Valley Black began their quest for a fourth consecutive Premiership title and a fourth unbeaten season against USRC Tigers as dusk descended on Happy Valley. Valley began the game on the front foot with new signing Aroha Savage, the number 8 who last month won the Women’s Rugby World Cup with the Black Ferns, the focus of much of the play as new Player Coach Bella Milo pushed her players to use the width of the pitch. Valley’s fast start paid dividends in the fifth minute when Savage touched down for a try on debut that owed much to her will to score.
USRC in their new strip of almost completely yellow shirts, worked hard but some individual errors and poor work at the breakdown allowed Valley to strengthen their hold on the game as Bella Milo touched down for a second try on 20 mins which Zoe Smith converted, 12-0 to Valley. The Tigers really had yet to get into the game and with Valley spending increasing amounts of the game inside the USRC 22, a third try soon arrived.
It was backs to the pen for the Tigers, but their defence was solid and a magnificent break out run from Winnie Siu along the far touchline and into the Valley 22 had Tigers supporters hollering. A resulting Valley infringement almost on the touchline offered the chance for the Tigers to kick for the corner and look to score from the resulting line-out. Instead looking to get some points on the board, Charlotte Mryans pointed to the posts and slotted an absolutely beautiful struck penalty between the uprights for the Tigers first points of the season, 17-3.
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Valley came right back though and camped themselves inside the Tigers 22 under such intense pressure there was little surprise among those watching when the Black forwards used their power to create a second try for Savage under the posts which Smith dutifully converted 24-3.
The Tigers made a final foray before the half time whistle and some slick passing saw them inside the 22 but they couldn’t come away with any points. Valley easily in charge and without having to do too much.
Stern words from their stand in coach during the break saw the Tigers up their game at the start of the second half and USRC’s physically , commitment and solid defence blunted the Valley attack for long periods during the third quarter but the humidity and the effort were taking it’s toll on theTigers as injuries mounted. Despite the stoic defence, Valley’s back were having more of ball and starting to string their passes together. A fine line break by Jade saw her almost score, but for a fine try saving Tiger tackle which keep the score as it was at the half. Moments late Jade thought she had scored with a 50m sprint down the near touchline only for the try to be ruled out for a pinkie toe in touch.
The Tigers grabbed the resulting line-out and worked the ball out of their 22 only to concealed a penalty for offside. Quickly taken by Valley it almost sees them to the try line. As Valley ring the changes the Tigers work their way into the Valley 22 and the backs create a lovely overlap and look certain to score in the near corner, but the ball is slow and Valley’s last ditch tackle saves a certain try.
Fatigue and fitness are starting to tell. A break down the near side by Jade, is followed by a surging line break through the centre of the Tigers defence Bella Milo who releases Jade for the first score of the second half.
Soon to be followed by another as Riva Bril breaks out courtesy of a strong handoff and sets up Karen So for Valley’s sixth try.
Aroha Savage completes her superb debut by charging through the heart of a tiring defence leaving a swathe of Tigers on the ground as searches for her hat-trick. A slick handoff brings the backs into the attack and quick hands along the line sees Jade score in the corner for her second try. 39-3.
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And that’s how it finished, final score 39-3. USRC pushed Valley hard in a physical encounter, but never really looked like scoring a try. Tigers President Marco Cassandro commenting that he was proud of how his team played. “It’s the first game of the season, we’ve got some new faces and a really strong and positive feeling within the club about what we can achieve this season. We’re not at Valley’s level yet, but we’re progressing well”.
On the Valley sidelines new signing Black Fern Rawinia Everitt whose assisting with the coaching as she recovers from injury said the she was impressed with the Valley squad, “I want to bring some of the All Black rugby culture to the club, to ensure that players have the desire and passion to wear the shirt, and what it means and what you have to bring to wear the shirt!”