PHOTO
The future of girls’ rugby at Wakatipu High’s looking bright after its First XV came from behind to beat arch-rivals Cromwell College to win its first-ever piece of silverware.
Down 22-nil early in the second half, the team mounted a thrilling comeback against their bigger and more experienced opposition to win 29-27 and claim the Otago Country Secondary Schools Girls’ title.
Guided by head coach Cory Tiananga and assistants Blair Duffy, Dave Joll and Aka Nawai, it’s the first time the school’s girls’ team has won the title.
Duffy says superior fitness and some positional changes in the second half were behind the second-half turnaround.
“They’ve been a very good second half team throughout the season — and we’ve got some really good senior players who stepped up.”
The team’s defence of their goal line in the second half was “massive”, he says.
“They were literally making tackles with the attacking player crossing the try line but getting underneath and managing to repel them.
Rugby isn’t a big sport at the school, but there’s a core of about 20 girls who “love the game”, he says.
“They’ve really struggled for numbers previously and caught a few hidings, but the girls have really stuck with it and got their rewards this year.”
Although the team will lose three senior players this year, he’s confident it can carry its success on to next season.
“There’s no shortage of female athletes at the school, so it’s just about getting some of them keen to strap a pair of rugby boots on.”
Adding to the occasion was the fact it was the team’s first time playing at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium, which, in something of a celebration of girls’ rugby, hosted the finals of both the Metro and Country First XV comps.
