A Hawke's Bay-dominated Te Tini a Maui women's rugby side beat their Te Wai Pounamu counterparts 34-17 in Palmerston North on Saturday.
Te Tini a Maui coach Tom Blake, of Hawke's Bay, was rapt with the workrates of Bay forwards Amy Pedman, Kataraina Clarke and Jamie Heather in a packwhich outplayed a bigger Te Wai Pounamu unit. A Bay duo of Kaylah Clarke-Winiata and Celeste Lowe shared the halfback duties and impressed with their delivery and defence.
Another Bay pair of Kathryn Marshall and Te Maari MacGregor played major roles in the Te Tini a Maui backline. All of these Bay players were selected in a paper-only Te Tini a Maui-Te Wai Pounamu side.
Hawke's Bay's Shaylee Tipiwai and Yarnisae Whaitiri were unlucky to miss selection. Blake pointed out the performance of the Bay players in his side was further proof it shouldn't be too long before the Hawke's Bay Tuis become more of a force at NPC level.
Te Tini a Maui's premier men's side, which included a Bay quartet of Ihaka Waerea, Manihera Eden, Brendon Edmonds and Matt Mullany lost 45-15 to their Te Wai Pounamu counterparts and Te Tini a Maui colts lost 31-17.
