Women’s rugby: Hawke’s Bay Tui taking on the giants - the best still to come

Hawke’s Bay Tui captain and leading points-scorer Krysten Cottrell is ready for Sunday's semifinal in Christchurch. Photo / NZME

Hawke’s Bay Tui captain and leading points-scorer Krysten Cottrell has been around long enough to know it’s a big call to expect her team to roll the defending Farah Palmer Cup champions in a national women’s rugby championship semifinal on Sunday in Christchurch.

But she’s also been around long enough to acclaim the comparatively raw team for getting there, and to say get out there, enjoy themselves, and do it.

The supporters will have the chance to do the same, when the team has a has a 12.15-1.15 Saturday afternoon Captain’s Run at Mitre 10 Regional Sports Park, Hastings, before heading to Christchurch.

The facts are simple: Canterbury beat the Tui 84-14 three weeks ago, and Hawke’s Bay have beaten Canterbury only once in senior women’s rugby.

But facts are also that at such a level of rugby commitment to skills training and fitness go a long way, and the 31-yearold Cottrell, who first played for the Tui in 2006 and who has had fellow squad members barely half her age and still at school, says that under the guidance of new coach and former Maddison Trophy Hawke’s Bay men’s championship-winning coach Sione Cherrington-Kite, the Tui have the desire in spades.

She’s sure it will be on display as the team trots on to Rugby Park on Sunday afternoon – the team has learnt from Canterbury’s try-scoring blitz on August 12.

Whether it’s enough to bring off an upset is another matter, but Cottrell says they are a team that she hopes will be able to develop over the next few seasons.

She’s prepared to hang around to be part of it – the retirement word hasn’t yet come up – but she has started a refereeing pathway for a career after playing, and possibly following in the footsteps of husband Tipene, one of Hawke’s Bay’s top referees.

Training’s usually 6pm, she notes, but as the season’s proceeded, and particularly now the business end’s arrived most of the players are there early, although it is a far cry from the full-time professional environment of male counterparts the Magpies

“This year, everyone is putting everything into it,” she says. “Everyone’s putting in the work. It’s good.”

Without great numbers of players, there have been several players trying new positions on the field, but everyone has their roles.

“I think everyone is good to go,” she says. “Everyone is available.”

But the sadness was that some in the squad would miss out, but she says it adds to the inspiration for those who do get the game.

Fellow veteran Gemma Woods is recovering from concussion and can’t play, but prop Ona Palu is back after a three-week suspension, and mum-and-daughter Julie and Teilah Ferguson take their places together in the centres.

Her faith in a bit of longevity in the team is based on knowing there are a fair few “home-bodies” in the squad, although the enticements to go elsewhere are growing, with at least two former Tui now plying their football in women’s NRL rugby league in Australia.

Having trained as a baker, and worked for the Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union as a development officer, she now gets some of her fitness working with husband on pest eradication. When we first tried to contact her this week they were setting trap-lines in the Kaweka Range, and, as it happened, ridding the area of about 20 rats.

It helps keep her fit, and training comes after a tiring day. But the day off on Saturday will help.

The team is: Denis Aiolupotea, Tamia Edwards, Ona Palu, Lara Kendrick, Oli Mua, Hope Hakopa, Leah Tuhi, Kathleen Brown, Kahlia Awa, Krysten Cottrell (co-captain), Tietie Aiolupotea, Leilani Hakiwai, Teilah Ferguson, Julie Ferguson, Michaela Baker. Subs: Leykin Rowlands, Tori Iosefo, Tali Wilson-Munday, Jade Tangaere-Tuhua, Raedeen Blake, Nicolette Adamson, Jaimee Robin.