Centre in for four in point-a-minute beginning
The Longrun Spouting Whanganui Women got their North Island Heartland Series off to the best start with maximum points in a 67-15 win over Wairarapa Bush at Cooks Gardens on Saturday.
Play ended 17 minutes early due to the visitors having suffered a succession of injuries, but not before Whanganui had scored 11 tries to lead the points table on differential after week one.
The hosts struck first, with lock Leigha Stormont carrying over to score, then the visitors replied quickly with a try from winger Pearl Osborne for 5-5.
But Whanganui had been looking for opportunities to attack down the right-hand side of the park in the corner of the WRFU offices, and the floodgates opened.
Centre Awatere McLean-Wanoa ran hard into the gap to score the first two of her four tries, while winger Emma Haitana dotted down off a grubber kick in the same spot for 24-5.
McLean-Wanoa to put winger Tiana Kauika outside her marker to
score in the other corner before dotting down for her hat-trick, although these tries bookended a costly fumble in Whangani’s half which saw Wairarapa Bush first five Lisa Te Moananui run off for a try.
Whanganui’s goal-kicking fullback Alice Ireton took the final passes to score tries on either side of halftime as part of her 22-point haul.
Reserve forward Catherine Nauga
dashed away to finish off a great team try, then more players handled to get to the line for McLean-Wanoa to run in at the corner flag for her fourth.
Wairarapa Bush didn’t give up, as second five Georgina Jade-Parker dashed away to score in the clock tower corner, but Whanganui had the last say as the defenders just could not stop Nauga from getting her double.
Successive injuries to the visitors, who only had a four-player bench, saw the game called shortly afterward.
Coach Junior Nepia was happy his side found the gaps and executed well to finish.
“That’s something we’ve been trying to work on — just through the middle to make room for our edges.
“Have to assess the bodies, but very happy nonetheless and happy to be back home playing.”
Whanganui’s toughest injury was front-rower Mihipeka McKenzieMason, who was taken away by medical staff with her foot bandaged up.
“Tighthead props are hard to come by, but we’ll assess it, try to get her back early, and either put things in play or see what we’ve got going forward,” said Nepia.
Defending champions King Country had a narrow victory over Thames Valley in the other game, with Nepia acknowledging both of them will be a big step up from this first match.
“We’ve spoken about that, just as a group, and we were lucky in the fact that Wairarapa even came over — very thankful to them to even put a team together.
“Those two teams have had good pre-season for the most part.”
Whanganui 67 (A. McLeanWanoa 4, A. Ireton 2, C. Nauga 2, L Stormont, E. Haitana, T. Kauika tries; Ireton 6 con) bt Wairarapa Bush 15 (P Osborne, L. Te Moananui, G. JadeParker tries). HT: 45-10.