Kahurangi's historic win built on pace, power and pulling together

Sunday, 19 July 2026

Kahurangi wing Jessica Drummond scores one of her three tries in the final against Waimea at Cooks Reserve.

Kahurangi women’s rugby captain Hannah Kelly says the team had a simple ambition at the start of the season.

“Our goal was not just to win, but to win convincingly.”

They achieved that goal in style on Saturday, with a thumping 46-13 victory over Waimea to win the TRU Stuff Tasman Trophy for the first time and complete a dominant, unbeaten season.

Kahurangi captain Hannah Kelly, centre, lifts the TRU Stuff Tasman Trophy.

It was a reversal of last year’s final when Waimea won by a point. Memories of that painful loss were wiped away in the winter sunshine and waves of Kahurangi attacks at Cooks Reserve in Riwaka.

Gumboots were the main accessory as a decent-sized crowd gathered on the sideline, lined the clubroom balcony and filled the small open-air grandstand at the rural ground. Those wearing Riwaka and Huia colours - the two clubs that formed Kahurangi in 2013 - outnumbered the red and white shirts of the Waimea supporters.

Kahurangi halfback Tayla Richards on her way to a second-half try.

But it was the visitors who made the most noise early on as their team started well and led through an early penalty.

After 20 minutes you could almost see the gear change in the home team, as their forwards provided the platform for their potent backline to step up. Winger Jessica Drummond scored twice in four minutes to give Kahurangi a 20-8 haltime lead.

Kahurangi prop Lyric Siaki heads for the try line.

One of the best sights in rugby is a big prop on the loose. Kahurangi’s Lyric Siaki got one of the day’s biggest cheers when she burst into space 30 metres out early in the second half. The Waimea cover defence eventually pulled her down but a few phases later she powered over.

Waimea refused to let their title go without a fight, bringing it back to 25-13 after a charging down an attempted Kahurangi clearance on their line.

But in the last quarter it was all the home side, scoring three more tries including a third for Drummond.

At full-time the Kahurangi substitutes sprinted on to the field and there was a rolling maul of hugs and high-fives.

Waimea’s Alesha Dempster is congratulated after scores a second half try from a charge down.

Kelly paid tribute to their coaching staff for giving them the structure to play to their strengths out wide.

The flanker and and a number of other Kahurangi players will be trialling for the Tasman Mako Farah Palmer Cup squad. Kelly was hopeful a core of the winning team would be back next year.

Kahurangi coach Jason Richards said his team’s discipline and line speed helped set up the win, along with their team spirit. That had been built throughout the year with regular dinners, on top of the trainings and strategy sessions.

Waimea prop and captain Stephani Mitchell is tackled by the Kahurangi defence.

“We do a lot as a group outside of rugby and that’s where it’s working. It’s the culture, it’s friendship, you know, and actually having fun.”

The spirit was illustrated by No 10 Lucy Brown who flew back from her Super rugby commitments in the North Island to play in the final.

Richards only regret was the lack of rugby funding for the women’s game at club and provincial level, despite the huge commitment from the players and staff, particularly those with families.

The family nature of the club was illustrated on Saturday as the Kahurangi players’ children joined their mothers for the celebratory photo with the trophy. As Hannah Kelly lifted the silverware it caught her two year-old daughter Lulu on the head, providing the only tears among the smiles.

But she quickly recovered, perhaps a promising sign for a future rugby career. “She’s pretty rough and tumble,” her mother said.