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Winner-take-all final

Thursday 3 August 2023 | Written by Rashneel Kumar | Published in Rugby Union, Sports

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Winner-take-all final
Lady Panthers skipper Rima Browne and Lady Bears captain Stephanie Nooroa are ready to lead their teams in the Rarotonga Club Competition Women’s 10s final this Saturday. RASHNEEL KUMAR/23080247

It’s a ‘winner take all’ final in the Rarotonga Club Competition Women’s 10s showdown between the Lady Panthers and Lady Bears this Saturday at Victoria Park in Tupapa.

The two teams have met twice this season with the Panthers, who have combined with TKV, winning both matches.

However to make the upcoming match more exciting, Cook Islands Rugby Union in consultation with the club have decided to make it a “winner take all final”.

Lady Panthers skipper Rima Browne, who will be featuring in her first match this Saturday, said: “It’s probably good for us, we don’t want to be complacent that we have won the first two games so we have won the entire competition.”

“Going into training we have been polishing up that 1 per cent areas that can change the game.”

Browne said they struggled for numbers at the start of the season and had to combine with TKV players to field a team.

“Some of the girls were willing to play unfortunately they were unable to commit to this 10s season but we were committed to put a team forward because we have a few girls trialling for the Pacific Games at the end of the year in the 7s and 9s and it was important for the girls to have game time.”

Lady Bears captain Stephanie Nooroa said they are hoping to get a “proper game” this weekend.

“It hasn’t been like how our league season was. A lot of our girls are new to union and it’s hard to get them to understand how technical union can be compared to league,” Nooroa said.

“We are looking forward to this week’s game.”

The Panthers versus the Bears final will kick off at 3pm followed by the premier men’s final between defending champions Avatiu Nikao Eels and Tupapa Panthers.

The finals will kick off with the opening prayer at 10.55am followed by junior development matches at 11am, U13s Takuvaine Reds versus Arorangi Bears at 12 noon and U19 Avatiu Eels versus Arorangi Bears at 1.30pm.