North have clinched the inaugural Pomare Shield with a 26-12 triumph over South in Saturday afternoon’s series decider in fine but windy conditions at Wanneroo Rugby Union Club.
North ultimately prevailed after their fast start, scoring three tries in the opening 20 minutes.
South rallied with two tries before half-time from Kalamunda hooker Hera-Barb Malcolm Heke, but North shut down the game in the second half with Alapeta Ngauamo scoring the only try of the back 40.
The result clinched North a 2-1 triumph in the inaugural North vs South Women’s Series, with the winners presented with the newly minted Pomare Shield after the game.
Trilleen Pomare, whom the trophy was named after, was among the triumphant North line-up, coming off the bench in the second half.
Co-captains Alapeta Ngauamo and Ngamihi Monk took the honours of lifting the shield to celebrate their triumph and cap a successful series, aimed at developing the WA women’s rugby pathway.
North, kicking into the wind in the first half, flew out of the blocks with Tizanae Kovacs almost scoring following a line break in the right corner.
Minutes later, her Wests Scarborough teammate Brooklyn Teki Joyce burst through the middle with her scintillating pace to open the scoring. Wanneroo’s teenage scrum-half Kylah-Reh Tuheke Kupa converted.
In the 14th minute, Wests fly-half Talitha Heta found a gap, with her run allowing North to spread play left for Halley Derera to score. Tuheke Kupa converted again for a 14-0 lead.
The fast-scoring start continued when Heta’s brilliant bouncing kick released Ngamihi Monk, before Teki Joyce combined with Kovacs who found a way to score. There was some doubt, with Kovacs initially appearing to knock on, but the referee deemed the ball hit her foot not hand.
South rallied after North dominated all the early territory, with Malcolm Heke coming within a whisker of the try line.
The Force hooker would score on the back of a rolling maul just before the half hour mark. She made it a double, forcing her way over with Wallaroos scrum-half Sammy Wood converting to make it 19-12 at half-time.
North got the all-important first points of the second half, with tireless front-rower Alapeta Ngauamo diving over after a pick and go.
Moments later, Tuheke Kupa almost created another with a feign leading to a line break, only to lose the ball to South’s retreating defence.
South huffed and puffed but couldn’t manufacture any worthwhile opportunities, while North back-rower Taylor Waterson’s line break down the other end almost set up Zion Taurima only for a last-ditch South tackle to deny him.
But North ultimately couldn’t be denied, clinching a 2-1 come-from-behind series triumph, becoming the maiden Pomare Shield winners.
North 26
Tries: Teki Joyce (9’), Derera (14’), Kovacs (17’), Ngauamo (44’)
Conversions: Tuheke Kupa 3/4
South 12
Tries: Malcolm Heke 2x (27’, 32’)
Conversions: Wood 1/2
