It was a successful night on Saturday as the nib Blues picked up an impressive 49-26 win over the Hurricanes Poua, securing a home final and wrapping up a brilliant regular season.
Our wāhine started red-hot. Just three minutes in, the ball was shuttled across to the left edge where Taufa Bason charged down the touchline and somehow stayed in play, before slick interplay with Sylvia Brunt saw Bason dot down for her third try in two games.
Hurricanes Poua hit back to level the scores, but the nib Blues responded with a stunning team try. It started just inside our 22 with another surging Bason run, brushing off defenders before offloading to Brunt, who linked with Jayme Kolose. Kolose did the rest, slicing through the last line of defence to score.
The Hurricanes Poua kept things tight, crossing again to keep the game level, but it was the nib Blues who had the final say of the first half. After earning a penalty, the pack set up a lineout drive eight metres out, flexing their muscle and powering over with Atlanta Lolohea getting the credit.
Hurricanes Poua defended with grit in the early stages of the second half, but the nib Blues’ relentless pressure eventually paid off. Marching into the 22 after a penalty, Lolohea peeled off the back of the lineout drive and found Ruahei Demant, who strolled over untouched to extend the lead.
The second half continued in a back-and-forth fashion. Hurricanes Poua reduced the margin to 28-21, but debutante Danii Mafoe made an immediate impact, scoring down the right edge moments after taking the field.
Though the Hurricanes Poua hit back again, the final say belonged to the nib Blues. Patricia Maliepo barrelled through two defenders to score, before Maama Vaipulu pounced on a gap and dived over to put the exclamation mark on a strong performance.
Taufa Bason was again influential, combining her power running with smart support play. Braxton Sorenson-McGee was busy around the ruck and a constant attacking threat.
The stage is now set for the big game with the nib Blues hosting Matatū in the Super Rugby Aupiki final on Saturday night at Eden Park, a showdown between the two form teams of the season. Expect fireworks. See you there!