WOMEN'S RUGBY: Stand-in ref happy to watch over the girls

SHANE HURNDELL
Memo for Hawke's Bay rugby referee education officer Greg Davey: You've got a new recruit.
"Well maybe in a couple of years time when I hang up my playing boots. I think I'll look pretty sharp with an AMI shirt on," Wallace Sullivan said after refereeing the Clive women's team's 92-0 thrashing of Eskview at Petane Domain on Saturday.
The long-serving Hawke's Bay Unicorns rugby league representative went to watch the game after learning his EITSA league side's Eastern Alliance fixture against Western Suburbs had been postponed when Kirkpatrick Park in Hastings had been closed because of the adverse weather conditions.
"I was sitting in the truck trying to keep warm when players from both teams yelled out for me to referee as the official ref hadn't fronted. I needed a run and I enjoyed it.
"I've done age-group rugby and age-group league before but this was my first premier game. I think there's a future for me in refereeing," Sullivan, 30, said before travelling to Clive to play for the Maraenui senior fours in a 20-14 loss to Clive.
"League is still my priority this year but if I haven't got league I'll probably help out the Napier Pirate Rugby and Sports prems again when they're short of backs," he added.
Former Eskview player Shaan Waru, playing at centre for unbeaten Clive, ran in four tries and captured player-of-the-match honours for her team. Hooker Sarah Chalmers grabbed a hat-trick and Black Fern Amy Williams, playing at fullback, matched Waru's 20-point haul with two tries and five conversions.
Halfback Tracy Hawkins, second five-eighth Jutine Biss and openside flanker Hannah Meyer worked hard for Eskview. Taradale also ran riot and beat Western Suburbs 85-0 at Flaxmere's Ron Giorgi Park. Both teams played some entertaining dry-weather rugby in the atrocious conditions. Openside flanker Julie Ferguson impressed with her lightfooted skills on top of the mud for Taradale. First five-eighth Ngahuri Thompson, winger Sara Smith, flanker Jessie Carter and prop Natalie Cotton were others to shine for the winners.
Prop Kirsty Scia Scia was prominent in a cohesive Suburbs forward pack which competed well in patches. Centre Nashara Horne was the best of the Suburbs backs.
A high injury tally and work commitments forced Hastings Rugby and Sports to default their Ron Giorgi Park game against MAC. With MAC having the bye next weekend coach Jason Lambert is concerned his troops may be short of matchplay should they, as expected, qualify for the following weekend's final.