Whanganui rugby: East Coast hold off Whanganui Women to secure Heartland Series final in Ruatōria

Whanganui second-five Tiana Kauika scored a hat-trick in her side's 30-29 loss to East Coast. Photo / Kate Belsham, Ivy Digital

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The Longrun Spouting Whanganui Women will have to go back to Ruatōria’s Whakarua Park for the North Island Heartland Series final for what will surely be a classic with East Coast.

A gallant fight-back by Whanganui was not enough in a 30-29 defeat to their hosts at Ruatōria on Saturday, seeding grand final hosting rights.

Similar to 2024’s last round robin game with the Thames Valley Vixens, Whanganui ultimately outscored East Coast five tries to four after trailing at halftime, but a couple of penalties in front in each half from home first-five Keelan Goldsmith proved decisive, as did a couple of Whanganui errors.

The difference is last year’s championship playoff game was always going to be at the neutral ground of Masterton’s Memorial Park, whereas this will be a big ask for Whanganui to make the long haul back to Ruatōria to rematch their undefeated opponents and their passionate sideline support.

“We travelled very comfortably this time around; thanks to Bridget [Belsham] and the union, they were able to get us really sorted for this trip and we’re hoping it will be the same,” said Whanganui coach Junior Nepia.

“We’ve got the lay of the land and we know where we went wrong which is good going into this week.

“There will be a few truthful conversations between now and Tuesday about how we go about beating them, how we go about playing our game, and we know we can find success.

“We need to be better, we know we can be better and we just didn’t get it right, the little moments.”

A Goldsmith penalty and intercept try by centre Ata Mangu had East Coast up by 10-0 before Whanganui’s forwards offloaded down the edge for second-five Tiana Kauika to score the first of her hat-trick.

Strong East Coast winger Dane-a Kopa scored just before halftime for a lead the home side would just barely hang on to.

Kauika scored from an attacking scrum just after halftime but East Coast halfback Kahurangi Delamere made a clever blindside sneak from a ruck to dive across for 20-12.

Again, Kauika scored in handy kicking position for winger Alice Ireton, before East Coast stole the ball off the back of a Whanganui lineout for flanker Morgan White to get a converted try.

The pack forcing a ruck penalty allowed a quick tap for Whanganui centre Meilini Meo to score in the corner, but a turnover from the restart led to an East Coast penalty for Goldsmith to make it 30-24 with eight minutes left.

Ireton, battling a leg injury, scored in the corner with a minute left but the conversion proved just too difficult, with East Coast hanging on until fulltime.