The Wellington Pride shrugged off another sluggish start to register their second successive bonus point win of the women's NPC competition.
The Pride struggled to get their A game together throughout long periods of the first half, hampered by mistakes and ill-discipline. The penalty count was heavily against them. Fullback Huia Paul's first try proved the only points of the first half and the Pride led 5-0 at the interval.
In fine, still conditions, the Pride broke the shackles after the oranges and ran in another five unanswered tries. Paul scored twice, as did centre Shakira Baker. Flanker Shaan Waru and lock Sanita Levave also found the whitewash.
The win for the Pride sees them maintain their position near the top of the table, pending other results. They host fellow frontrunners the Canterbury Ewes in next weekend's last round-robin match, with the winner likely to progress to the following week's final.
Scores:
At Napier: Wellington Pride 34 (Huia Paul 2, Shakira Baker 2, Sanita Levave, Shaan Waru tries; Rebecca Mahoney 2 con) Hawke's Bay Women 3. HT: 5-0
Jason Woodward led the way in a one-sided victory for the Wellington Development XV over the Wellington Samoans at Maidstone Park in the first hit out of the representative season for both teams.
Woodward ran in four tries , had a direct hand in two more, and kicked five conversions for a personal haul of 30 points in a 14-try win.
In welcome sunshine after a week of dire weather, Woodward was at the forefront of an all too easy win for his side against a disappointing Samoans team that was stacked with regular Jubilee and Hardham Cup players and that in past seasons has competed strongly in corresponding games against Wellington B/Development sides.
With many players prominent from the outset, the Development XV broke through for their first try after about 10 minutes when flanker Greg Leolofi strode over after a break by left wing Ambrose Plaister.
In total 10 different players scored tries and starting five five-eigthh Hayden Cripps (six) and fullback-turned first five Woodward (five) banged over most of the conversions between them. They scored six tries in the first half and led 40-0 at halftime and eight in the second half.
Poor defence aside, some wonderful long-range and counterattacking tries were scored. Woodward's second try was probably the pick of these. From a turnover on his own 22, Woodward received a pass on the grandstand touchline with little room to move and took on two defenders on the outside. In the clear, he kicked and chased and the ball sat up perfectly for him to regather without breaking stride and he ran away to score an entertaining 70-metre solo try.
Second five-eighth Nick Grigg also scored two back-to-back tries in the second half, the first an excellent runaway from a break started on his own side of halfway and the second from a blindside scrum move.
Both teams now embark on short representative programmes. There is no Hurricanes Development competition this year - the last few seasons have seen a double round-robin competition between the Wellington, Taranaki, Manawatu and Hawke's Bay Development sides. The Wellington Development XV has two confirmed fixtures to come, both away, against Taranaki this coming Saturday and against Canterbury on 10 September.
The Wellington Samoans play the Wellington U20 A and B sides over the next fortnight, before two exciting clashes at Porirua Park in September. On 10 September they host Auckland Samoa Pacifica United and the following Saturday, 17 September, they play a Fijian selection XV in a Rugby World Cup promotional match.
Scores:
At Maidstone Park: Wellington Development XV 92 (Jason Woodward 4, Nick Grigg 2, Henry Smith, Greg Lealofi, Mana Faraimo, Leka Tupuola, Ambrose Plaister, Daley Harper, Mateaki Kafatolu, Lote Raikabula tries; Hayden Cripps 6 con; Woodward 5 con) Wellington Samoans 0. HT: 40-0