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Auckland Storm stay unbeaten in Farah Palmer Cup

Brendon Egan

Add Auckland to the list of title contenders in the Farah Palmer Cup women’s rugby competition.

The 15-time champions, who last won the premiership in 2015, made it two wins from two to start the season, overpowering Otago 39-15 in Dunedin yesterday.

After opening with a 44-12 win over Bay of Plenty last week, Auckland pulled away from Otago late in the game, scoring three tries in the last 11 minutes.

Otago were right in the contest at halftime, down 13-12, but Auckland showed their class in the second half, led by an excellent game from second five-eighth Sylvia Brunt.

Injury-hit Otago matched it with Auckland for most of the game. They would have sensed an upset when Sheree Hume kicked a penalty to reduce Auckland’s lead to 20-15 with 14 minutes to play.

A close range try from hardworking lock Maia Roos off a nice ball from Ruahei Demant proved

the turning point as Auckland pushed their advantage out to 27-15.

The visitors weren’t done there, adding further tries to replacement Natahlia Moors, who profited from a storming run from Brunt, and a try at the end to hooker Cristo Tofa from a Roos pass.

Loose forward Tafito Lafaele scored a double for Auckland either side of halftime and impressed with her work-rate and ball carrying.

Otago delivered a gallant performance, highlighted by the play of their schoolgirl wings Keely Hill and Oceana Campbell, who both scored first-half tries, finishing strongly in the corner.

Campbell, a 17-year-old student at Otago Girls’ High, was one of Otago’s best, regularly breaking tackles and picking up metres on attack.

In the game of the round, fourtime reigning champions Canterbury edged Waikato 24-17 in Hamilton on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s final.

Canterbury and Black Ferns halfback Kendra Cocksedge created history in the win, becoming the first player to reach 1000 points in New Zealand women’s domestic rugby

Cocksedge needed just 11 minutes to notch the 12 points she required to break the mark, scoring two quick converted tries.

Canterbury never trailed, but weren’t able to pull away from Waikato, who stayed within striking distance.

After a sluggish start, Waikato hit back with a try to hooker Grace Houpapa-Barret, before prop Tanya Kalounivale scored via a pick-and-go after the halftime hooter to make it 14-12.

Canterbury responded straight after halftime, scoring a longrange try, sparked by outstanding centre Grace Brooker and finished by wing Grace Steinmetz.

Cocksedge kicked a penalty to extend the red-and-blacks’ lead to 24-12 with 20 minutes to go, which they needed after a yellow card to Black Ferns lock Chelsea Bremner. That forced them to finish the match with 14 players.

Waikato reserve Kelsey Teneti scored immediately with Canterbury down a player, cutting their lead to seven points. Canterbury were able to repel the hosts and make it 2-0 to start the season after crushing Counties Manukau 59-12 in their opener.

Elsewhere, Counties Manukau edged Bay of Plenty 21-13, Krystal Murray scored 14 points as Northland stormed back from a 15-26 halftime deficit to beat Hawke’s Bay 46-31, while North Harbour held off a fast-finishing Tasman, 35-32, in their home opener.

Four players – Janna Vaughan, Lucy Brown, Crystal Mayes and Lauren Balsillie – scored braces in Manawatu¯ ’s 48-5 win over Taranaki.

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2021-07-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-07-26T07:00:00.0000000Z

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