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New Zealand claimed the Pacific Four title with a 50-6 win over the USA at The Trusts Arena in Auckland on Friday night. While the Eagles gave a strong account of themselves in the set piece, in open play they were no match for the speed and skill of the Black Ferns.
Barely a minute into the game the home side crossed for the opening score. Ruahei Demant slipped through a half-gap and connected with Renee Holmes, who in turn found Ayesha Leti-I’iga to her left. The winger stepped out of Bulou Mataitoga’s grasp and sped away to the corner for the try. Demant couldn’t convert but the signs were ominous.
An offside penalty allowed Megan Foster a chance to calm nerves with a routine penalty goal. From the restart, however, Alev Kelter was tackled while trying to clear and the ball went straight to Leti-I’iga. Joanah Ngan-Woo broke from the ensuing ruck and fired an inside pass to Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu in support for a second try.
Leti-I’iga would soon have a double. Her half break put New Zealand on the front foot, and then Kendra Reynolds found the winger in support for the try. Demant just missed the conversion attempt. Foster responded with three points after her forwards won a scrum penalty.
A textbook hit from Renee Wickliffe on Tess Feury jarred the ball loose. Holmes snatched it up and had a free run to the line from 60 meters. The fifth try came on the stroke of halftime from Sylvia Brunt, whose inside line off a driving maul wasn’t picked up by the defense until it was too late.
Reynolds scored a superb individual effort at the 50 minute mark, shooting through a gap in the midfield and fending Lotte Clapp before showing a clean pair of heels to the cover. Leti-I’iga then grabbed her hat trick on a sneaky inside ball off the edge of a ruck from Marino-Tauhinu.
Krystal Murray was sent to the bin after a crunching hit on Kathryn Treder slid up over the shoulder. New Zealand paid no mind and would have the final say anyway. A set move from a scrum saw Chelsea Semple break in the midfield, connecting to Holmes, and finally Wickliffe for the honors from 22 meters out. Hazel Tubic slotted the sideline conversion for good measure.
SCORING
NEW ZEALAND 50
Tries – A. Leti-I’iga 3 (1′, 23′, 59′), A. Marino-Tauhinu (6′), R. Holmes (31′), S. Brunt (40′), K. Reynolds (50′), R. Wickliffe (78′)
Cons – R. Demant 1/3 (7′), R. Holmes 1/1 (32′), H. Tubic 3/4 (51′, 60′, 79′)
YC – K. Murray (74′)
USA 6
Pens – M. Foster 2/2 (5′, 27′)
TEAMS
NEW ZEALAND
1 Phillipa Love (17 Krystal Murray HT), 2 Natalie Delamere (16 Georgia Ponsonby 49′), 3 Leilani Perese (18 Lucy Anderson HT), 4 Joanah Nhan-Woo (Leilani Perese 74′), 5 Chelsea Bremner, 6 Alana Bremner, 7 Kendra Reynolds (19 Maia Roos 53′), 8 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, 9 Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu (21 Kendra Cocksedge 60′), 10 Ruahei Demant (capt.) (23 Hazel Tubic 32′), 11 Ayesha Leti-I’iga, 12 Sylvia Brunt, 13 Amy du Plessis (22 Chelsea Semple 51′), 14 Renee Wickliffe, 15 Renee Holmes
Not used: 20 Luka Connor
USA
1 Hope Rogers (17 Maya Learned 65′), 2 Joanna Kitlinski (16 Kathryn Treder 65′), 3 Nick James (18 Charli Jacoby 51′), 4 Jordan Matyas, 5 Kristine Sommer (19 Evi Ashenbrucker 62′), 6 Elizabeth Cairns (20 Georgie Perris-Redding 47′), 7 Rachel Johnson, 8 Kate Zackary (capt.), 9 Carly Waters (21 Bridget Kahele 62′), 10 Megan Foster (22 Gabby Cantorna 56′), 11 Tess Feury, 12 Katana Howard (23 Meya Bizer 60′), 13 Alev Kelter, 14 Lotte Clapp, 15 Bulou Mataitoga
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Julianne Zussman (Canada)
Assistants: Amber McLachlan (Australia) & Tyler Miller (Australia)
TMO: Chris Assmus (Canada)
