Clive do the double
Clive player-coach Te Maari MacGregor had every right to predict a third consecutive title from her troops next year after Saturday’s Hawke’s Bay women’s championship rugby final.
The riversiders, who were unbeaten in 15s all season, defeated Taradale Rugby and Sports 48-28 to claim a second consecutive title on home turf at Farndon Park.
“Everyone will be back next year so there’s no reason why we can’t go for a three-peat. I don’t think there are any pregnancies planned,” MacGregor quipped.
Only a brave pundit would bet against Clive completing the feat next year. They’ve got the ammunition to do it.
Clive have won the title 17 times since 1992 and recorded two threepeats during this period. Their last one was completed in 2010 and was the end of six consecutive titles.
One of Clive’s players on Saturday, No 8 Deidre Hakopa, has played in all 17 of those wins and has completed 25 consecutive seasons with the team. Next year she will celebrate her 50th birthday . . . that should be motivation enough for MacGregor and co.
“As you saw, we don’t have a lot of size. But we are all versatile and can play a high tempo game . . . I’m rapt with the girls,” MacGregor said.
“All of our squad will remember doing their Broncos fitness drills back in February. They may not have liked it at the time but they paid off today.”
Clive had first use of a strong wind and deserved their 31-7 halftime lead. Their support play was outstanding.
Centre MacGregor, fullback Shaylee Tipiwai, who scored two tries, and world title winning 2006 Black Fern Amy Williams, who played halfback, were slick operators in the winning backline. Hakopa, hooker Jesse Carter and flanker Laurae Blake were influential in the engine room.
Clive’s defensive work was as they shut down Hawke’s Bay’s sole Black Fern, Taradale centre Krysten Cottrell, for most of the match.
Soft turnovers, many of them from loose carries, proved to be Taradale’s downfall.
Second five-eighth Natasha Greville was the best of the Taradale players. She was put into some good holes by first five-eighth and captain Gemma Woods, who regularly attracted numerous Clive defenders.
Fullback Kaitlin Bates made the most of her opportunities and, like Tipiwai, deserved her two tries.
Props Natalie Cotton and Rowena Batt operated well at scrum time but Taradale were guilty of kicking away too much possession into the wind.