The third round of the Waikato Women’s Championship fixture witnessed an intense clash between the Hauraki North Diamonds and Hautapu, amidst Saturday afternoons wet conditions on the Hauraki Plains. The match, which kicked off at 1pm, was characterized by a relentless battle, despite the challenging weather.
The first half saw both teams fiercely competing, with neither side managing to break the deadlock until the 35th minute when Hautapu surged ahead, claiming the first points of the game. A successful conversion kick further bolstered their lead, ending the half at 0-7 in favour of Hautapu. After the break, Hautapu capitalized on their momentum, extending their lead to 12 points. However, the Hauraki North Diamonds rallied, with a solid period of play from the forward pack rumbling up and grinding through the phases, culminating with blindside Chloe Burgess crossing over the line, narrowing the deficit to seven points.
Despite their efforts, a quick tap penalty in the 75th minute dashed the Hauraki North Diamonds’ hopes of a bonus point, concluding the game with Hautapu emerging victorious at 17-5. Diamonds coach Vita Dryden said she was “proud of the way the girls worked together for 80 minutes, and had each other’s backs in their first wet weather game of the season”.
Despite the loss, the Hauraki North Diamonds showcased significant improvements in the scrums and team defence, drawing several positives from the encounter. They now set their sights on their upcoming fixture against UMS (Matamata) this coming Saturday at Hauraki North’s ground, aiming to build on their performance.
