Christchurch Girls’ overpower St Hilda’s

St Hilda’s hooker Hannah Lithgow tries to bust through the tackle of Christchurch Girls’ No 8...
St Hilda’s hooker Hannah Lithgow tries to bust through the tackle of Christchurch Girls’ No 8 Maelle Rossignol during the South Island secondary schoolgirls final at Logan Park on Saturday. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH
Christchurch Girls’ powered to a 60-10 win over St Hilda’s in the South Island secondary schoolgirls final at Logan Park on Saturday.

The victory means the Christchurch school will progress to the First XV top four in Palmerston North next month.

Fullback Harriet Cochrane and first five Poppy Baxter had games to remember.

They both slipped over for three tries. Cochrane also drilled four conversions and Baxter, the daughter of Matatu head coach Blair Baxter, also landed a conversion.

Between them, they scored 40 points.

Baxter is just year 10, so she has a couple of more years in the team, while Cochrane is the younger sister of Otago outside back Mia Cochrane.

Powerful No 8 Maelle Rossignol was another who impressed. She took a lot of tackling and got her pack moving forward.

Nippy halfback Rylee Munro made several darting runs and scored a cracking try.

But while St Hilda’s was outclassed, the home team did enjoy two fine moments.

Winger Erin Willis found herself in space and ran in from 40m to score. It came from a nicely worked back move where impressive second five Anya Clark got outside her marker and got off a wonderful pass to Willis.

Then, late in the game, industrious hooker Hannah Lithgow barged over.

Clark made countless tackles and was one of the best for St Hilda’s.

 

South Island final

The scores

Christchurch Girls’                             60
Harriet Cochrane 3, Poppy Baxter 3, Julia Hutchinson, Rylee Munro, Seruwaia Qalivutu, Trinity Taylor tries; Cochrane 4 con, Baxter con

St Hilda’s                                             10
Erin Willis, Hannah Lithgow tries

Halftime: Christchurch Girls’ 36-5.

 

■  John McGlashan College will play Nelson College in the South Island First XV boys final in Nelson this weekend.

Nelson thumped St Bede’s College 45-19 in the delayed Crusaders final on Saturday.

 

 

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