Alhambra-Union Crazy Horses have set the benchmark for the women’s premier club competition all season, winning six of their eight games.
Dunedin Wahine Sharks — the defending champions — had a few tough weeks in the middle of the season, but came back with a hiss and a roar, putting 58 points on Big River Country in last week’s semifinal.
It makes for an exciting encounter when the two come up against each other in the final today at the North Ground.
Crazy Horses last won the premier title in 2012 and head in to the final having beaten the Sharks twice this season — 27-17 in April and 44-7 two weeks ago.
But co-coach and manager Cathy Charles said her team would approach the game with a clean slate.
"We expect it to be a tough kind of battle," Charles said.
"We’re hoping to win it in the forwards and then the backs will just do their job and finish it off."
They led the competition for most of last year, too — and just stumbled making it to the final — but having kept the core of their players helped elevate the group to go one further this year.
"It’s kind of been a team that we’ve been building on now.
There was the experience of last year, and being able to retain the same players, "and we picked up a couple of really good young new school kids, which has kind of added to the team".
Otago spirit Eilis Doyle and nippy halfback Georgia Cormick, who played a key roll off the bench for Super Rugby Aupiki champions Matatu, will be vital, as is the experience of Zoe Whatarau.
The Sharks, too, are packed with stars, including Spirit backs Sheree Hume, Te Atawhai Campbell and Atawhai Hotene.
Coach Cam Burrow knows his side has had an up-and-down season, calling on 34 players to suit up, testing their depth.
And while that has not been easy, it bodes well for the future of women’s rugby in Dunedin.
"I think there’s been a massive increase in the women’s game and the same in the development grade as well," Burrow said.
"There’s some really good kids coming through, wanting to play and learn the game, so from a women’s rugby perspective, the quality and the standard’s been really good."
The Sharks are fine with picking up the "underdogs" tag for the final and will want to show everyone what they are made of.
"We’ve got a couple of really powerful experienced forwards who generate a lot of momentum through the field.
"So for us it’s just all about having a good attitude and I guess trying to hold on to the ball for as long as possible."
The weather forecast pointed to nice conditions for "a pretty attractive style of rugby" — hopefully in front of a good crowd, he said.
"There’s nothing more special than that, really."
Kickoff is at 12.15pm.
Premier women’s final
North Ground, 12.15pm
AU: Savannah Cleland, Pip Eason, Jamie Church, Xanthe Maole, Zoe Whyte, Kelsey Clark, Georgia Cormick, Bella Rewiri-Wharerau, Zoe Whatarau, Carly Foy, Anna Duncan, Grace Hastie, Vika Piukala, Charlotte Mccondach, Eilis Doyle. Reserves: Paige Church, Taylor Anderson, Heidi Aitken, Kirsty Gemmell, Asha Murphy, Tessa Brown, Poppa Baird
Dunedin: Atawhai Hotene, Tara McNally, Te Atawhai Campbell, Rawinia Ngamoki-Moana, Brigid Corson, Sheree Hume, Abigail Paton, Shakirah Stephen, Kayla Guyton, Kate Naylor, Maddy Sullivan, Rikki Fitzgerald, Erin Adams, Mia Stout, Lyric Siaki. Reserves: Barbara Kuruleca, Grace Titter, Distance Takamori, Grace Guyton, Mai Someya, Charlotte Williams, Caitlin-Judith Heale
