SHANE HURNDELL
Julie Ferguson wasn't exactly jumping for joy after her Hawke's Bay women's rugby side completed another history- making mission on Saturday.
"It's going to be tough leaving this side for a weekend," Ferguson said after the Bluewater Hotel Tuis beat Canterbury 17-11 at Napier's Park Island on Saturday.
This first Tuis
win against Canterbury followed first NPC division one victories against Auckland and Wellington and booked the Bay a first home semifinal against Auckland next Saturday. But Ferguson won't be available as she has a New Zealand women's touch team camp in Christchurch.
"I asked for leave from the camp but was unsuccessful. It's a key one as we prepare for the January World Cup in South Africa," said Ferguson.
"I'll be back for the final and hopefully I did enough today to warrant a berth for the final," said Ferguson indicating how confident she was about the Tuis' chances of beating Auckland next weekend.
"I wanted to do a bit more but we didn't get the ball out wide enough," said the mother of two, who made the most of her opportunities in both the wing and centre positions on attack and again produced an admirable defensive workrate.
Tuis coach Albie Hawea agreed: "Had we got the ball out wide more we could have scored 40 points," he said.
"But we got what we wanted ... that home semi. Hopefully the home crowd gets behind us again and we can beat Auckland because a home final must also be an option now as Wellington are capable of bowling Otago in the other semi."
Hawea paid tribute to Canterbury's defensive work in the second half and said it was obvious the visitors wanted to finish their season on a high. And no prizes for guessing who secured Saturday's victory.
Ferguson's Aotearoa Hong Kong Sevens teammate and Tuis winger Shaan Waru. With the Tuis ahead 12-11 with four minutes remaining Waru produced a clever 30-metre solo run during which she brushed off three Canterbury defenders on the way to the tryline.
Flankers Marina Canterbury and captain Chanel Huddleston scored the Bay's other tries following powerful forward surges close to the line. Fellow loosie Deidre Hakopa and lock Sara Chalmers were others to impress in the winning pack.
Canterbury winger Tara Horsnell was thirsty for work and used her pace well to score the visitors only try. Second five-eighth Amanda Murphy was another of the visitors regular line-breakers.
