There were rumblings about this year’s competition not featuring current Black Ferns. But with a wealth of Black Ferns experience still out there pulling on their provincial colours, I do not think they’ve been missed.
No, for me this is actually the competition operating as it should. It felt distinctly uncomfortable last year watching the only professionals in our game run out against aspiring amateurs. There was an air of inevitability about a final which played 11 Black Ferns from Canterbury against 10 from Auckland.
On the bench for the Canterbury team that day (and the majority of the season) was Hannah King. Had the Farah Palmer Cup been working as it should, that season should have been fans first proper look at her. Instead, it was injury and a lack of depth at first five in the capital which gave her the chance to show herself. Now look where she is! Confidently steering a match at Twickenham.
It’s long been a feature of the women’s game here in Aotearoa that each year, all players start back at the beginning of the climb to higher honours. Running out for club, province then hopefully, our country. There was something magic about it, having the best walk amongst us. Being the dream we could tackle.
But as the high performance ladder has slightly extended and the top players have become fully professional, the return of this player group didn’t hold the same sparkle. Instead it has felt like a stalling of development, to have jerseys locked up by players who had outgrown them.
There is still a place for Black Ferns within the Farah Palmer but the current performers. It’s for the future stars who start to shine amongst their peers. It’s for the redemption arcs we’ve seen play out as capped Black Ferns push for more. It’s for the wealth of experience we get from those whose Black Fern days may behind them but who have plenty of rugby left in the tank.
All of these Black Ferns, past and future, will be in action this weekend. There’s Championship final to play and a last push from three teams to secure their semi final place in the Premiership. So let’s dig in.
Manawatū Cyclones vs Otago Spirit
275 points for, 60 points against and six straight wins have secured the Cyclones the home final and the title of firm favourites to take out the Championship this year. This was the same story last year, where they headed unbeaten into their home championship battle only to trip at the final hurdle. The Northland Kauri narrowly edging them in a thriller to advance to the Premiership. The Cyclones will be determined to write a different ending this year.
A team that will know all about an agonising, against the odds, home final loss is the Otago Spirit. Just like the Cyclones, the Spirit ran through the 2022 season unbeaten before losing in a close fought classic to the Hawke’s Bay Tūī.
Last week, the Otago Spirit headed into their semi final against the Wellington Pride as massive underdogs. Having lost to them 51-13 just the week before. However, they knew that anything can happen in finals footy and held their nerve to knock out the Pride, 51-38. The Spirit will be hoping to bring that giant killer energy to this weekend.
Players that were instrumental for the Otago side were the hot feet of Charlotte Va’afusuaga, the safe boot of Georgia Cormick and the hard graft of Isabella Rewiri-Wharerau. If the Spirit are going to have a chance, they need these players to pick up where they left off.
There will be plenty of Manawatū might to hold them out. Chief amongst them will be the Sturmey sisters; Kahurangi at 8 and Rangimarie at 12. The young talent born and raised by provincial legends, Maia Davis at fullback. And my current flanker obsession, Elinor-Plum King.
I am really looking forward to this match and will be driving up to Palmy to catch it. If you see me, say hi!
WHEN: Sunday 4.35pm
WHERE: Central Energy Trust Arena or Sky Sport 2
Auckland need to win their way through
There’s only one version of events that sees the Auckland Storm bomb out of the semi finals. This scenario requires them to lose against the currently sixth placed Hawke’s Bay Tūī. They must lose by more than seven points and without scoring four tries to not gain any bonus points. If this happens, they then need to cheer really loud for Canterbury which is not exactly in Auckland’s nature.
This is because if the Bay of Plenty Volcanix win but the Canterbury team manage to pick up just one of the two potential losing bonus points, it’s curtains for last year’s winners.
Nobody likes to get into semi finals off other results, it’s stressful. But let’s be honest, the tale end of this season has been for the Storm. They started strong with big wins over the Northland Kauri and Canterbury but come into this match off a loss to Waikato, to Counties Manukau Heat and then a very narrow win over the Bay of Plenty Volcanix.
Hawke’s Bay Tūī are no chance at a playoff but I wouldn’t rule them out of an upset. They have played well even if they haven’t been able to close matches out. We can’t forget that they came within four points of the current number one, Counties Manukau Heat, back in the opening round. Like their namesake, the Tūī will be up for a scrap.
WHEN: Sunday 11.35am
WHERE: Eden Park or Sky Sport 1
Outside of the Championship final the game of the weekend has to be Bay of Plenty Volcanix versus Canterbury. It’s rare in round robins formats that we actually get a last round playoff between the teams that need to beat each other in order to progress. That’s the case here, win this match and you’re into the semi finals.
Canterbury have needed to show the depth of their region this year. Many of their familiar faces are away representing New Zealand or chasing opportunity in England, Japan and Australia. They are in a rebuild at the provincial level and good news for them is they’ve got better as the season has gone on.
It was a shaky start, with big loses to Counties Manukau Heat and Auckland Storm and a narrow win over Waikato in between. They’ve since found their rhythm, putting up convincing wins against the Northland Kauri and Hawke’s Bay Tūī.
The Bay of Plenty Volcanix meanwhile, have been good losers. They dropped their first match against Waikato and then came back to a win over the Northland Kauri. They went down by 10 to the Counties Manukau Heat in a cracking match and smoked the Tūī a week later. They were only just edged by Auckland last week and will have been ruminating on what they could have done differently.
Although they are currently behind them on the table, I just feel like this is the Volcanix game to lose on Sunday. They have made five changes to their team from last week which includes an all new and Black Fern capped front row of Santo Taumata, Te Kura Aerengamate and Angel Mulu. This means the excellent form of Te Waipounamu McGarvey will come on off the bench and will no doubt relish being unleashed against tired bodies. These experienced campaigners up front will be steered expertly of course by our fav, Kelly Brazier.
I say it’s the Volcanix to lose but this is probably me being foolish. What better side is there in recent provincial history of winning the games that count. We will wait to see if Canterbury beat my intuition on Sunday. If they do, expect Winnie Palamo to score the match winner or Te Rauoriwa Gapper to have pulled off something outrageous. Regardless of the result, Moomooga Ona Palu will be there ready to go inch for inch in the front row.
WHEN: Sunday (all these games are??) 12.05pm
WHERE: Rotorua International Stadium or Sky Sport Select
With you,
Alice
Love Plum too. What a dynamo.
(I know it's not FPC related, but pretty impressed with BF's intensity at Twickers despite lack of games.)