The JJ Stewart Memorial Trophy changed hands for the third time this season with Waikato trouncing Counties Manukau 57-29 to announce themselves as favourites for the Premiership.
Canterbury recorded two consecutive wins for the first time this season to climb to fourth. The Canterbury v Bay of Plenty winner next Saturday will qualify for the semifinals.
Manawatū continued on their merry way pounding North Harbour 72-0 in the championship semifinals. Manawatū won all five round-robin games with a record of 274 points for and just 60 against en route to the decider.
Otago’s upset of Wellington was sensational. The Pride, who’d beaten the Spirit 51-13 a week ago, was stunned 51-38 at Jerry Collins Stadium in Pourira.
Auckland 29 Bay of Plenty 24
Three tries in ten minutes before halftime catapulted Auckland to a vital victory against Bay of Plenty. Danii Mafoe from broken play and Angelica Mekemeke Vahai following a Bay of Plenty fumble finished tries that started from past halfway. When No.8 Elizabeth Moimoi crashed over from a rolling maul for her second, Auckland was a mile ahead.
The visitors threatened to expand the lead and eventually did with a 52nd-minute penalty. Outstanding Bay of Plenty openside Holly Wratt-Groeneweg (17 tackle) made a try-saving intervention.
It was a Kelly Brazier that revived Bay of Plenty. Five minutes after a break from a penalty tap, the Black Ferns Sevens legend chipped wide to the wing for a score. Brazier then denied Daynah Nankivell a certain try with a gusty tackle.
Payton Takimoana on Brazier's outside was a threat and her 30-metre runaway ensured Bay of Plenty came away with two Premiership points.
Auckland lock Eloise Blackwell played her 150th first-class match.
Auckland: 29 (Elizabeth Moimoi 2, Danii Mafoe, Angelica Mekemeke Vahai tries; Daynah Nankivell 3 con, pen) Bay of Plenty: 24 (Holly Wratt-Groeneweg, Azalleyah Maaka, Penalty Try, Payton Takimoana tries; Kelly Brazier con) HT: 26-7
Canterbury 36 Hawke's Bay 7
A big crowd flocked to the Prebbleton Domain departing satisfied after a home team victory. However, Canterbury was forced to tackle stoutly for large periods of the second half and didn’t break Hawke’s Bay until the 69th minute when reserve prop Kilisitina Vea smashed over.
Hawke’s Bay lost discipline, an intercept try to first-five Te Rauoriwa Harding, and another barge over by Vea was a disappointing way to end a competitive showing.
Canterbury’s loose forwards were a hive of activity. Keelah Bodle made 20 tackles and openside Neve Anglesey (15 tackles) had a direct hand in two tries. Laura Bayfield made 23 tackles and created the first try. Right winger Riko Yoshida was lively.
Perhaps the highlight of the match was Canterbury’s second try scored by Bodle. It came after a rampaging run by Moomooga Palu. Palu lost her boot after a mammoth run but still offloaded to Bodle while on the ground to create a try.
Leah Tuhi and Teilah Ferguson battled gamely for Hawke’s Bay. Tui try scorer Thamsyn Newton represented New Zealand in cricket.
Canterbury: 36 (Riko Yoshida, Keelah Bodle, Leanna Ryan, Kilisitina Vea 2, Te Rauoriwa Harding tries; Abigail Paton con, Harriet Cochrane 2 con) Hawke’s Bay: 7 (Thamsyn Newton; Krysten Cottrell con) HT: 15-7
Waikato 57 Counties Manukau 29
Waikato blew the game open with two converted tries six minutes after halftime. Black Ferns contracted blindside Mia Anderson swerved past two defenders and strode 20 meters and then she made a similarly purposeful burst and offloaded to Grace Houpapa-Barrett. Suddenly Waikato was ahead 40-22, and though the Heat had plenty of promising moments they were always chasing from that point.
Near fulltime, Anderson made another rampaging run, finished by reserve winger Montessa Tairakena. Veterans Chyna Hohepa, Ariana Bayler, Chelsea Semple and Grace Houpapa-Barrett were immense for Waikato who found a lot of holes close to the ruck and always had a response to the hosts’ daring and sometimes awesome counterattack.
Heat centre Yurina Shinno is a joy to watch, skillful and quick on her feet, Kataraina Enosa-Taifau is a powerhouse, and bantam fullback Jaymie Kolose asks plenty of questions.
Waikato claims the JJ Stewart Trophy after an unsuccessful challenge against Canterbury earlier in the season.
Waikato: 57 (Ariana Bayler, Chyna Hohepa 2, Chelsea Semple, Veisinia Fakalelu, Lela Ieremia, Grace Houpapa-Barrett, Mia Anderson, Montessa Tairakena tries; Semple 6 cons) Counties Manukau: 29 (Mafi Pasikala, Jaymie Kolose, Sariyah Paitai, Yurina Shinno tries; Hazel Tubic 3 cons, pen) HT: 26-22
Manawatū 72 North Harbour 0
Manawatū more than doubled the score they achieved against North Harbour last Sunday with a resounding display at Massey University. Kaia Walker-Waitoa came off the bench in the first minute joining Te Whetumarama Nuku, Selica Winiata (twice), and Catherine Doyle as the only Manawatū players to score for tries in a single FPC game.
Fellow winger Wikitoria Doyle also saw plenty of ball as she bagged a hat-trick, each time on the end of an overlap chain after effective industry from the forwards.
Cyclones centre Hollyrae Mete proved a titian again, openside Anahera Hamahona with nine tackles, 16 defenders beaten, and 143 metres gained had a huge game as did lock Sam Taylor who topped the hosts' tackle count with 15.
With two wins, North Harbour was far more successful than their 2023 season where they failed to achieve a single victory.
Massive tackle counts from Barbra Auva'a (18), Danielle Mellow (30), Madisson Mataafa (21), and Izzy East (27) illustrated how little ball North Harbour had.
Manawatū: 72 (Kaia Walker-Waitoa 4, Elinor-Plum King 2, Paige Lush, Jayme Nuku, Wikitoria Doyle 3, Riahn Brickland; tries; Corrineke Windle 6 con) North Harbour: 0 HT: 40-0
Otago 51 Wellington 38
There was a 53-point swing in a week, Otago coming from 11 points down with a quarter to play to cause the upset of the season.
The sizeable Wellington pack started briskly with their power and offloading game creating two tries.
Otago increased the pace scoring a try from a quick tap penalty and urgency was the formula in which the visitors employed to break the hosts. Rookie centre Charlotte Va'afusuaga (17) was phenomenal breaking at will and scoring a 29th-minute try.
Flanker Bella Rewiri-Wharerau was relentless and scored two tries, well supported by Zoe Frood, hooker Hannah Lithgow, and inspiring captain Julia Gorinski. Sheree Hume and Georgia Cormick are an experienced halves pairing and showed plenty of poise, heart, and variety.
The Otago bench made a massive impact with Isla Pringla and Leila Hill particularly noteworthy. Wellington lost a player in the sinbin in the 72nd minute which only made matters worse.
Spirit captain Julia Gorinski told Sky Sport after the game.
"I’m a little bit speechless. But I’m bloody ecstatic, to be fair…We knew we could do it. The scoreline last week probably didn’t reflect that, but we knew we just had a few things to identify and fix, and we did that."
Otago: 51 (Bella Rewiri-Wharerau 2, Charlotte Va’afusuaga, Lucy Hall, Julia Gorinski, Leila Hill, Tegan Hollows, Sheree Hume tries; Georgia Cormick 4 con, pen) Wellington: 38 (Shakira Baker 3, Alicia Print, Lavinia Lea, Milly Mackey tries; Arene Landon-Lane 4 con) HT: 20-26.