Black Ferns dominate Women’s Eagles

The New Zealand Black Ferns wrapped up an undefeated Women’s Rugby Super Series with a crushing 47-14 defeat of the Women’s Eagles in Edmonton. Star winger Honey Hireme again stole the show with a hat trick, including another length of the field effort to finish things off late in the match. It was the tale of two halves as the Americans were within one point at the break, only to be left for dead in the second forty.

Victoria Subritzky-Nafatali got things started for New Zealand as she stormed through the defensive line and used her big fend to score the opening try. The Eagles stormed right back and Hope Rogers drove over from close range, with Kimber Rozier’s conversion giving them an unlikely lead.

Hireme’s first was a well-worked team try as the forwards took it on to drag in defenders, and then the ball was spun wide with a lovely miss pass from Renee Wickliffe finding its target in space. Charmaine Smith got on the scoreboard almost fifteen minutes later, dotting down as part of a rolling maul from a lineout that had backs and forwards all involved.

The Eagles were finding some success with ball in hand, but it was a big tackle from Sam Pankey that forced a key turnover just before the half. The ball went through the hands and Elizabeth Cairns linked with Jessica Wooden to put Kelsi Stockert away down the right sideline for a very nice seven pointer.

A one point gap meant there was all to play for in the second half, but unfortunately the contest never materialised. New Zealand stepped up another gear, and the Eagles completely lost their shape in defense. The combination was devastating to the tune of 32 unanswered points.

The Black Ferns punished the Americans for every mistake, and produced some terrific scores, including a cross-field kick from Subritzky-Nafatali to a wide open Stacey Waaka, and of course Hireme’s stunning effort in the 79th minute. Just when it looked like the Eagles might get a consolation score, a knock-on landed in the powerful winger’s hands and she stepped and fended her way past two defenders before showing a clean pair of heels to the cover.

“In the first half we were able to finish the opportunities we were given, in the second half transition ball really killed us,” said Eagles captain Sarah Chobot in a post-match interview. “In international rugby you’ve got to take your chances.”

USA finishes the tournament with a record of one win and two defeats, while New Zealand walk away with three out of three and a Super Series title. Hireme collected the player of the match, and Subritzky-Nafatali was later named player of the series.

NEW ZEALAND 47
Tries – V. Subritzky-Nafatali (8), H. Hireme 3 (21, 48, 79), C. Smith (35), R. Wickliffe (59), S. Waaka (68), J. Vaughan (74)
Cons – K. Cocksedge (60), E. Jensen (75)
Pens – K. Cocksedge (53)

USA 14
Tries – H. Rogers (14), K. Stockert (38)
Cons – K. Rozier 2 (15, 39)

NEW ZEALAND
1 T. Natua (T. Ngata-Aerengamate 63) 2 F. Fa’amausili (capt.) (T. Te Tamaki 76) 3 A. Nelson (A. Itunu 73) 4 E. Blackwell 5 C. Smith 6 C. Halapua (A. Sisifa 58) 7 J. Lavea (L. Ketu 73) 8 L. Itunu 9 K. Cocksedge (E. Jensen 64) 10 V. Subritzky-Nafatali 11 R. Wickliffe (J. Vaughan 65) 12 C. Alley (K. Demant 69) 13 S. Waaka 14 H. Hireme 15 S. Winiata

USA
1 S. Chobot (capt.) (C. Benson 65) 2 S. Pankey (K. Augustyn 61) 3 H. Rogers (T. Faee 71) 4 S. Bridges 5 M. Kindella (A. Washington 65) 6 J. Kitlinski (L. Miller 71) 7 E. Cairns 8 J. Gray 9 D. Owsiany (J. Lui 73) 10 K. Rozier 11 N. Heavirland (B. Dalal 63) 12 A. Naber (L. Rhode 63) 13 J. Paar 14 K. Stockert 15 J. Wooden