Northland's women's rugby team, the Kauri, have earned an immense sense of pride after making the semifinals in their first season in the Farah Palmer Cup. Photo / File
Northland's women's rugby team, the Kauri, have earned an immense sense of pride after making the semifinals in their first season in the Farah Palmer Cup. Photo / File
Saturday saw the close of the Kauri's inaugural season in the Farah Palmer Cup but for head coach Cheryl Smith, it's only the beginning.
The Northland women's rugby team, who reformed after the return of club rugby to the region this year, fought valiantly against a talented Hawke's Bay Tuiteam in Napier in their championship semifinal, but couldn't qualify for the big dance, losing 46-31.
The result showed marked improvement from their first game of the season in early September against the Tui who won, 64-31. In fact, Northland led for much of the first half on Saturday, thanks in part to pieces of individual brilliance from first five Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali and winger Savannah Bodman.
Kauri first-five Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali (right) showed her class this season. Photo / File
Captained by current Black Ferns hooker Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate, Northland went from strength-to-strength this season. After losing their first two games - to the Tui and the Otago Spirit - the Kauri went on a four-game winning streak against North Harbour, Tasman and twice against Taranaki.
They were not short of confidence in the build-up to their first time in the provincial competition as many players, coaches and staff had no doubt this Kauri team could reach the top of women's rugby.
Northland captain Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate (centre) has led her team with great strength and passion this season. Photo / File
For head coach and former Black Fern Cheryl Smith, this season was always going to be the first step in a three-year plan to enter the premiership division and Saturday's performance epitomised the passion this Northland group had to challenge for the crown of New Zealand women's rugby.
"It was just a good effort from the girls, they left everything out on the field and they've done themselves and Northland proud at the end of the day," Smith said.
Kauri head coach Cheryl Smith (top right) and assistant coach Susan Dawson (top left) will be key in seasons to come for the Northland side. Photo / File
"[Hawke's Bay's] experience shone through at the end, but who would have put Northland [in the semifinal] in the first place?"
Smith lauded the experience shown by Subritzky-Nafatali and Ngata-Aerengamate and congratulated the team's young talent, including Bodman and lock Eva Fulton, for their performances on Saturday.
While there was a hint of disappointment in her voice at not reaching the final, Smith said she couldn't have asked for a better season in Northland's first year in the competition.
"For me, it was just getting a team on the paddock and see what happened, then we started to win and next minute, we are sitting at semifinal rugby."
Northland's season came to life when they played North Harbour on September 22 in their first game at Semenoff Stadium in Whangārei. A great tussle between two evenly-matched sides came down to the final minute when goal-kicking No 8 Krystal Murray crashed over to score the winning try to confirm the game's status as an absolute classic.
Northland winger Savannah Bodman (right) has been a try-scoring machine for the Kauri. Photo / File
"That was the turning point in the season for us," Smith said.
"It was the way we won, it gave the girls belief and you could just see it was a different team."
Kararaina Wira-Kohu, seen here with the ball charging at the Tasman defence, was unstoppable this season. Photo / File
While she couldn't confirm who would be lining up for the Kauri next year, Smith said she hoped to be involved next year as head coach. With goals of making the final next year and the premiership the year after, Smith hoped the region's female rugby players would buy into their vision.
"I hope the majority of the girls come back and I hope it makes others who sat back and watched, hopefully they put their hands up now."
As one of the youngest players in the team, Northland lock Eva Fulton (with ball) has come on in leaps and bounds with her skill at the lineout. Photo / File
