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The Wellington Pride made it two wins from three in the 2011 women's NPC with a 58-8 win over the Manawatu Cyclones at Lyndhurst Park on Saturday.
The Pride out-scored Manawatu 10 tries to one, the win featuring a second half hat trick to hard running centre Shakira Baker and a second half brace to left wing Ruby Finau.
Victory was assured with a four-try burst early in the second spell that extended a 15-8 halftime lead to a 41-8 advantage just 15 minutes into the half.
They then finished with a flourish and scored three more tries in the last 10 minutes to complete a comprehensive win.
Pride coach Damien Rapira-Davies was extremely happy with the win, despite lamenting a slow start to the match.
"We're pleased with the bonus point win and several of our players had really good games today," Rapira-Davies said afterwards.
"We're tending to be a second half team though," he added. Â "Like our first two games [a 57-0 win over Otago and 15-32 defeat to Auckland ] we sort of build into games. In the first half today we made a lot of mistakes and gave away too many penalties. Then in the second half we put our foot to the floor and we really went for it."
The Pride scored three unconverted tries in the first half, but could have scored more. Too much individual play and ill-discipline allowed the Cyclones to still be in the game at the end of the first 40 minutes.
In fine, still conditions on a mostly firm, dry track, the Pride made a lively start with fullback Huia Paul held up in front of the tryline early.
A break by captain and first-five eighth Rebecca Mahoney and carried on by Paul resulted in the first try of the match to right wing Katarina Whata.
The Pride's scrum was dominant all day, laying the platform for the second try to fullback Paul after a surge off the back by industrious No. 8 Emma Aldworth. Mahoney's conversion attempt hit the upright and it was 10-0 after 20 minutes.
Turnovers and penalties led directly to Manawatu scoring their only try of the match in reply, to second five-eighth Aimee Gilbert, in virtually their first foray up Wellington's end of the field.
Pride fullback Paul ran back a kick in open play, the forwards carried the raid on, won a penalty and kicked for a lineout in the corner. The pack drove again and hooker Claire Rowat came up with the Pride's third try that Mahoney couldn't convert from the sideline.
Another lapse in concentration allowed Manawatu to sweep up field and centre Sarah Goss closed the gap with a penalty on halftime.
The Pride then turned around and scored 43 unanswered points in the second half.
Wellington surged on to attack straightaway, props Muteremoana Aiatu and Ponisitia Paasi combining for the bonus point try three minutes in. The former made a terrific run inside the 22 and the latter burrowed over from the next play. Mahoney's conversion made it 22-8.
Almost immediately from the re-start, standout openside flanker Shaan Waru tore through the Cyclones to open up a real chance. Waru found Aldworth in support who in turn offloaded to left wing Finau. The move was temporarily halted but quick recycling saw centre Baker power through to score untouched. Mahoney added the extras and it was now 29-8.
Next, Paul and Finau burst up field into the clear and ran baker in for a second successive converted try and it was now 36-8.
Two minutes later Baker turned provider, bursting into space and finding loosehead prop Aiatu in support and she scored Wellington's seventh try and fourth since halftime and suddenly it was 41-8.
The contest settled down somewhat over the next 15 minutes, both sides making changes off the bench and the Pride on the prowl for another assault at the Manawatu line.
The hunt resumed 10 minutes from fulltime, left wing Finau crossing for her first try after another strong period of attack.
They then added two more quickfire tries to move past the half century mark, Baker slicing through again to score her hat trick and Finau finishing off another powerful break started from halfway.
The Pride have two more matches to come in the six team round-robin women's NPC, leading to a straight final in the first weekend of September.
They play Hawke's Bay in Napier on Saturday 20 August before hosting Canterbury in their last match in Wellington on 27 August.
Scores:
At Lyndhurst Park: Wellington Pride 58 (Shakira Baker 3, Ruby Finau 2, Huia Paul, Katarina Whata, Muteremoana Aiatu, Ponisitia Paasi, Claire Rowat tries; Rebecca Mahoney 4 con) Manawatu Cyclones 8 (Aimee Girlbert try; Sarah Goss con). Ht: 15-8