Black Ferns survive early red card to beat Eagles

New Zealand overcame an early red card and a 17-5 halftime deficit to defeat the USA 39-17 at TD Place Stadium in Ottawa on Friday. The victory gives the Black Ferns a clean sweep in the Pacific Four, and formally casts the Eagles into the second tier of the year-end WXV tournament.

After a Georgie Perris-Redding line break to start the game, Iritana Hohaia was dispatched with just two minutes on the clock for a head-high tackle on the Eagles flanker. It left the Black Ferns without a scrumhalf and it didn’t take long for Freda Tafuna to bust through for her first international try. McKenzie Hawkins converted to give the USA a dream start.

Perris-Reading was then herself admonished for a dangerous tackle, with a yellow card brandished to make it 14 players apiece. From the ensuing lineout drive Grace Gago touched down on the back for a try on debut. Rosie Kelly couldn’t find the sticks and the Eagles held their lead.

Rachel Johnson blasted over for a second USA try after Jennine Detiveaux came close to scoring herself out wide. Hawkins added the extras and then slotted a penalty goal after Liana Mikaele-Tu’u was binned for repeat team infringements leaving New Zealand with just 13 players on the pitch.

On came the cavalry for New Zealand in the second half, with first choice halfbacks Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu and Ruahei Demant making an immediate impact. The former touched down after a searing counter-attack from the latter with Renee Holmes adding the extra two. Holmes would land a penalty goal next to close the gap to just two points.

The lead shifted just before the hour mark with Philippa Love crashed over, Holmes landing the sideline conversion for good measure. It was all New Zealand in the final quarter with Mikaele-Tu’u, Demant, and finally Amy du Plessis touching down and Holmes adding one more conversion.

 

 

SCORING

USA 17
Tries (2) – F. Tafuna (4′), R. Johnson (24′)
Cons (2) – M. Hawkins 2/2 (5′, 25′)
Pens (1) – M. Hawkins 1/1 (40′)
YC (1) – G. Perris-Reading (7′)

NEW ZEALAND 39
Tries (6) – G. Gago (8′), A. Marino-Tauhinu (47′), P. Love (58′), L. Mikaele-Tu’u (68′), R. Demant (73′), A. du Plessis (80′)
Cons (3) – R. Kelly 0/1, R. Holmes 3/5 (48′, 59′, 69′)
Pens (1) – R. Holmes 1/1 (50′)
YC (1) – L. Mikaele-Tu’u (39′)
RC (1) – I. Hohaia (2′)

 

TEAMS

USA
1 Catie Benson, 2 Kathryn Treder, 3 Charli Jacoby, 4 Rachel Ehrecke, 5 Hallie Taufo’ou, 6 Freda Tafuna, 7 Georgie Perris-Redding, 8 Rachel Johnson, 9 Taina Tukuafu, 10 McKenzie Hawkins, 11 Summer Harris-Jones, 12 Eti Haungatau, 13 Kate Zackary (capt.), 14 Jennine Detiveaux, 15 Tess Feury

Replacements: 16 Jett Hayward, 17 Mona Tupou, 18 Tiara A’au, 19 Evi Ashenbrucker, 20 Erica Jarrell, 21 Olivia Ortiz, 22 Joanne Fa’avesi, 23 Meya Bizer

NEW ZEALAND
1 Esther Faiaoga-Tilo, 2 Grace Gago, 3 Amy Rule, 4 Joanah Ngan-Woo, 5 Maia Roos (capt.), 6 Lucy Jenkins, 7 Kendra Reynolds, 8 Liana Mikaele-Tu’u, 9 Iritana Hohaia, 10 Rosie Kelly, 11 Grace Steinmetz, 12 Grace Brooker, 13 Amy du Plessis, 14 Kelsey Teneti, 15 Tenika Willison

Replacements: 16 Georgia Ponsonby, 17 Phillipa Love, 18 Tanya Kalounivale, 19 Chelsea Bremner, 20 Kennedy Simon, 21 Arihiana Marino-Tauhinu, 22 Ruahei Demant, 23 Renee Holmes

 

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Julianne Zussman (Canada)
Assistants: Shanda Assmus (Canada) & Kristine Lovatt (Canada)
TMO: Chris Assmus (Canada)