Ories and Norths match top billing in Women?s rugby on Saturday

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Please advise this article below has been publishsed on the assumption that Women's club rugby is still going ahead this Saturday:

Above: Action from last year’s Women’s final that saw Ories beat Norths and win the championship. These two teams meet on Saturday in a Fleurs Trophy round-robin fixture that could decide the first round title.

The Premier Women’s Fleurs Trophy reaches the halfway point on Saturday with round five of the first round competition.

Undoubtedly the big clash of the day is that between the two competition heavyweights,?Oriental-Rongotai?and?Norths, out on the main pitch at the Polo Ground. The two sides know each other well, with plenty of Saturday’s adversaries also teammates at representative level for either the Wellington Pride or from the Schoolgirls selection.

Both sides will be missing players for this match, with Ories’ five-eighth Elizabeth Goulden and midfielder Amanda Rasch and young Norths back Tina Paulo all at the Black Ferns trial at Pukekohe this weekend. There will still be plenty of matchups to look for (depending on availability and team selection), such as in the halves between the Magpies Tyler Birch and North’s Agnes Dean, at fullback between youngster Timena Tuma’ai and veteran Brenda Collins, and in the loose between Kirsty Stewart and Leah Conley. Ories lock Joanah Ngan-Woo and prop Noeleen Nonu, and Norths hooker Patsy Schwalger and utility Phoenix Collins.

The two met three times last year. Ories won the Fleurs encounter 24-22, with Norths winning the Victoria Tavern round-robin match 22-6. The two last met in the Championship, with Ories claiming the trophy double with a 32-24 victory.

Two of the other long-established sides,?Wainuiomata?and?Old Boys-University, meet in a rare outing for the Wainuiomata women on the clubs’ main field at William Jones Park. Owing to scheduled breaks, defaults, and postponed matches it’s nearly a month since Wainuiomata took to the field, having beaten Tawa and lost to Ories so far. OBU themselves returned from having two weeks off with the Anzac Day off followed by the bye, but showed little rust in seeing off Avalon. OBU hooker Luana Tafamaalii is set to play her 50th match for the Impalas side.

Hutt Old Boys Marist?will get another indication of their progress when they meet neighbours?Avalon?in the local derby at Fraser Park. The lady Eagles have taken two wins against Tawa and Johnsonville against losses to the top two, while Avalon have only taken to the field twice, winning handily over Johnsonville but were disappointing against OBU and will have to again deal without Kat Simpkins who has been recalled to the Black Ferns 7’s squad for the last two rounds in London and Amsterdam. It’s also an important match in terms of the second round, with only the top five teams progressing to the Victoria Tavern Trophy.

The final match is at Kilbirnie Park, where home side?Poneke?are drawn to take on?Johnsonville. Poneke notched their first win (and points) in beating Tawa 37-7, and will look to make it successive wins against the competition minnows.

Tawa?have the bye this weekend.

Last Thursday’s College Sport Girls games were cancelled owing to the weather. This week’s 12-a-side Premier preseason games have also been cancelled. Scheduled matches wrre between Wellington East and St Catherine’s, Hutt Valley HS andTaita, Aotea and Paraparaumu and Wainuiomata and Sacred Heart.

Five Wellington players in Black Ferns trials ?

As well as Goulden, Rasch, and Paulo, Wainuiomata lock Jackie Patea and Avalon loose forward Carol Sio are also at the Black Ferns trial. Fifty players have been invited, which will be reduced to 45 ahead of a second trial in Palmerston North at the end of the month.