Super W 2022 Rugby Scores, Results and Fixtures
Round 1 of the Super W is underway! We have you covered with the latest scores, results and roundup throughout the 2022 tournament
QLD Reds get off to solid start against Western Force
Western Force vs QLD Reds // Friday 4th March 2022 // HBF Park, WA.
The first match up of the Super W 2022 season was a home fixture for Western Force versus last season’s runners up, Queensland Reds.
The Reds started strongly and their first try of the afternoon came from a brilliant, ripped ball through tighthead Liz Patu. Off the resulting quick ball out the right wing, Caity Costello strongly fended off a scrambling defender to then cross the whitewash. The try was unconverted, 5-0 to the Reds.
The Force had a try disallowed before the Reds started to build some pressure again in their opponents 22. On the 30-minute mark, Tamika Jones was sent to the Sin-Bin after going off her feet and killing the ball around 10 metres out from under the posts.
Soon after, the Force showed some excellent resilience, holding up a try in the left-hand corner despite being a player down. This was only a temporary reprieve, however, with Skyla Adams running off the first phase of a scrum and gliding under the posts for a try Melanie Wilks duly converted.
With the clock in first-half stoppage time, more quick ball and tired legs resulted in Ellie Draper scoring her first try of the season. The try was converted making it 19-0 to the Reds at Half Time.
The Force started brightly in the second half, but it was the Reds who were able to build their score further. Left Winger Ivania Wong scooped up a loose ball and managed to somehow manipulate space for herself to score in the corner, an excellent finish.
Next on the scoresheet was Captain Shannon Parry, who showed quick thinking to take a quick tap penalty and then managed to scramble over the line just to the left of the posts. Wilks converted again to take the score to 31-0 with 25 minutes left to go and a bonus point in the bag for the Reds.
The Force bounced back with Tui Cope also taking a quick tap penalty and running at the scrambling Reds defence to powerfully find her way over the line. The try was converted by Kendra Fell.
However, that was to be the only score of the afternoon for the Force. In the last 10 minutes Imogen Hei showed some good awareness to dart over the line off the back of a quick recycled ball from the Reds.
With 5 minutes left on the clock and tired legs, Renae Nona put a chip behind into space for the Reds to run into. Hana Lane gratefully retrieved the ball and put the icing on the cake for a very fruitful first round match for the Reds.
Final Score: 43-7
Western Force – Try: Tui Cope (61’). Conversion: Kendra Fell.
Queensland Reds – Tries: Caity Costello (12’), Skyla Adams (31’), Ellie Draper (39’), Ivania Wong (45’), Shannon Parry (54’), Imogen Hei (72’), Hana Lane (75’). Conversions: Melanie Wilks (4).
Fijiana Drua cruise past Melbourne Rebels in Super W debut
Melbourne Rebels vs Fijiana Drua // Saturday 5th March 2022 // Endeavour Hills Rugby Club, Victoria.
The debut of the Fijiana Drua over the weekend set a statement to the rest of the competition, with a sensational 66 -5 win over the Melbourne Rebels.
The Drua got themselves on the scoreboard early through Vika Matarugu’s burst through the midfield, fending off a Rebels defender and throwing a pass to Sauto, who scored under the posts.
Matarugu was at it again 10 minutes later, running a superb line through a huge gap into the Rebels 22, before a huge hit stopped her just short of the line. It was only a matter of time though and after a few more phases the Drua were over for their second, with Matarugu popping up again to dive over the line.
The next score came from some expansive, running, rugby which began just outside the Drua’s own 22 with Merewalesi Rokouono starting the move. The power and pace of the Drua was causing too many issues for the Rebels, who conceded a penalty from about 5 metres out. Roela Radiniyavuni took a quick tap and smashed over two Rebels defenders to get the 3rd try, which was also converted to take the score to 21-0 after 28 minutes.
Off the restart the Drua scored again, with tighthead prop Karalaini Naisewa running pretty much from her own 10 metre line, fending off a player and showing pace and power that just never felt like it was going to be stopped. She scored, the try was converted, and that was the end of the first half. 28-0 and Fijiana Drua in cruise control.
The Rebels would have been hoping to show some fightback and get themselves back into the game, but the Drua just continued to show far too much pace, power and skill to be stopped.
They scored 4 tries in the first 11 minutes of the second half, with Radiniyavuni and Mantanatabu scoring either side of a Lomani double.
With 10 minutes left, Naikore showed balance and skill to beat 3 players and score the 9th try of the afternoon for the Drua. Their 10th and final try came from Radiniyavuni, scoring a hattrick, with some expansive play that at times looked like 7’s rugby with the space the Drua were exploiting and the pace and skill on display.
The Rebels, to their credit, got themselves onto the scoresheet within the last 5 minutes through Nawel Remini for an unconverted try. They defended bravely at times, but ultimately the Fijiana Drua’s quality was too much for the Rebels to handle. Final score 66-5.
Defending champions Waratah’s get off to winning start in tough opening fixture
Brumbies vs NSW Waratahs // Saturday 5th March 2022 // GIO Stadium, Canberra.
The Waratah’s secured a win in their opening fixture of the season against a strong Brumbies side after a much improved second half performance.
The rain was lashing down at times in Canberra, and after some physical opening exchanges between to the two sides, it was the Brumbies who drew blood first on 15 minutes. A beautiful delayed pass from Ashleigh Hewson allowed Jemima McCalman to burst through a gap and score under the posts for a converted try.
Later in the half, the Waratahs conceded a penalty in their own 22 and Brumbies 10 Ashleigh Hewson took full advantage by knocking over the penalty for a 10-0 lead.
The Waratah’s then fought back with 5 minutes left in the first half. They built some good phase play in the Brumbies 22, and with the pitch stretched Pauline Piliae executed a Crossfield kick that bounced favourably for Emily Chancellor to crash over.
A great conversion from Lori Cramer took the game to 10-7 to the Brumbies at half time with all to play for in the second period.
Within the first 5 minutes of the second half, Brumbies inside-centre Siokapesi Palu found herself in the sin-bin after a high tackle on Georgie Friedrichs. This, combined with the introduction of Wallaroos Captain Grace Hamilton at Half-time seemed to spark the Tah’s into life.
Waratah’s took full advantage of their extra player, with Piper Duck scoring almost immediately after the yellow card off a lineout maul from around 15 metres out to take the lead for the first time in the game. Lori Cramer added the extras with another great conversion.
The Tah’s found some momentum after this and after some slick hands and movement, Mahalia Murphy was flying over in the corner for a great try.
Murphy scored again for the Waratah’s to extend their lead on 55 minutes. The Tah’s spread the ball wide and with some space to play with, Murphy made the try look easy despite having a lot to do and touched down in the corner. Cramer, who was impressive from the tee all day, added the conversion from the touchline to make the score 26-10.
With about 5 minutes of the game to play, Jemima McCalman got the second try of the game for both herself and the Brumbies. It came from a Crossfield chip from Ashleigh Hewson, and the ball bounced perfectly into McCalman’s hands. She showed her pace and composure to glide past a final Waratah’s defender to score. Hewson scored the conversion to bring a little bit of tension into the final stages of the game.
The Waratahs, however, with a bonus point win already secured, managed to have the final say. The rain was bucketing down when Katrina Barker put a perfect cross-field kick into the corner for Mahalia Murphy to dive onto, in the process securing her hattrick and a strong finish to the game.
The final score was 31-17 to the Waratahs and a 19th successive win for the defending champions in Super W.
