
Thursday: 12.45pm Napier East v Napier West; 2pm Saracens v Central; 3.15pm Hastings East v Hastings West.
Friday: 10am Hastings West v Saracens; 11.15am Napier East v Central; 12.30pm Hastings East v Napier West.
Teams:
Bay Power Hastings East: Ruan Botha, Oscar McDonald, Mitchell Innes, Austin Jones, Jake Hinton, Troy Kronfeld, Blayde Jensen, Harvey O'Rourke, Briar Hales, William Lovatt, Finn Molloy, Panapa Lambert, Taamai Graham, Cassius Marsh, Tom Cassidy, Charlie Ryan, Noah Chambers, Nate Burke, Austin McDougall, Tyler Waite, Luca Te Whiu,
NZ Home Loans Napier East: Tyrese Nikola, Harry Beale, Maddox Lui, Alyn Rae Paramore, Darius Ngarotata-Pauling, Walter Bennett, Carter Schlierike, Alex Garland, Kingsley Morris, Zepher Lyford, Nikau Greer, Baxter Cross, Lukitama Sialemsia, Cory Peterson, Malakai Lyford, Finn Dobbs, Freddie Salter, Tommy Hay-McKenzie, Carlos Paramore, Jack Bowen.
Centralines Central Hawke's Bay: Flynn Hamilton, Monty Waihape, Herbert Allerby, Guy Banks, Brock Castles, Jonty Kohleis, William Kittow, Tamati Pere, Rueben Harris, Te Awarangi Puketapu-Pene, Azi Parkinson, Rory Singer, Beiden Hannan, Wayde Cottle, George Peacock, Caleb Gore, Ben Clouston, Te Tahi Rautahi, Zavier Alexander, Tom Stableford, Sam Chrystall, Rick Withers.
Kleer Contractors Hastings West: Kingi Rimene, James Macken, Ryka Jensen, George Herrick, Dion Tatere, Charlie Schaw, Oliver Arcus, George Ladbrook, Ryan Palmer, Joshua Street, Carter Ah Kiong, Camo Wehi, Mitchell Townsend, Reid Palmer, Ryan Harding, Victory Voyce, Jimmy Brotherton, Essex Tutaki, Tyress Luka, Charlie Ross, Pokaiwhenua Ngataki.
Solenis Napier West: Cody Tumataroa, Drew Basher, Liam Johns, Cole Dallimore, Jack Parker, Adam Florens, Fred Lougesen, Hale Joblin, Maia Davis, Joseph Jury-Senitu, Jordyn Armstrong, William Dine, Charlie Furlong, Tane Repia, Connor Hawkins, Jaiden Valentine, Henry Kilgender, Mattias Brock Smith, Braydon Gregory, Tyson David, Jett O'Brien.
Efficient Moving & Storage Saracens:Bryn Reid, Josh Lindsay, Charlie Frewin, Will Sandberg, Arjunraj Singh, Liam Reid, Sam Britten, Rita Magele, TJ Mokoroa, Jerome Burne, Angus Scott, Te Kahui Tuhua, Donnagh Gallagher, Leonardo Kirkland, Pete Scott, Jack Bartlett, Leighton Evans, Steven Tollett, Tyler Adlam, Liam Tane-Foulds, Carl Lord, Layton Begg.
■ Hosts Wairoa produced their best performance to date at the Ross Shield tournament yesterday before losing 17-12 to Hastings East.
"I was proud of the team. Hopefully we can beat Central tomorrow and force a three-way tie for the Life Members' Salver for the best country team," Wairoa coach Sid Ropitini said.
"We would probably lose on countback but it would still be great for the town," he added.
Halfback Gus Brickel and No Rakatoa Morris-Wallace scored Wairoa's tries and first five-eighth TK Taylor kicked a conversion. East manager Mark Solomon said several of his troops were struggling with a vomiting bug and they had to dig deep for the win after the score was 5-all at halftime.
Centre Chance Katene, lock Jonah Cooper and No 8 Divaan Singh scored East's tries and winger Jayden Papunui-Matchitt kicked a conversion.
Napier ran in six tries during their 38-7 win against Dannevirke who lost the services of captain and No 8 George Prouting with a broken arm and fullback Jamie Monaghan with a jaw injury. Under those circumstances Dannevirke did well to restrict the damage in the second half after trailing 26-7 at the interval.
Prop Benjamin Olsen scored Dannevirke's try and lock Fergus Prouting slotted the conversion. Halfback Noah O'Brien, winger Jesse Beals, second five-eighth Iraia Roberts, first five-eighth Oliver Beale, winger Kendall Bush and centre Tyrese Ngarangione-Wicks scored Napier's tries. Beale converted three of them and fullback Jacob Cotter one.
Hastings West, who shared the Ross Shield with Napier last year, are tipped to maintain their unbeaten run when they take on Dannevirke today and retain the Ross Shield at the 117th edition of the Wattie's-sponsored event. Yesterday Hastings West beat Central 57-0.
Central assistant manager Don Withers said his troops made a slow start and were a bit shell-shocked by the occasion. Prop Te Toa Hema was again gutsy in the Central pack and centre Diego Maraki-Pene and fullback Wills Baines were busy defenders.
West captain and centre Kaden Makea scored five tries to take his tally for the week to 15. Flanker William Bennett, prop Joseph JJ Lilo-Iosefo, hooker and player-of-the-match Mikey Brown and winger Vander Taylor scored West's other tries and first five-eighth Noah Rogers kicked six conversions.
