Tasman women still chasing first cup win
The Tasman Women’s rugby team is fast running out of opportunities to make some sort of statement in this year’s Farah Palmer Cup provincial competition.
They have just two games remaining, starting with North Harbour at Trafalgar Park on Sunday, to secure their first win of their debut season after four straight losses.
Harbour’s only win from their four outings was a 20-0 win over Hawke’s Bay in round four to sit just four points clear of Tasman on the championship points table.
But while Harbour are clearly in Tasman’s sights, injury concerns have again affected Tasman’s build-up to what they’ve identified as a must-win match.
Centre Wairakau Greig has been ruled out of Sunday’s clash with thigh and groin injuries to rob Tasman of one of the team’s key attacking weapons.
A Cook Islands representative, Greig has been in outstanding form this season, although her absence will be offset somewhat by the return of No 10 Risi Pouri-Lane and fullback Sydnee Wilkins.
Both were star performers in the Motueka High School girls’ team, with Wilkins also having missed most of Tasman’s campaign through unavailability.
Injury had also kept Pouri-Lane out of last weekend’s loss to Can-
terbury but will resume her important play-making role against a big and physical Harbour side.
Tasman have at least had the luxury of being able to select the same forward pack throughout their campaign, with that consistency of selection clearly in Tasman’s favour.
Harbour like to play territory and get their big, powerful forwards into attacking positions where they can use their strength to good effect.
Tasman head coach Marty O’Cain said that the key to any Tasman success would hinge on their backline speed and forward mobility.
That would also depend on shutting down Harbour’s big ball carriers.
Although a big side, O’Cain said that Harbour were relentless.
‘‘They don’t give up, they go for 80 minutes and are still as physical [at the finish] as they were at the start, which is something we’ve struggled a little bit with,’’ he said.
‘‘We’ve been talking a lot about our forwards and our pivots making better decisions and not just running our forwards ragged’
That means we need to use the kicking game more - and that’s why [kickers] Risi and Sydnee are quite essential to us.’’
Sunday’s game is being played as the curtainraiser to the Tasman Makos’ Mitre 10 Cup clash with Auckland and kicks off at 12.05pm.