2006
Spirit 15, Auckland 5
This had been a long time coming.
Otago had never beaten Auckland in a women’s rugby game. In fact, legendary prop Margaret McKenzie had played 83 games for Otago and never tasted success over the city slickers.
The secret to victory in this game at the University Oval was smothering defence.
The Spirit led 5-0 at halftime and 10-0 with 25 minutes to play, and after Auckland scored a try, Otago teenager Hannah Mitchell scored the game-winning try.
Otago Girls’ High School year 12 pupil Kelly Brazier made her first start of the season at halfback for Otago.
Victory meant the Spirit topped the standings and got to host a semifinal at Carisbrook. Unfortunately, they were beaten by Wellington.
2007
Spirit 20, Wellington 10
Otago had revenge on their minds when they headed north to a windy Petone Recreation Ground.
Wellington led 10-0 at halftime but the Spirit roared back to score 20 unanswered points.
Central to their comeback was classy winger Carla Hohepa, who scored three long-range tries as the Spirit sealed third place heading into the playoffs.
2011
Spirit 17, Manawatu 17
Draws are exceedingly rare in the Farah Palmer Cup — something to do with female rugby players having a greater sense of adventure and never being willing to settle for a share of the points.
This clash in Palmerston North was one of those games of two halves.
The Spirit, desperately seeking their first win of the season, completely dominated the latter stages of the first, charging to three tries, including two to rampaging front-rower Beth Mallard.
The Spirit reclaimed the ball from the kick-off and laid siege to the Manawatu line, but could not get across.
2017
Spirit 82, Tasman 0
No, one-sided rugby games do not do much for anyone. But we had to include a good old-fashioned tonking in this list.
This was as dominant as it gets as the Spirit destroyed the Mako at Logan Park.
Otago led 33-0 after 25 minutes and scored 12 tries — admittedly against a team in its debut season.
Spirit second five Kilisitina Moata’ane was at her imperious best, scoring five tries, while Greer Muir and Angie Sisifa each crossed twice.
It was, at the time, a record win for the Spirit. But they beat that record two years later when they destroyed North Harbour 90-0.
2024
Spirit 51, Wellington 38
Recency bias is real but there is no question this needs to be regarded as one of the great Spirit victories.
To set the scene, it was a Farah Palmer Cup Championship semifinal. The Spirit were playing away from home. Against a team that had thumped Otago 51-13 literally seven days earlier.
Oh, and the Spirit were trailing 38-27 with 23 minutes to play at Jerry Collins Stadium in Porirua.
The astonishing comeback started with reserve front-rowers Isla Pringle and Leila Hill combining for a try; Cheyenne Cunningham then made a break and offloaded for Tegan Hollows to score; Sheree Hume added a try; and Bella Rewiri-Wharerau scored in the final minute to send the Spirit to the final.
"I’m a little bit speechless but I’m bloody ecstatic, to be fair," Spirit captain Julia Gorinski told television viewers.
