The Temora Rugby Union Club’s women’s side (Tuskerettes) shot further clear at the top of the Central West Rugby Union South West Fuels Cup ladder after holding the Boorowa Goldilocks team scoreless last Saturday. The Tuskerettes won 29-0 at the Temora Recreation Ground in the five tries to nil rout. The Tuskerettes’ coach Bill McCrone is delighted his side has reached the halfway mark of the season unbeaten after winning in cold and wet conditions at the Temora Recreation Ground last Saturday. Although the final margin suggested a comfortable afternoon for the competition leaders, the result was far from straightforward, with the Tuskers taking just a narrow advantage into halftime after a hard-fought opening 40 minutes. Boorowa adjusted to the slippery conditions better as both teams adopted a direct approach, preferring to attack through the middle rather than risk expansive football. Neither team was willing to give ground in a fiercely-contested physical encounter. McCrone said the deadlock was eventually broken through Kaesha Maxwell, whose strength and determination proved too much for the Boorowa defence when she burst through the defensive line to score the opening try. However, the Tuskerettes soon found themselves under pressure after a period of ill-discipline, which handed Boorowa valuable field position. The intensity of the contest continued to rise, with a heavy head clash resulting in a Boorowa player being sent to the sin bin. The Tuskerettes capitalised on the numerical advantage, shifting the ball wide where Kamryn Wood found space on the edge to score. McCrone said his halftime message was clear and the response after the restart was immediate. “I asked them to improve discipline and stretch the Boorowa defence, which had proven difficult to crack through the middle,” McCrone said. “Monique Kitchener gave us the perfect start to the second half when she burst through multiple defenders inside her own half before leaving the chasing Goldies behind to score beneath the posts. “With confidence growing, we began to play with greater width and freedom. “The change in approach quickly paid dividends as Mylah Maxwell finished off a sweeping backline movement to add another five-pointer.” Kaesha Maxwell then put the finishing touches on a standout display, crashing through for her second try of the afternoon. Monique Kitchener's tireless work through the middle earned her top honours in the Players’ Player voting after producing another influential display. Paris Jones was also recognised by her teammates after pulling on Boorowa colours to help the Goldies make up numbers and proving a constant threat to the Temora defence throughout the match. McCrone said Kaesha Maxwell thrived in the physical conditions and led the attack, while Mylah Maxwell continued her consistent season with another strong performance. Emma Lockley also impressed in her return from a knee injury after missing the previous week's fixture. There will be a general bye on Saturday due to the June long weekend and the Tuskerettes will also have a bye the following week. “With back-to-back byes now ahead, we’ll enjoy a well-earned fortnight's rest before turning our attention to the second half of the campaign and the challenge of maintaining our unbeaten record,” McCrone said.
