Rugby League: Chanel Huddleston sole Viper in Kiwi Ferns squad

Hawke's Bay's Chanel Huddleston (with ball) stamps her authority for the Central Vipers against the Wellington Orcas at the weekend. Photo/Supplied

It was a hot summer's day on March 19 at Kirkpatrick Park in Hastings and Hawke's Bay women's rugby league team player-coach Chanel Huddleston sprinted 90 metres from dummy half for a solo try.

I turned to a fellow spectator at the Mid Central Competition game which saw the Bay beat Linton 38-28 and said Huddleston is back to her best and I wouldn't be surprised if she regained a berth in the Kiwi Ferns squad this year. Huddleston, 33, backed up the prediction and on Sunday was selected in a 30-strong squad from which 25 players will be selected to attend the November-December World Cup in Australia.

The Henry Hill School teacher's selection followed her vice captain's role with the Central Vipers team which finished third with four wins from five games at the national women's tournament in Auckland at the weekend. The Vipers beat the Auckland Vulcans 22-12 in the playoff for third.

Second-season Vipers coach John Tuala, from Palmerston North, was full of praise for the contribution standoff Huddleston and the other Bay players, props Awhina Wainohu and Jess Bennett, utility forward and top defender Te Aroha Hunt, centre Jaimee Robin and secondrower Laurae Blake, made to his team.

"They all displayed the benefits of playing those regular Mid Central Competition games. Chanel's leadership was tremendous and her experience showed," Tuala said.

Hawke's Bay Rugby League chairman Dion Te Ahu said Huddleston's selection is proof players can still make the big time if they are prepared to put in the work.

"From the feedback I've got from the Vipers coaching staff and others in Auckland I have no doubt Chanel will make the last cut for the Cup if she continues to maintain her high standards. Her versatility - she can play in the forwards or backs - is a big asset," Te Ahu said.

"While I was thrilled for Chanel I was equally as chuffed for the Vipers who not only backed up my pick of a top-four finish but went one place better finishing higher than an Auckland team in the process. And the Vipers only contained players from Manawatu and Hawke's Bay," Te Ahu added.

Huddleston last played for the Kiwis Ferns at the Auckland Nines in 2015 after playing a substitute's role in a 12-8 test win against the Australian Jillaroos in November 2014. She is no stranger to major international events. When she was a member of the Aotearoa Maori Sevens team Huddleston played at three Hong Kong Sevens tournaments and at Twickenham.

Should the former Hawke's Bay Tuis women's rugby team player-coach, who still holds the record for the most first-class appearances for the team with 64 from 2001-14 make the cut it will be another chapter in an outstanding comeback from an 18-month suspension. She successfully appealed to the New Zealand union and got it reduced to 14 months, after receiving the stand-down for physical and verbal abuse of a referee during a Hawke's Bay women's club rugby game in 2015.

Last year she was a key player for MAC as they won Hawke's Bay's premier women's rugby and league competitions. Her Vipers team won the Fair Play award at the weekend's nationals and manager Jackie Tuala won the Manager of the Tournament award.

Blake, who impressed coach Tuala, with her workrate was one of the Vipers tryscorers in the playoff for third.

Defending champions Counties Manukau Stingrays retained their title with a thrilling 18-14 win against last year's runners-up Akarana Falcons in the final. Auckland-based former Hawke's Bay player Annabelle Hohepa, who has been a regular Kiwi Fern over the years, has made the squad of 30.