Whanganui win North Island Heartland Series

It was a turn-around from last week's defeat to the same team.

Brought to you by Whanganui Rugby.

The Longrun Spouting Whanganui Women’s team turned back the previous weekend’s defeat to the Thames Valley Vixens to win the one game which truly matters in Masterton on Saturday.

In an 11-try thriller on the artificial turf at Memorial Park, Whanganui lead the North Island Heartland Series playoff from start to finish, but could never shake their plucky opposition, hanging on 32-27.

Try-scoring No8 Nicola Chase was dominant from the start with linebreaks, offloads, and some pinpoint tactical kicking leading to multiple tries.

After a penalty attempt struck the post and was re-gathered, Chase combined with first-five Te Rina Mohi and centre Meilini Meo to put winger Kesaia Siganisucu over in the corner.

At prop, inspirational skipper Kim Hunt scored her first try from lead-up by Chase and Siganiscu, carrying over the line, and Chase got a deserved try after three chasers followed up her kick to charge down the Vixens’ clearance.

Flanker Epenesa Tafa took the ball off the back of an attacking ruck to score near the posts, although in the breeze goal-kicks proved elusive, and Hunt had her double from another snipe near the line after a rolling maul was brought down short, with fullback Alice Ireton adding the extras.

But amongest all of that, the Vixens kept coming back with tries to stay in touch - No8 Tiara Dixon getting a first-half double, while first-five Cory Middleton beat tacklers to score in the far corner, 27-15 at the break.

The gap closed to a converted try in the second stanza when winger Mali Thomas just got the ball down in the corner, before Whanganui again scored through Hunt, following up from a penalty tap and charge by Chase at the line.

In a battle of Whanganui’s strong set piece vs the Vixens’ dangerous pace out wide, the Waikato team closed up again with two minutes remaining after second-five Carmen Samson dotted down under the posts.

But they would get no closer, Whanganui trapping Thames Valley in their half to end the match.

Other standouts were flanker Samara Pahl-Long with some great midfield work, and first-five Te Rina Mohi – both she and Chase transferred from King Country to the Taihape club this season.

Victorious coach Junior Nepia was asked for his emotions at fulltime.

“Very, very high, as is the heart rate, but that’s finals footy.

“We spoke about the respect we had to give them, it was earned from last week, so we knew what they were capable of, and it was about trying to nullify those things before they got going.

“Trying to just be more connected, to stop little things like that, and we stuck it in there – love a scrape-though.”

Nepia could only express his pride in his skipper Hunt – devastated to have lost last season’s inaugural final to King Country – who played out of her skin to lift the silverware.

“She has been very much a nucleus for the team, her and a few of the other old ducks in the squad.

“To see her put on a performance like that - not just over the line but also at set-piece - marshalling her troops.

“It’s something that she’s really wanted to work on for this short campaign, and I think she really nailed it today on the big stage.”

Whanganui 32 (K Hunt 3, K Siganisucu, N Chase, E Tafa tries; A Ireton con) bt Thames Valley 27 (T Dixon 2, C Middleton, M Thomas, C Samson tries; R Wirihana-Tawake con). HT: 27-15.