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Regional | League

Auckland challenges defending champs at NZRL National Women’s Tournament

Seven regional teams from all over the country, travelled to Puketawhero Park in Rotorua to compete in the Rugby League National Women’s Tournament.

Nadene Conlon of Rugby League New Zealand says, "It’s been an amazing three days of rugby league with some really outstanding skills on display.”

Last year’s winners Counties Manukau were favourites going into the final against the Akarana Falcons.

Counties were first to score and at half time lead the competition by 22 points.

Akarana never found an opportunity to score throughout the rest of the game and in the end a 34-nil result went in favour to Counties Manukau.

Counties manukau fullback Sarina Fiso said “Leading up to this game we were playing 40 minute games. So, we knew we had to fight for the whole hour.”

Emma Cairns from the Akarana Falcons team said her team pulled their hearts out in today’s final “It's not nice losing and we never like losing but the fact is we did everything we could to win today, Counties heads up they put in that extra bit and they came out with the win.”

From this tournament a New Zealand Rugby League Women’s team will be announced. Coach, Alan Jackson is looking to take the best players into next year’s ANZAC team to play Australia.