Round 2 and I'm already behind
This weekend saw double the rugby being played with the Championship joining the party
This weekend saw double the rugby with 6 matches being played, 3 Premiership and 3 Championship games. We had Bailey’s Grandma’s 80th birthday so it was hard to keep up with the action. I’ll put my hand up and say I only got to watch two games properly and the other matches it was more like this.
Thank goodness for Bailey’s cousin and his iPad.
At any rate, this weekend’s results prove that Vic and I are terrible at picking winners… or maybe the positive spin on that is that you should prepare to be surprised when watching the Farah Palmer Cup.
I was only saved by the fact that when I was right, I was 100% right meanwhile Vic is better at picking winners but not the scoreline.
Game of the round: Canterbury v Auckland Storm
Well, we are going to have to drop loyalties and wishful thinking if we want to do better with our picks this week. Honestly, when does anyone beat Canterbury at home?
But far out, was that ever an entertaining game! When the Storm were on, they were ON! Multiple offloads between forwards and backs to score some sensational tries. Meanwhile Canterbury were doing what Canterbury do best. Pulling their socks up to grind out the win. Little general, Kendra Cockedge, steering them around the paddock and there was another strong performance from Martha Mataele.
Vic Subriztky- Nafatali astutely observed that the Storm perhaps started with too many steppers and not enough muscle in the first half. So bringing Mele Hufanga in off the bench gave them more direct go forward which nearly wrestled the win for Auckland.
You should pay $1 into a fund for a forwards coach for every time you say set piece is causing trouble for women’s team but this was the case for Auckland. Line outs were shaky and it was wild to see a Storm pack be pushed off their own ball. I would love to have a gopro on Charmaine McMenamin though, she is playing like a woman possessed.
What the heck did I just watch?
Wellington, oh my Wellington. How you love to breadcrumb me into loving you. After watching last week’s performance, there was absolutely no way you would have thought that this would be the team to win at Pukekohe for the first time.
You would have lost even more faith when you heard they were on a 10 hour bus trip to Auckland after flight cancellations disrupted their prep.
And then they come on the field and do that. I CANNOT WITH YOU SISTERS!
In 1999, The Hurricanes ran with the motto “expect the unexpected” and the Pride have clearly embraced this as their theme for the season. Our lineouts were tidy this week, Te Kura Ngata-Aerengamate was in her element, throwing darts and breaking hearts. But meanwhile our scrums made me so sad. We got away with it but it ugly watching our halfback digging out the back of a collapsing pack. #prayforAna, it was pretty hairy at times.
Wow oh wow, did Cheyenne Copeland deliver. One of the younger talents coming through the ranks in the region, although not quite as young as poor Vania Woolfgramm told us during the commentary (I mean this as no disrespect to Varnz, she was gutted to have got this wrong!). As is the mark of a good player, Copeland seemed to have more time than anyone with ball in hand and it was beautiful to watch. Meanwhile, Ayesha Leti I’iga clearly relished going head to head with Ruby Tui. She got one over her and several other defenders this weekend, running in two exceptional tries.
That little 1,2 wrap between Harmony Ioane and Ayesha, off the wide ball from Copeland, was one of the most beautiful things I have seen in my life. I would like to play it on loop forever.
Had Counties been up on Harmony, that could have been some broken ribs! Instead she put Ayesha into space and let her do her thing.
Counties Manukau meanwhile were their own worst enemies. So many opportunities left begging as ball went to ground time and time again. They still seem like they need to find their starting pack. Late changes helped but maybe could have been brought in earlier.
Where to from here?
Well hopefully the Wellington Pride have got home after their flight home last night was again cancelled. But hey, that time of the bus was just what needed to build the connection off the field to put on the goods on it.
I’m now going to ignore rugby (ha! As if I could) for a couple of days and get down to Te Rauparaha Arena tonight to watch my Tokomanawa Queens. Currently sitting second with two games to play in this round, we can only hope that we have a repeat of our opening match against the Whai and come away with the win.
Head to ticketspace to grab your ticket if you’re not already set!
With you,
Alice