Wellington Pride win epic semi-final; Wellington U18s win well

Above: Wellington Development lock Joe Beech stretches over to score the final try of the afternoon for his side in their curtain-raiser at Westpac Stadium.

The Wellington Pride scored two tries in the dying moments to beat the Counties Manukau Heat in their Women’s NPC semi-final today at the Petone Recreation Ground. The Pride will meet Auckland in next weekend’s final.

Elsewhere, the Wellington U18s accounted for the Tasman U18s and the Wellington Development side lost to the Canterbury Colts.

Wellington Pride 29 – Counties Manukau Heat 23 

Wellington Pride 29 (Jackie Patea, Ayesha Leti-l’iga, Timena Tumaa'i, Moana Solia, Georgia Daals tries; Lizzie Goulden 2 con) beat Counties Manukau 23 (TBC, Emmeline Croft, Stacey Brown tries; Arihiana Marino 2 pen, con). HT: 5-15

The Wellington Pride beat the Counties Manukau Heat in one of the fairytale finishes of the 2015 season today at the Petone Recreation Ground.

Lightning centre Georgia Daals burst into space and outgassed the cover defence on a 50-metre run to the tryline with the last play of the game to secure victory. First five-eighth Lizzie Goulden kicked the winning conversion, but it didn’t matter as Daals’ try had already propelled them into next week’s Women’s NPC final against Auckland.

Barely two minutes earlier, Goulden had missed a conversion attempt from 15 metres inside touch that would have won the match, following a try to wing Aysesha Leti-l’iga.

Goulden’s miss had meant that Counties Manukau just had to protect a 23-22 lead with the re-start and one last-ditch attacking play by the Pride to win the semi-final.

With openside flanker Sharnita Woodman already red carded out of the game just prior to Ayesha’s try for two sin-binning offences, the Heat’s discipline waivered and Goulden tapped a penalty and linked up with Daals who seared into space on the halfway line, pinned her ears back and scored the match-winner.

A hard fought, spirited match had come alive in the final 20 minutes, after a 54-minute stop-start first half interrupted by several injury breaks, almost all of them to Counties Manukau players.

The visitors resembled the walking wounded at times, but picked themselves up to score soft tries at the very start and the very end of the first half which gave them a 15-5 halftime lead.

The Pride scored a great first half try following a sustained build-up from a lineout near halfway and an injection by fullback Vaine Marsters which led to a well taken try to second five-eighth Sauimoana Solia.

The Heat held a 10-5 lead until almost before halftime, but a long period on attack brought them their second try on the oranges to right wing Emmeline Croft.

Wellington launched a sustained 15 minute assault at the Heat early in the second half, with hooker Alice Soper, prop Noeleen Nonu and outstanding, hard-working lock Joanah Ngan-Woo all prominent with several strong ball carries.

Finally, sustained pressure told and, after being held up twice over the line, No. 8 and co-captain Jackie Patea scored to close the gap to 15-12.

The Heat struck back immediately with their third try, to extend the lead to 20-12.

The Pride responded with a second second half try, to make it 20-17, but once more the Heat hit back straightaway with a penalty to first five-eighth Arihina Marino to push them back in front 23-17.

The Pride weren’t done yet, eclipsing them at the death with back-to-back tries.

Wellington U18s 50 – Tasman U18s 10

Wellington Under-18: 50 (Sitiveni Paongo 2, Henry Mexted, Hannon Brighouse, Jimmy Hewitt, Losi Filipo, Zac Donaldson tries; Kemara Hauiti-Parapara 6 con, 1 pen) Tasman Under-18: 10 (Taine Cragg-Love try; William Havili 1 pen, Mitch Smith 1 con)

The Wellington Under-18's have ended their representative season with a resounding victory over Tasman.

Played in fine conditions, but a swirly breeze at Rongotai College, Wellington led 17-3 at halftime and kicked onto win convincingly in the second-half.

New Zealand Schools' rep Losi Filipo opened the scoring in spectacular fashion. In the first five minutes he burst onto a short pass by first-five Sam Fox and roared through the heart of the Tasman defence, sprinting 60-metres to touchdown under the posts.

Tasman responded by attacking consistently for the best part of ten minutes. Left wing Tima Faingaanuku was impressive making two piercing runs. Wellington's defence was resolute, but First-Five William Havili put Tasman on the board with a penalty.

Tasman dropped the kick-off and Wellington punished the visitors by putting together several phases and scoring a try. Lock Henry Mexted was the scorer. The halftime score was 17-3.

The second-half was one way traffic. Wellington scored five tries as the speed, accuracy and power of their forward pack proved too hot for Tasman to handle.

Blindside Hannon Brighouse was a tower of strength in the lineout's and carried vigorously, aptly awarded with a try.

Hooker Sitiveni Paongo was similarly dynamic. He often stood one or two passes wide off the ruck and punctured the Tasman defence frequently with his hustle.

Flanker Jimmy Hewitt was another standout. His pace and strength caused the Tasman defence hassles.

Five of Wellington's seven tries were scored by the forwards. The last try was scored by reserve halfback Zac Donaldson. Like a worm stuck between rocks he wriggled through congestion to force down beside the posts.

Tasman's best were Taine Cragg-Love, Karlos Tautari and Faingaanuku.

Wellington end their campaign with four wins out of five games.

Wellington Development 26 – Canterbury Colts 36

Canterbury Colts: 36 (Nathaniel Apa 2, Blair Prinsep, Jack Powell, Jordon Stone, Billy Harman tries; George Bridge 3 con) Wellington Development: 26 (Whetu Henry, Sheridan Rangihuna, TBC, Joe Beech tries; Fa'atonu Fili 3 con)

A more clinical Canterbury Colts have defeated the Wellington Development XV 36-26 in a curtain raiser to the Wellington v Manawatu ITM Cup fixture at the Westpac Stadium.

Canterbury was never headed and led 22-7 at halftime.

The visitors started in imperious form scoring three tries in the first fifteen minutes.
Second-five Nathaniel Apa surged 60-metres to open Canterbury's account.

Burly prop Blair Prinsep beat two defenders and crawled 10-meters to the line with a defender attached to his back and lock Jack Powell gathered an overthrown Wellington lineout and lumbered 20-metres.

Wellington First-Five Fa'atonu Fili brought a hat full of tricks to proceeding. They weren't always effective, but when they worked the results were spectacular.

A deft and quick inside pass to prop Whetu Henry created Wellington's first try. The captain stampeded 20-meters after earlier being denied an intercept try.

In the second-half Fili threw a no-look reverse pass to centre Matt Goosen who stormed into a yawing hole and put halfback Sheridan Rangihuna under the posts.

Every time Wellington threatened however, they made a mistake. Two minutes before halftime sprightly halfback Jordon Stone scored for Canterbury from a lineout spillage. Fullback George Bridge converted impressively from the sideline.

Later Fili tried to repeat history with Goosen inside the Wellington 22. An unsuspected Goosen shelled the pass and Billy Harman snaffled and scored for Canterbury.

Apa, originally from Kelston Boys' High School, represented Samoa at the IRB Junior World Championships last year. He was an imposing figure and scored his second try when he pushed past two weak tackles.

Standouts for Wellington included No.8 Teariki Ben-Nicholas, Henry and fullback Jordon Simpson-Heft.