Women’s final and Heartland Championship semi-finals tomorrow

Jackie Patea-Fereti and the Pride will be hoping to finish their season with the title in the bag, hosting Northland in their FPC final. 

• By Scott MacLean

The 15s season is closing fast, with just one representative match tomorrow involving Wellington teams this weekend, as well as the Heartland Championship semi-finals.

Representative

Just one team still going. The highest-profile is the Wellington Pride, who host the Farah Palmer Cup Championship final at Hnry Stadium tomorrow. Victory brings not only a title, but promotion back to the Premiership for 2027, where they haven’t been for several seasons now. It will not be straight forward though, as despite handily beating Northland when they met three weeks ago, the Kauri were impressive in dispatching last year’s Championship winners Otago in Whangarei last week.

The Pride are able to name an almost unchanged side from that which beat Hawke’s Bay last Saturday, but the two are notable ones with captain Valini Vaka and vice-captain Keira Su’a-Smith both absent after suffering head knocks in the semi-final. Vaka is replaced by Amaria Ranapia, while Nia Sutherland comes back in with Lita Bulicakau switching to fullback. Jackie Patea-Fereti, who has just turned 40, assumes the captaincy.

The Wellington Under 85s were originally scheduled to meet Waikato in Taihape, but the northerners have withdrawn and the match has been cancelled.

Heartland

The other match of interest in the wider region is in Levin, where Horowhenua-Kapiti hosts Whanganui in Levin in the “second-four” Lochore Cup semi-finals. The Nua beat Whanganui a few short weeks ago, but the Butcher Boys come in having taken down then-competition leaders King Country last Saturday.

Wairarapa Bush are on the other side of the Lochore bracket. It’s a tough road they’ll face to bringing the trophy that bears the name of their most famous son to Masterton, starting with a trip to Timaru to face South Canterbury.

The top-four Meads Cup playoffs have defending champions Mid-Canterbury at home in Ashburton against Thames Valley for the second successive week, while King Country’s loss last week puts them on the road down to Oamaru to face North Otago.

Teams (as supplied):

Wellington Pride

1.Keiana Roffey (Poneke)
2. Amaria Ranapia (Wainuiomata)
3. Faythe Finau (Norths)
4. Eva Maora (Petone)
5. Jackie Patea-Fereti © (Petone)
6. Lourdes Faifua (Petone)
7. Paige Lilo (Norths)
8. Evelyn Tea (Ories)
9. Milly Mackey (Petone)
10. Arene Landon-Lane (Norths)
11. Ana Kerr (Petone)
12. Nia Sutherland (Petone)
13. Merania Paraone (Ories)
14. Fia Laikong (OBU)
15. Litia Bulicakau (Petone)
16.Paige Misky (Norths)
17. Emelei La’ai (Ories)
18. Giovanna Leo (Norths)
19. Jessica Jackson (Poneke)
20. Sinead Ryder (Ories)
21. Lynda Rabeni-Vatuloka (Petone)
22. Sophia Ropeti (Ories)
23. Baylee Merioti (OBU)

Horowhenua-Kapiti

1.David McErlean (Foxton)
2. John MacNeilage (Paraparaumu)
3. Kafaonga Katoa (Loan – Petone)
4. Isaac Carter (Waikanae)
5. Massie Harvey (Foxton)
6. David Leota-Johnson (Loan – Ories)
7. Lesen Huiarangi (Paraparaumu)
8. Mika Alaifatu (Loan – HOBM)
9. Kahn Fotuali’I © (Foxton)
10. Ethan Woodmass (Foxton)
11. Leighton Ralph (Ranui)
12. Connor Paki (Foxton)
13. Taine Hata (Waikanae)
14. Darren Falaniko (Wanderers)
15. Zane Ainslie (Loan – HOBM)
16.Max Saunders (Paraparaumu)
17. Ted Northcott (Rahui)
18. Brad Reilly (Paraparaumu)
19. Aaron Lahmert (Waikanae)
20. Michael Laursen (Foxton)
21. Junior Sione (Wanderers)
22. TJ Barnsley (Paraparaumu)
23. Willie Paia’aua (COB)

Wairarapa Bush

1.Stan Wright, Jr (Marist)
2. Leon Tuiloma (Loan – Upper Hutt)
3. Lewis Bush (Greytown)
4. Cody Cunningham (Martinborough)
5. Matt Masoe (Marist)
6. Folau Finau-Vea (Loan – OBU)
7. Inia Katia (Carterton)
8. Isireli Biumaiwai (Greytown)
9. Daryl Pickering © (Carterton)
10. Josh Pepperell (Marist)
11. Soli Malatai (Greytown)
12. Fiula Tameilau (Carterton)
13. Caleb Robson (Loan – HOBM)
14. Charles Mataitai (Marist)
15. Gracyn Evans (Greytown)
16.Terongo Tekii (Carterton)
17. Michael Savage (Martinborough)
18. Sam Siaosi (Marist)
19. Charlie Gain (East Coast)
20. James Goodger (Marist)
21. Archie Bennett (East Coast)
22. Josh Cavanagh (Carterton)
23. Hayden Cooper (Marist)

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