In the Premiership, Waikato, Manawatū, and Auckland are chasing Canterbury hard in the jostle for semi-final positions. Otago are runaway leaders in the Championship.
Auckland Storm: 81 (Danny-Lee Fesolai 3, Asha Taumoepeau-Williams 2, Angelica Mekemeke Vahai 5, Taufa Bason, Levonah Motuliki, Cheyenne Tuli-Fale tries; Daynah Nankivell 6 cons, Emacyn Ieremia 2 cons) Hawke’s Bay: 5 (Caterina Poletti try) HT: 48-0
Angelica Mekemeke Vahai announced her return from a long-term injury setback by scoring a record five tries for Auckland. Previously, a quartet has been scored by a Storm player four times in the FPC. Mekemeke Vahai now has 23 tries in 18 games for Auckland. It was her first game for Auckland since a Premiership semi-final against Waikato on September 28, 2024.
Waikato: 88 (Grace Houpapa-Barrett, Toka Natua, Regan Chapman, Kaea Nepia 2, Chyann Kaitapu 2, Keelah Bodle, Terangi Kureta, Montessa Tairakena, Leomie Kloopers, Ariana Bayler, Lela Ieremia, Reese Anderson tries; Nepia 7 cons, Bayler 2 cons) Bay of Plenty Volcanix: 5 (Ora Williams try) HT: 40-5
Waikato stormed to a record victory over struggling Bay of Plenty, eclipsing their previous biggest victory, which was an 81-0 whitewash of Northland in 2024. For the second time in her Waikato career, Kaea Nepia scored 24 points in a game. The Waikato record is 25 by Chelsea Semple against Auckland in 2024.
Waikato scored 14 tries, six in the first half and eight in the second. There were two significant Waikato records equalled. Hooker Grace Houpapa-Barrett equalled Stacey Waaka’s record for the most tries for Waikato with 31, while former Rugby World Cup-winning Black Fern Ariana Bayler played first five-eighth and equalled Victoria Makea’s record for most games for Waikato with 62.
There was a nice moment for Bay of Plenty with Ora Williams, who’s played rugby in Spain and been a Touch Black, scoring a solitary try. Bay of Plenty have conceded 304 points in four games.
Otago Spirit: 77 (Sarah Jones 2, Abigail Paton, Te Atawhai Campbell 2, Olivia Fowler, Jamie Church, Leila Hill, Madison Flutey, Rebekah Wairau, Sasah Scott, Ella Gomez, Charlotte Va'afusuaga tries; Flutey 3 cons; Cheyenne Cunningham 3 cons) Taranaki Whio: 12 (Briana Poingdestre, Danika Northcott-Weherua tries; Rosie Moffitt con) HT: 39-5
In postcard conditions at Tahuna Park, Otago made it five out of five and confirmed a place in the championship semis with a resounding win over Taranaki. Otago was out of the blocks quickly, scoring 27 unanswered points in 22 minutes. Flanker Sarah Jones hit top form, and the midfield combination of Naomi Sopoaga and Charlotte Va'afusuaga was menacing. First five-eighths Madison Flutey is the daughter of former British and Irish Lions first-five and Black Ferns kicking coach Riki Flutey.
Otago had far too much pace and collective threat for Taranaki, who nonetheless were plucky at times. Bulldozing No.8 Briana Poingdestre caught the eye again and Danika Northcott-Weherua scored the very last try out wide, converted from the sideline by Rosie Moffitt, who won Taranaki rugby awards for Female Club Player of the Year and Top Try Scorer. She is a student of Sacred Heart College. The New Zealand Under-18 High Performance selection plays for Tukapa.
Manawatū Cyclones: 40 (Jacinta Windsor, Paige Lush, Brianna Wallace, Kahurangi Sturmey, Holly Powell, Tianna Rolls tries; Leah Brough 2 con; Maia Davis 3 con) Counties Manukau Heat: 26 (Teuila Sotutu, Mele Latu’ila, Katrina Hall, Milise Tau tries; Hazel Tubic 2 con; Abby Lockhart con). HT: 19-7.
The Manawatū Cyclones’ relentlessly positive style of rugby again proved a match-winner at home on Saturday afternoon.
As in many of their matches, the Cyclones were often put under pressure by their bigger Counties Manukau Heat opposites in the tight and set-piece exchanges but broke out to score some outstanding tries that won them the game.
They built a winning 19-0 lead inside the first 25 minutes, and it all started with a sweeping breakout by returning flanker Elinor-Plum King that directly led to centre Jacinta Windsor scoring near the grandstand corner. More field position saw Paige Lush score their second try, then another long-range breakout was the catalyst for prop Brinna Wallace scoring soon after.
Counties-Manukau hit back a few minutes from halftime with their first try out wide after a strong scrum, then scored again early in the second half through left wing Mele Latu’ila to cut the gap to 19-12.
The Cyclones attacked with renewed vigour and captain and No. 8 Kahurangi Sturmey stormed through for their bonus point try.
The visitors replied once more to keep in touch, but the Cyclones scored twice more to replacement hooker Holly Powell and replacement left wing Tianna Rolls. The Heat finished the scoring with their fourth and bonus point try a few minutes from the end.
Northland Kauri: 22 (Arlia MacCarthy, Hazel Stolz, Tyler Nankivell, Hikitia Wikaira tries; Nankivell con) Wellington Pride: 13 (Harmony Kautai, Keira Su’a Smith tries; Arene Landon-Lane pen). HT: 17-3.
The Northland Kauri earned a home semi-final next weekend against the same opposition after a hard-fought and well-deserved win over the Wellington Pride.
The Pride will need to find a way to get past the Northlanders again next weekend after being decisively beaten up front in a strong forwards display in the wet at Kaikohe. Props Krystal Murray and Kredence Brown, No. 8 Hikitia Wikaira and hooker Trish Vaka all took the game to the Pride. Wellington came back into the contest in the second half but were met by a wall of passionate, committed defence and there was no way back for them.
The Pride were first on the board through an Arene Landon-Lane penalty, but the rest of the half belonged to the hosts as they ran in three tries without reply.
Centre Arlia MacCarthy was the first to score after a tap penalty on the 22 and pick and go under the posts by the forwards. Right wing Hazel Stolz scythed 30 metres to score after Pride fullback Keira Su’a Smith rushed up out of the line and went for an intercept.
First-five Tyler Nankivell finished off a long passage of attack in front of Wellington’s posts with the third try, which she converted right on halftime.
A fourth soon after the resumption had Northland out to 22-3, and although the Pride scored a quickfire pair through Harmony Kautai and Keira Su'a-Smith, any hopes of a comeback petered out.
North Harbour Hibiscus: 42 (Holly Williams, Mari-Lyn Connelly, Ursola Eteru Fuailefau, Manutala'aho Huni-Po'ese, Danielle Hilton, Trinity Rika tries; Ella Henderson 6 con) Tasman: 22 (Kim Lammers, Jett Hayward, Tayla Richards, Bethan Manners tries; Manners con) HT: 21-12.
The North Harbour Hibiscus swept into next week’s FPC Championship semi-finals with an emphatic win over Tasman in Blenheim on Sunday afternoon.
The home side were the first to get on the board, though, with a try to right wing Kim Lammers, but the Hibiscus forwards slowly got on top and they hit the front through tries to second-five Holly Williams and flanker Mari-Lyn Connelly.
Tasman then lost No. 8 Shevaun Collier to a yellow card and North Harbour obliged by scorig their third try to left wing Ursola Eteru-Fuailefau
However, try-scorer Williams was then sin-binned for the visitors, and Tasman scored again through hooker Jett Hayward from close range to trail by just 10 points at the turnaround.
The third quarter was all North Harbour, taking control of the contest and running in unanswered tries to blindside Danielle Hilton, prop Manutala'aho Huni-Po'ese and Trinity Rika, all converted by first-five Ella Henderson, to take a 42-12 lead.
Tasman dug deep and finished with two tries of their own, scored by left wing Tayla Richards and fullback Bethan Manners
North Harbour will go into next week’s semi-final with confidence taken from this victory and having lost to next week's opponent Otago by just a point when they met in the round-robin.