"We won. Well, we had to because we were playing our students," Shyla said.
"That was sort of the birth of women's rugby on the Coast."
Off the back of that game, Troy Para, the NPEC rugby development officer at the time, started Nati 7's, a rugby sevens competition that hosted four women's teams.
The NPEC women's 10's competition started in 2019 with two teams, Hicks Bay and Tihirau Victory Club.
This year the women's league now hosts four teams, in a 15s competition -
Ruatoria City Sports Club, Waiapu Sub Union, Hikurangi Mountain Maidens, and Tihirau Victory Club.
Shyla likens Ngāti Porou women to the pou of the whare, being the backbone of the whānau. However, she said, they are likely to put the needs of their whānau before their own.
"Rugby is a time that we can go and be physically active with other wāhine and we can uplift and inspire each other," she said.
Shyla believes it's about more than just the physical benefits of rugby. The teams are seeing spiritual and mental benefits as well.
"Being good role models for our kids, learning about nutrition and recovery is a huge part of our kaupapa."
But it's not just women. Shyla says the kōrero and culture are changing on the Coast and are evident in the men's teams as well.
"Our men are talking about putting out a wero to the clubs about no drinking," she said. "Instead just go home to chill and recover. For that to come out of our men's wahas that is just wow!"
Another wāhine who is incredibly passionate about rugby on the Coast is NPEC rugby women's development officer Ario Rewi.
She remembers being on the sideline cheering for Ngāti Porou as a young child. Playing rugby since she was 5 years old, she always longed to wear a NPEC jersey.
"I remember thinking, 'Man, that would be the epitome for me to wear a blue jersey'.
Never in my wildest dreams would I think I would captain that team," Ario said.
But her commitment to women's rugby almost took her life.
On top of being the NPEC women's development officer, she is part of the Referees Association, has been selected as captain of the NPEC women's side, and coached and played for Ruatoria City in this year's NPEC women's rugby league.
It was after one of these games in July that she ended up in Waikato Hospital's intensive care unit fighting for her life.
Ruatoria City had made the semifinals against Waiapu. Ario was sick with a chest infection and her epilepsy means she must take extra care of her health when ill. Still, she decided to take the field against Waiapu because her team were short on numbers.
The next morning, Ario couldn't breathe. An ambulance was called, but on the way to Te Puia Springs Hospital she had multiple seizures.
"The last seizure that I had on my way to the helicopter, I couldn't come back from it, so I had to be intubated and put into an induced coma so that the machine could breathe for me."
Ario's life was on the line. Paramedics called the Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust to take her to Waikato Hospital's intensive care unit.
"I just want to mihi to the paramedic Debbie," Ario said.
"If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be alive today."
Ario spent three days in Waikato before being flown back to recover in Gisborne Hospital, where she was interviewed for this story. Her commitment to women's rugby is still as strong as ever.
"I'm not feeling very good at the moment, even during the interview I'm struggling to breathe, but this kaupapa means a lot to me," she said.
Ario is adamant she will get her tenth cap despite recently being told by doctors she shouldn't play for a month.
She also knows that if she wants to see her daughter Marangairoa play rugby then she needs to start looking after her body.
"Hopefully, I can get off the field soon, referee, do a bit of coaching, and play in a non-contact capacity so I can look after my body," she said.
"I want to be a nanny on the sideline watching my mokopuna play rugby."
Both Ario and Shyla agree the future of women's rugby on the coast is looking bright.
"I am just really proud of every woman that has taken the field this year," Ario said.
"Those wāhine are instrumental in creating what will be a very competitive, highly skilled women's competition for years to come."
