Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Bay of Plenty Volcanix suffer first loss of the season

David Beck
By David Beck
Multimedia sports journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
1 Oct, 2017 01:18 AM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Fullback Crystal Mayes makes a break for the Bay of Plenty Volcanix. PHOTO/FILE

Fullback Crystal Mayes makes a break for the Bay of Plenty Volcanix. PHOTO/FILE

The Bay of Plenty Volcanix have fallen two points short in their effort to beat Waikato for the first time since 1999, suffering their first loss of the 2017 season.

However, the hard-fought 19-17 loss in Hamilton on Saturday was enough to earn them a bonus point and finish the round eight points clear at the top of the Championship table.

Waikato struggled for continuity in the opening minutes but their backs looked dangerous with the ball in hand. However, it was the forwards who made the first break through.

They set a maul from a lineout, 5m from the Bay of Plenty try line, and rumbled their way over allowing Natalie Delamere to score the opening try. It was converted and Waikato led 7-0.

The Volcanix hit straight back minutes later and it was a couple of Waikite girls doing the damage. Winger Autumn-Rain Daly-Stephens received the ball on the left and cut inside before showing great strength to drive defenders back towards their own try line.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Prop Luka Connor, as she has done countless times this season, made the most of that momentum, scooping the ball up off the back of the ruck and crashing over to make the score 7-5.

For the next 20 minutes the game was a tightly contested battle in the middle of the field as both sides struggled to hold on to the ball.

After 28 minutes Bay of Plenty took the lead for the first time thanks to some quick thinking from fullback Crystal Mayes. The Volcanix were awarded a penalty for a high tackle in front of the posts and Mayes took a quick tap before shifting the ball right to Sapphire Tapsell who strolled over untouched to score. Mayes converted the try to give Bay of Plenty a 12-7 lead, which they took into halftime.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Waikato regained the lead in the second half when they took a tap 5m from the Bay of Plenty line and Delamere bulldozed her way over to score her second try of the game. First five Calista Wihone converted to make it 14-12.

The Volcanix regained the lead when Conner scored her second try. Bay of Plenty had rumbled into the Waikato 22 after a scrum in midfield and Connor again made the most of that momentum, picking up the ball 5m out and showing great strength to burst through tackles and score.

With 20 minutes left Waikato took back the lead when first five Wihone spun out of a tackle for a great try on the left to make it 19-17.

The Volcanix fought hard in the closing stages, keeping the ball in hand for multiple phases after the hooter in search of a winner, but Waikato held on for the win.

Volcanix coach Brendon Webby said he was proud of the effort his players put in.

"It was a good game, a good challenge for us and we performed really well. I was proud of the girls and the intent and desire to win they showed.

"There were just a couple of errors at crucial times that probably swung momentum back their way. Waikato were desperate to win and avoid regulation. I can't fault the effort, it was just a couple of execution errors that cost us," Webby said.

He said Connor, who now has eight tries in five games, knew how to get herself into the right positions at the right times.

"She's obviously powerful - when we're in the opposition 22 we often come away with points and a lot of that is Luka. She's strong and determined, the other girls know she's a good ball carrier so when she does get her hands on the ball close to the line they get in behind her," he said.

Waikato 19 (Calista Wihone, Natalie Delamere 2 tries; Wihone 2 con) Bay of Plenty 17 (Luka Connor 2, Sapphire Tapsell tries; Crystal Mayes con)

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Police search for suspect after man shot in leg

06 Jul 10:51 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

Kāinga Ora axes housing project, reveals new plans

06 Jul 06:00 PM
Premium
Opinion

Balancing power: What the employment law changes mean for you

06 Jul 05:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Police search for suspect after man shot in leg

Police search for suspect after man shot in leg

06 Jul 10:51 PM

Information sought about man in green coat and gumboots on Pine Drive, Murupara.

Kāinga Ora axes housing project, reveals new plans

Kāinga Ora axes housing project, reveals new plans

06 Jul 06:00 PM
Premium
Balancing power: What the employment law changes mean for you

Balancing power: What the employment law changes mean for you

06 Jul 05:00 PM
Caught on tape: Identity finally revealed of Jaguar-driving teen behind CBD rampage

Caught on tape: Identity finally revealed of Jaguar-driving teen behind CBD rampage

06 Jul 06:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP