Why?Why keep playing? Why turn up every Saturday knowing that, in all likelihood, you are going to get beaten - often by a big margin.
The Kaikorai women had a rare triumph last Saturday - a 10-10 draw with Southern - but they are far more familiar with defeat.
They have been beaten by more than 50 points in 15 of their last 28 games. Five times, they haves been thumped by more than 90 points.
But every time they get knocked down, they get up again.
Coach Alarna Lawson, who played 100 games before retiring due to a head knock at the end of last season, said it was about the game more than the result.
''It is about being competitive and playing the game,
giving the competition more teams so there is an actual competition,'' she said.
''When I first started playing 11 years ago, there was actually two divisions. Some clubs had two teams. But slowly teams have drifted away. But we don't want to do that. We want to keep playing.
''At the start of this year it looked as though we wouldn't have a team. But slowly the girls came along. People got in touch with other girls.
''Now we are starting to get quite a few people along to training. I wasn't playing this year but I still wanted the team to continue.''
Lawson (32), a nurse, said focusing on small steps was the way to encourage the team.
''It's been hard over the years. Sometimes we're playing against teams where you start with 15 and then you get down to 14 and the other teams just rattle on the points.
''The last couple of seasons, people have been watching on the sideline, and the next thing they are playing.
''But we just want to make small improvements. Like this year, we managed to score a try in one game where we got beaten by 80 points. It's about being competitive a little bit more.''
She said the draw on Saturday felt like a win, and there were some massive smiles at the end of the match.
Another long-time member is teacher Kirsty Paehua (28), who also brought up 100 games for the team last year.
She started playing when she was just 15 and said the side had been through plenty of ups and downs.
''I like playing with the girls. It is about who you are playing with - the bonds you have within the team.
''I wasn't going to play last year but Alarna was going to come back to play her 100th and I wanted to be there for that.
''It can be disheartening. I won't name the team but when we got down to 12 players we asked the team we were playing if they wanted to even up the numbers. They refused. They just wanted to get as many points as possible. I can't see what they get out of it.''
Paehua's husband, Brent, coached the team for a couple of years before they were married.
Team-mate Maryjane Kivalu said it was tough going at times but it was generally fun.
''It's more about the game than winning. The competition will only get worse if we lose another team,'' Kivalu said.
''We have tried to keep the team going . . . we've just got to remind ourselves you can only become better if you play against the best players.''
Kivalu (23), a commerce student, said the spirit was great in the Kaikorai team.
''The coaching structure we have now is great. Alarna and Kirsty have come back and kept the team alive.
''It is fun. You just have to look at the faces on our players when we get a try. They are happier than the team which won the game.''
