Club Rugby: Back-to-back women's titles for Star
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Star has gone back-to-back in the Southland women’s premier club rugby competition.
Star capped off a dominant couple of years with an impressive 46-10 grand final victory over Albion at Rugby Park on Saturday.
Just two years ago, the Star Rugby Club in Invercargill didn’t have a senior women’s team. In fact, they hadn’t had one for 20-plus years.
But two years on and Star has quickly established itself as the powerhouse of women’s rugby in Southland. It has now won two titles in as many years and has lost just one game along the way.
Star went into Saturday’s final at Rugby Park as warm favourites, and when loosefoward Georgia Mackie crossed after just a couple of minutes, the blue-and-whites became hotter favourites.
Fullback Fiona van der Poel then scored a long-range try to extend the lead to 10-0, before the spirited Albion outfit responded with a try through its impressive hooker Kimberly Udy.
By halftime, Star led 15-5 on the back of a third try to halfback Tarryn McLatchie. When second five-eighth Arnika Thompson-Te Muunu scored early in the second half to make it 20-5, it looked ominous for the Albion visitors.
However, Albion did start to dominate exchanges for a period and got some reward with a try to lock Megan Whyte to make it 20-10. That sparked some thoughts of an Albion comeback.
Although Star finished best running in four tries in the final 20 minutes of play, with two of them coming via van der Poel which meant she finished the final with a hattrick.
The other try scorers were Tayla Churstain and Jayda Waitere.
There were standouts across the park for Star in the 46-10 win, although it’s obvious the team is led very well through its impressive looseforward and captain Karlee Cruickshank.
Cruickshank was outstanding in defence and a nuisance at the breakdown throughout the final.
Star also has some rising stars in its mix, including centre Sualo Lafoga, who earlier this year was part of the Parramatta Eels NRL club’s victorious Under-19 team.
Star lock Olivia Gill is another promising talent with the Year 13 Central Southland College pupil included in a New Zealand Rugby U18 Pathway Camp.
Another Star player, Jayga Tui, is also in the national sights with the Southland Girls’ High School pupil included in an U18 New Zealand Maori National Camp.
The focus for many of the Star and Albion players will now switch to rep duties, with a number of players expected to be part of the Southland Hinds team.
(Premier Men)
Pirates-Old Boys 48, Marist 10
Eastern-Northern Barbarians 26, Star 23
Woodlands beat Blues by default
(Division One)
Waikaka/Riversdale 23, Albion 7
Wyndham 17, Tokanui 0
Edendale 31, Bluff 21
Pioneer 60, Te Anau 5
(Division Two)
Woodlands 38, Blues 0
Waikiwi 33, Mossburn 0
Riverton 52, Otautau-Ohai-Nightcaps 5
Midlands 8, Drummond-Limehills-Star 0
(Division Three)
Pirates-Old Boys 34, Central Pirates 14
Collegiate 29, Wright’s Bush 0
Waiau Star 15, Mataura 7
(Senior Cs/President’s Grade)
Bluff 10, Mataura 5
Wyndham 14, Pirates-Old Boys 5
Pioneer 52, Waikiwi 0
Balfour 12, Albion 0
Waikaia 7, Waikaka 0