A 17-minute assault by invaders the Counties Manukau Heat blew away the Hawke’s Bay Tui’s chances of starting a Farah Palmer Cup women’s premiership rugby campaign with an upset win at McLean Park, Napier.
Counties Manukau made it two-from-two in the 2024 FPC with a 36-32 win, but the home side had scored first and led 17-10 at halftime. It was happy-hour time as they did not relinquish the lead until the 63rd minute, as the Heat scored their second of four tries in the second half, and the Tui struck back admirably with two tries after being down 36-20 with nine minutes to go.
While being outscored six tries to five, it was, however, as good a Tui performance as any in 2023, when newly-promoted Hawke’s Bay beat eventual champions Auckland Storm in the opening match and went on to reach the semifinals.
Having had the bye in the opening round, the Tui started underdogs after being hammered 63-24 by Counties Manukau in Pukekohe last winter.
Despite three new faces in the starting line-up, and with two losses in warm-up games, the Tui opened with a promising look, including an all-women’s Super Rugby front row of hooker Tamia Edwards and props Denis Aiolupotea and Tori Iosefo.
In the backline 2023 New Zealand Under-20 camp selection Raedeen Blake at halfback, with new Black Ferns extended squad member Kahlia Awa waiting on the subs’ bench, 2023 cup Player of the Year and Blues Super Rugby player Krysten Cottrell ready to direct the game from first five-eighths, and former Hurricanes player Teilah Ferguson in the centres.
Counties Manukau had the interesting infusion of Japanese international Misaki Suzuki at flanker, Canadian international Shoshanah Seumanutafa and Yurina Shinno, also from Japan, on the left wing.
Kicking off first, towards the Centennial Stand, the Tui scored first with a try to No 8 Jaimee Robin finishing off in a tackle after a barging run through centrefield by Iosefo in the 5th minute, but the Heat replied three minutes later with the first of two tries to big centre Kataraina Enosa-Taifau as the Tui were outflanked on the left.
There were two more in the first half, to flanker Leah Tuhi and Blake, but Counties Manukau always looked as if they could take charge, if only they could get the break and evade some classy Hawke’s Bay defence, particularly close to the Bay’s own line.
A feature in the unsuccessful fightback was the arrival of Awa, who scored eight minutes from the end.
The Tui’s second match will be against Northland Kauri in the curtain-raiser to the Magpies’ Ranfurly Shield defence at the park on Friday, also against Northland.
Counties Manukau Heat 36 (Kataraina Enosa-Taifau 2, Fau Sefo, Shyanne Thompson, HaronoTe Iringa, Jaymie Kolose tries; Hazel Tubic 3 conversions) Hawke’s Bay Tui 32 (Jaimee Robin, Leah Tuhi, Raedeen Blake, Kahlia Awa, Charlotte Tuliau tries; Krysten Cottrell penalty, 2 conversions) Halftime: 17-10.