WINNING TEAM: Counties Manukau Stingrays celebrate their 2016 NZRL National Women's title. PHOTO/GERHARD EGGER.
WINNING TEAM: Counties Manukau Stingrays celebrate their 2016 NZRL National Women's title. PHOTO/GERHARD EGGER.
League
Counties Manukau hooker Krystal Rota emerged as the unlikely heroine, steering her Stingrays home in the final to defend their NZRL National Women's title at Rotorua's Puketawhero Park.
Rota crossed for the winning try yesterday, with only a few moments to spare in a tight 12-8 win over Akarana Falcons, as the Stingrays finished the three-day tournament unbeaten after six games.
But earlier in the second half, Rota seemed out for the count with a knee injury and needed another layer of tape on top of her usual heavy strapping to continue the contest.
The Stingrays have dominated this event in recent years, but the score was locked at 4 all midway through, after wing Jocephy Daniels had given Counties the initial advantage, matched by powerful second rower Annetta Nu'uausala for Akarana.
Kiwi Ferns wing Atawhai Tupaea put the Singrays ahead after the break, but opposite Tanika Bell seemed to have put the game into overtime, when she scrambled over late for the Falcons.
"The score says it all," reflected Counties co-captain Teuila Fotu-Moala.
"We knew it would be tough and we'd have to grind it out.
"We identified our starts weren't good through the tournament, so for this final, we tried to work on it. Our second wind kicked in, but they didn't drop their level and we had to keep matching their energy."
Without several of the veterans that had carried them to the top of women's rugby league, the Stingrays have had to rely on their depth that barely got them home against their up-and-coming Akarana rivals.
"We came out strong today, but they just had it over us in the end," admitted Falcons skipper Georgia Hale.
"I think the club teams that make up Akarana are really building and it's looking strong for next season. The gap is definitely closing and that creates really good competition in the ladies' game."
Meanwhile the Wai-Coa-Bay team, disappointingly lost 18-10 against Auckland Vulcans in the playoff for fifth place and failed to record a win in the three-day tournament.
However they did take home the More Than Just A Game Fairplay Team Award fair play award which was awarded to Wai-Coa Bay captain Holly Farrar from NZRL high performance manager Brent Gemmell (Gerhard Egger) on behalf of her team.
Wai-Coa-Bay captain Holly Farrar receives the More Than Just A Game Fairplay Team Award from NZRL high performance manager Brent Gemmell. PHOTO/GERHARD EGGER
And Racquel Anderson was selected in the NZ Kiwi Ferns Wider Training Squad.
Wai-Coa-Bay coach AJ Purnell said: "Behaviour on and off the field are pillars of New Zealand League so we are all delighted to take home the award.
"The quality of the football this year was incredible. It's up to us to go away and step up to compete at this level.
"In our last game everything came together. We played very well and the difference was they come from a constructed women's programme.
Wai-Coa-Bay captain Holly Farrar receives the More Than Just A Game Fairplay Team Award from NZRL high performance manager Brent Gemmell. PHOTO/GERHARD EGGER
