The SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Women’s team has been named for their first match of the 2018 Farah Palmer Cup against Counties Manukau at Taupiri Rugby Club on Saturday (1 September). 

Both teams come from the Chiefs Country province and so they will be vying for the new Chiefs Country Cup in the same fashion as the four Chiefs’ province teams do in the Mitre 10 Cup.

SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Women’s head coach Wayne Maxwell has named a strong side that features 22 players from four different Waikato clubs. 2017 captain Sosoli Talawadua has again retained the captaincy and this season she will be supported in her leadership role by Blackfern’s player Chelsea Alley. Alley is fresh from the recent Blackfern’s campaign that saw them retain the Laurie O’Reilly Cup with back to back wins over Australia.

2018 Gallagher Women’s Premiership winning Melville Captain Ashlee Gaby-Sutherland has been recalled into the squad for the first time since 2014 off the back of a strong season with her club.

The team also features two women who are in line to make their provincial debut. University Hooker Stacey Littleworth has been named as the starting Hooker and will earn her first

cap. Hamilton Old Boys player Lena Mitchell has a chance to make her Waikato debut from the bench.    

SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Women take on Counties Manuaku at Taupiri Rugby Club, Murphy Lane on Saturday afternoon, kick-off is at 1.00pm.

1.    Grace Houpapa-Barrett (Melville)

2.    Stacey Littleworth (University)*

3.    Tanya Kalounivale (Hamilton Old Boys)

4.    Karli Faneva (Melville)

5.    Leomie Kloppers (Hamilton Old Boys)

6.    Kennedy Simon (Hamilton Old Boys)

7.    Ashlee Gaby-Sutherland (Melville)

8.    Natalie Delamare (University)

9.    Ariana Bayler (Hamilton Old Boys)

10.  Chelsea Alley – Vice Captain (University)

11.  Donna Fermanis (Hamilton Old Boys)

12.  Ryleigh Hayes (Melville)

13.  Rina Paraone (University)

14.  Ana Marsters (Hamilton Old Boys)

15.  Makaia Te Kawana(Hamilton Old Boys)

16.  Sosoli Talawadua – Captain (University)

17.  Tyler Reid (Taupiri)

18.  Lena Mitchell (Hamilton Old Boys)*

19.  Emma-Lee Heta (University)

20.  Kanyon Paul (Melville)

21.  Calista Wihone (University)

22.  Lonita Ngalu-Lavemei (Melville)

* = Waikato debut

Article added: Friday 31 August 2018