TRILLO METALS CANTERBURY BULLS WOMEN’S POWER TO CONVINCING HOME WIN OVER ORCAS

The game-breaking class of halves Kyla Lynch-Brown and Tori Harding, a powerhouse forward-pack display and ultra-committed goal-line defence underpinned a winning start to the Trillo Metals Canterbury Bulls Women’s team’s 2024 NZRL National Premiership campaign.

Wellington Orcas were put to the sword 22-8 at Ngā Puna Wai as the Trillo Metal Bulls piled on the last three tries of a largely close-fought encounter.

Lynch-Brown and Harding scored a try each and hand their hands (and in Lynch-Brown’s case, her boot) all over their side’s other four-pointers. Meanwhile, Harmony Simailie, Lupe Manu and Ripena Umaga proved a handful for the Orcas in the middle of the park all afternoon, and the team collectively soaked up a mountain of attacking pressure at their end of the field.

Both sides had tries disallowed inside the opening 10 minutes – Wellington for a forward pass and Canterbury due to an obstruction call.

The breakthrough came in the 17th minute when a deep fifth-tackle kick from Lynch-Brown – who started on the bench – took a freakish bounce straight back into the arms of Umaga, who offloaded for veteran hooker Katey Arona to race away and open the scoring for the Trillo Metals Bulls.

The Orcas levelled the scores with a try just before the half-hour mark, but the hosts hit straight back via a brilliant solo effort from Lynch-Brown, who dummied her way through and fended off another Wellinton defender to score from close range for an 8-4 halftime lead.

Lynch-Brown had also produced a try-saving cover tackle during the first half, while Bayli Rapira rescued the Trillo Metals Canterbury Bulls in the early stages of the second stanza by brilliantly holding up an opponent over the tryline.

But sustained pressure from the Orcas eventually broke down the hosts’ goal-line resistance, squaring up the scoreboard again six minutes into the second half.

Canterbury struck with its first opportunity of the half down the other end, however, with vice-captain Harding and dangerous fullback Saliai Pau combining superbly for winger Paige Roberts to power over in the corner with 20 minutes remaining.

Another dazzling Lynch-Brown break gave the red-and-blacks the field position to open up a crucial 10-point lead. From a scrum win soon afterwards, Harding cut through the Orcas defence with a right-foot step to score under the posts.

The Trillo Metal Canterbury Bulls Women’s team put an exclamation point on the performance via their fifth try with three minutes on the clock. Lynch-Brown was again in the thick of it, putting in a cross-field kick that was gathered on the full by Dayna Napa, who popped a pass for centre Mary Kanace to dive over out wide.

Led by captain Shade McGregor-Pakau, the Trillo Metal Bulls now prepare for an NZRL National Women’s Premiership Round 2 blockbuster against 2023 runners-up Akarana Falcons, on Sunday, September 15 at Ngā Puna Wai.