A staggering 75 tries were scored across six games as calculators and record books became necessary companions.
In the Premiership, Canterbury looks increasingly formidable, Auckland ran riot against Bay of Plenty at Eden Park and Manawatū marked a special milestone in grand fashion.
The Championship saw Wellington and Otago solidify their top four positions, while Tasman winger Kim Lammers had an unforgettable day against Taranaki.
Auckland Storm: 104 (Presayus Singh 2, Maama Vaipulu 2, Hollyrae Mete-Renata 4, Levonah Motuliki 2, Taufa Bason 3, Gillian Fa’aumu, Amarante Sititi, Dajian Brown; Aleiyah Tuala 9 cons; Emacyn Ieremia 3 cons). Bay of Plenty Volcanix: 30 (Luka Connor 3, Phoenix Reid-Stowers tries; Hope Parata-Kingi 2 pens, 2 cons). HT: 54-11
The scoreboard moved faster than Wall Street stocks as Auckland retained the JJ Stewart Trophy with a commanding victory, scoring 16 tries to Bay of Plenty's four at Eden Park.
The first quarter was competitive, with Auckland narrowly leading 12-11. However, the score skyrocketed to 73-11, then 80-30, and finally reached 104-30, thanks to No. 8 Taufa Bason, who fended her way through to complete a hat trick and bring Auckland to a century with the final score. The Auckland loose forwards were exceptional, gaining a combined total of 270 metres while successfully completing 24 of their 25 tackles.
The Bay of Plenty starting backline struggled, missing 24 tackles, allowing Auckland to find gaps in their defence almost effortlessly. Centre Hollyrae Mete-Renata was outstanding, registering five clean breaks, four of which led to tries. She joins Black Ferns Tammi Wilson, Louisa Wall, Victoria Grant and Natalia Moors to score four tries in a single game for Auckland. Wall did it twice and Kiwi Ferns centre Mele Hufanga achieved the feat three times.
First-five eighths Gillian Fa'aumu, who was named in the New Zealand U20 Development Camp Squad in 2024, exhibited skill and composure, scoring a brilliant try with an incisive burst.
Bay of Plenty did showcase their strength with their rolling maul, and Black Ferns Rugby World Cup-winning hooker Luka Connor notably scored three tries in a hearty performance.
Auckland had previously beaten Bay of Plenty 101-0 in the 2015 FPC. Their largest victory ever was 116-0 against North Harbour in 1999, while the biggest FPC win belongs to Wellington, who defeated Taranaki 118-0 in 2018.
In total, 144 points were scored in the match, which is comparable to the 139-5 thrashing Auckland's men delivered to North Otago in a Ranfurly Shield challenge in Oamaru in 1993.
Canterbury: 62 (Penalty Try, Riko Yoshida 2, Winnie Palamo, Fiaali'i Solomona, Mo'omooga Palu 2, Louise Blyde, Fia Laikong, Harriet Cochrane; Hannah King 6 cons) Counties Manukau Heat: 21 (Shyanne Thompson, Fou Sefo 2 tries; Hazel Tubic 3 cons). HT: 47-7
Canterbury needed two tries in the final two minutes to overcome the Heat in the 2024 FPC semifinals, but there were no such difficulties at Rugby Park in Christchurch, where Canterbury secured a four-try bonus point after just eight minutes, leading 28-0.
The home team imposed their will from the outset with an opening skip pass from Hannah King, creating a searing break by Winnie Palamo, who charged forward from inside her own 22. Canterbury was awarded a penalty try just 53 seconds into the match. The Red and Blacks are displaying increasing fitness, confidence, and cohesion.
King and Palamo have been thriving since their tour of South Africa with the Black Ferns XV. Whippet winger Riko Yoshida is a product of Christchurch Girls' High School, which recently won the Miles Toyota Cup for the 11th consecutive time this season.
Te Rauoriwa Gapper, a mother of three and a teacher at Avonside Girls' High School, celebrated her 50th game for Canterbury. Despite her busy schedule, which includes three gym sessions a week alongside three field sessions, travel days, and game days, she remains dedicated to her sport. She has won FPC Premierships in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022.
The Canterbury forwards were clinical, with converted winger Fiaali'i Solomona thriving at No. 8 and Black Ferns XV prop Mo'omooga Palu scoring two tries.
The Heat experienced their biggest loss to Canterbury since a 59-12 defeat in 2021. However, they managed to hold Canterbury to 15-14 in the second half. Fou Sefo, a recent graduate of Papakura High School, is a promising prop to watch. She possesses the size and athleticism that may attract the attention of Super Rugby Aupiki selectors.
Watch the full match replay HERE.
Tasman Mako: 48 (Kim Lammers 5, Jett Hayward, Bethan Manners, Luisa Tafia tries; Manners 4 cons) Taranaki Whio: 25 (Hayley Coogan, Phoenix Fraser, Danielle Muggeridge 2, Kiara Katene tries). HT: 26-15
Tasman’s talent is largely homegrown, but they are grateful for the contributions of Wellington-based winger Kim Lammers, who set a Mako record by scoring five tries in a convincing victory in New Plymouth.
Four of Lammers' tries were engineered by fullback Bethan Manners. The Waimea Old Boys stalwart, who reached the milestone of 50 games for the club in 2025, executed a perfectly timed kick that Lammers chased down just two minutes into the match. This tactic worked again in the 29th minute, leading to Lammers' hat-trick.
In the second half, Manners delivered a skip pass to Lammers to enable her fourth try. Lammers then made a break from within her own territory and unselfishly passed to Manners, who was trailing on her inside.
Taranaki soared during two periods in the match. They managed to score twice in the last ten minutes of the first half, putting them within striking distance, but eventually faded before finishing strong. Second-five Danielle Muggeridge was a standout for the hosts, scoring two tries, gaining 116 meters, and making 13 tackles. Briana Poingdestre also excelled defensively with 18 tackles.
The previous record for the most tries by a Tasman player in a single game was jointly held by four players: Amelia Hammett, Precious Auimatagi, Iva Sauira, and Fiaali’i Solomona, all of whom scored three tries against Taranaki.
The record for the most tries in a single game against Taranaki is six, set by Portia Woodman-Wickliffe for Northland in 2020. Additionally, Annaleah Rush scored eight tries for Otago against Mid/South Canterbury in 1999. Deidre Hakopa scored five tries for Hawke’s Bay against Southland in 2003, and Ayesha Leti-I'iga scored five for Wellington against Manawatū in 2019.
Manawatū Cyclones: 73 (Wikitoria Doyle 3, Selica Winiata 2, Elinor Plum King 2, Eleonor Febrey, Brianna Wallace, Kahurangi Sturmey, Sam Taylor tries) Hawke’s Bay Tui: 5 (Leilani Hakiwai try). HT: 33-5.
Fullback Selica Winiata celebrated her 150th first-class match by scoring two tries and kicking five conversions in an 11 tries to one victory for Manawatū over Hawke’s Bay. She has scored 892 points and 121 tries in her illustrious career and holds eight Manawatū scoring records, including most points (697) and tries (82).
Winiata started her milestone match having a hand in setting up the game’s first try in the opening minutes, scored by left wing Wikitoria Doyle. Doyle would later score two more tries in the second half to complete her hat-trick, both long-range runaway tries up the far touchline. The second of these was a 95-metre team effort that summed up the day for both teams as Manawatu’s teamwork and cohesion on attack was far too much for Hawke’s Bay.
Winiata scored her first try and the Cyclones’ second on the opposite wing, followed by tries to Black Ferns XV openside flanker Elinor Plum King, second-five Leilani Hakiwai, prop Eleonor Febrey and lock Brianna Wallace just before halftime.
There was no let-up for the Tui as No. 8 and captain Kahurangi Sturmey started the second half scoring, followed by tries to Winata, Doyle (2), replacement forward Sam Taylor and Plum King just before full-time.
The Cyclones retained the Attenborough McBeth Challenge Cup, a trophy played for between these two teams.
Meanwhile, Winiata joins Emma Jensen (189), Kendra Cocksege (172), Faio’o Faamausili (164), Eloise Blackwell (161), Justine Lavea (152) and Stephanie Te Ohaere-Fox (150) as the only other women to have made 150 first-class appearances.
Wellington Pride: 28 (Keira Su’a Smith, Valini Vaka, Sanita Levave, Harmony Kautai, Baylee Meroiti tries; Arene Landon-Lane pen) North Harbour Hibiscus: 10 (Margaret Wye try; Ella Henderston pen, con). HT: 20-3.
The Wellington Pride brought a superior set-piece and plenty of patience on defence, which was perhaps missing in last week’s loss to Otago, and they seized their chances to record their second win.
The Pride started the match with hunger and urgency. The Pride soared on to attack early and took the lead early when left wing Harmony Kautai stood and collected a high cross-kick across the posts put through by first five Arene Landon-Lane and handed off to fullback Keira Su’a Smith to score the game’s opening try.
The Harbour Hibiscus replied with a penalty, but Pride hooker and captain Valini Vaka answered by breaking free from a maul to dot down in the corner. Two minutes later, veteran lock Sanita Levave scored, and the Pride were well and truly on top. Wing Kautai crossed the whitewash after another sweeping movement to secure their bonus point several minutes before halftime.
The Pride subsequently led 20-3 at halftime, and that score stayed that way until Landon-Lane kicked a 63rd-minute penalty. She then set up their last try for replacement wing Baylee Meroiti with a kick and chase with 10 minutes to play. Meoiti is a Year 13 student at Tawa College and was part of the Aotearoa Māori U18 netball team last year. Landon-Lane missed her fifth straight conversion, but it didn’t matter. The Hibiscus scored a consolation in referee’s time to finish the game.
Otago Spirit: 48 (Tegan Hollows 2, Naomi Sopoaga 2, Hannah Norris, Sarah Jones, Jamie Church, Dallas McKnight tries; Sheree Hume 4 con) Northland Kauri: 15 (Hikitia Wikaira, Turia Stowers, Hazel Stolz tries) HT: 19-10.
The Otago Spirit overwhelmed the Northland Kauri with their positive, up-tempo style of play to register their third straight bonus point of the Championship division.
Northland started well but determined Otago defence kept them out. Otago rallied and looked to play the game with pace, and they scored three consecutive tries in the middle stages of the first half to go up 19-0. Tries to hooker Tegan Hollows, centre Naomi Sopoaga and Jamie Church – her fifth try of the season – had them on top.
The visitors used their strong forwards play and scrum to answer with two tries before halftime, but Otago made a rampant start to the second half and right wing Hannah Norris finished off their bonus point try.
Hollows was yellow carded for Otago and Northland scored a try in the corner going blindside off a scrum, but from that point on it was all Otago as they scored a further four tries. These included Hollows returning from the sin-bin to score her second try, and Sopoaga also scoring her second, and a try on full-time to seal the win.
Both sides will want to improve their discipline as the competition progresses, as they are conceding too many penalties. Meanwhile, Hollows has 17 tries in 67 games for Otago.