The NSW Waratahs have shown why they have been the benchmark for the Super Rugby Women’s competition since its inception, bouncing back from two losses to claim their seventh title, defeating hosts Fijian Drua 34-17 in Ba.
A vocal 4,097 crowd welcomed the sides to the historic occasion, the match marking the first final ever played outside of Australia.
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However, the defending champions spoiled the party for the hosts with a clinical first half, with tries to Desiree Miller and Maya Stewart the reward for a strong performance at set piece and in defence.
The side then reaped the rewards in the second half with tries to player of the match Faliki Pohiva and Rosie Ferguson, pushing the lead out even further.
The Drua fired back in the final 20 minutes through their forwards, with a double to Nunia Daunimoala and a final try at full time to Sulita Waisega.
However, they proved to be consolation as Amelia Whittaker scored two tries of her own to ice the result and put it beyond doubt for the visitors.
So, what did we learn?
There were many areas where the Waratahs bettered the Drua, but if you could boil it down to one key element, it was the game plan and their clinical execution of it.
The Waratahs did well to shut down the Drua weapons out wide, targeting the ruck and putting on to slow down play, while the cover defence put in a huge shift.
Best of all, the side never got sucked into the Fijian style, remaining composed and surviving swings in the game whenever the Drua threatened.
It was the sort of mature, not flashy but all fundamentals performance that bodes well for Australian women’s rugby - and the fact it was done in one of the hardest places to win made it even more impressive.
A key part of the game plan’s success came down to a strong team performance, but several key stars stood out despite that.
Faliki Pohiva was stellar in her player-of-the-final performance, putting on massive hits on the Drua, causing chaos in the scrum and deservedly earning a try for her efforts.
Tia Hinds and Waiaria Ellis brought brilliant skillsets in the halves, delivering solid performances and their synergy paying dividends in unleashing the weapons in the backline.
Rosie Ferguson was rewarded for a strong showing with a try, combining brilliantly with Pleuni Kievit and later Amelia Whittaker, playing a pivotal role in the latter’s two tries that would put the game beyond doubt.
The Fijian Drua had built nicely into the season following their opening round loss to the Waratahs, but after so many strong consecutive performances, they found themselves exposed in key areas in Ba.
Making 10 handling errors in the first half alone, the Drua tried to force several plays which saw them squander several opportunities, and with the side also losing six lineouts, struggled to wrestle back momentum at the set piece.
With the Waratahs also dominating the kicking game and making inroads on attack in the second half, the accumulation of tries early in the second half ultimately proved too much.
The Drua eventually found a way into the match in the second half through the forwards in general play. By that stage, however, the Waratahs made the deficit too large for the Drua to mount a comeback, which ultimately cost them the title.
Sticking with the fundamentals, the Waratahs stood out in several key areas, the set piece and the ruck being two.
Bettering the Drua lineout with six steals, the Waratahs also earned two penalties at scrum time, that Wallaroo-heavy pack putting its experience to good use,
Their defensive pressure was also outstanding, making 11 dominant tackles that shut down the Drua play in key moments, and with 11 line breaks in attack, had moments of brilliant running rugby.
Even though the kicking game wasn’t perfect - with several touch finders not going out - the tactical kicking also proved a massive difference over the hosts, something that will please both coaching staff at the Waratahs and at the national level.
The Super Rugby Women’s season is done and dusted, with one match remaining in the Australian domestic calendar before the Wallaroos return next month.
While the women in sky blue will enjoy today’s result, inevitably, they will now turn their eyes to the winner of the Super Rugby Aupiki final in Christchurch, with Matatū and the Blues set to do battle later this afternoon.
The winner of that fixture will meet the Waratahs next week, and the newly crowned Australian champions will want to make sure they turn out an improved performance, having gone down 36-5 against the Blues Women in the inaugural Champions final last year.
Should the Waratahs make a statement next week, it sets the stage for a thrilling Laurie O’Reilly Cup match next month in Auckland - which will also mark the Wallaroos’ 100th Test match fixture.
