25 September 2025
On Day 2 and the first full day of the National Girls Youth Tournament, the wāhine arrived at Nga Puna Wai full of energy, ready to make their mark. The morning kicked off under clear skies, but the weather shifted in the afternoon as dark clouds rolled in, bringing a few showers. Despite the changing conditions, spirits, spectators, and the level of play remained high throughout the day.
The 16s wāhine opened the day’s matches with intensity. In the combined Section A and B, Counties continued their winning momentum from Day 1, defeating Waikato 20-0. Both Auckland sides, Vulcans and Akarana, claimed their first wins of the tournament, beating Wellington and Bay of Plenty respectively. The final round of the day featured some tight contests, with several teams tied on equal points and vying for semi-final spots. Auckland edged past Waikato in a close 14-10 win, while Akarana beat Wellington 24-4, both Auckland sides securing spots in tomorrow’s semi-finals.
In Section C, a hard-fought South Island clash between Canterbury and South Island ended in a 4-all draw, after 40 minutes of hearty effort by both sides. Manawatu the section leaders from day 1 continued their strong run with a 28-6 win over Northland. In the final round, South Island finally got a win under their belt after two draws, enjoying a 32-4 win against Northland. Manawatu finished section play undefeated and top of the table, holding off a late Canterbury comeback to win 24-16 and advance to the semi-finals.
16s Girls semi-finals:
Counties Stingrays vs Akarana Falcons
Auckland Vulcans vs Manawatu Mustangs
The 18s grade remained highly competitive on Day 2, with two close games in the first round. Counties broke Canterbury’s winning streak in a low-scoring battle, both sides crossing the line only once for it to come down to a conversion, Counties edging 6-4. Akarana and Wellington went head-to-head for their first tournament wins in a balanced match that was tied 8-8 at halftime 8-8. Akarana pulled ahead in the second half, scoring two unanswered tries to secure an 18-8 victory. After a long break, the final matchups of the day took place between Counties and Wellington, and Akarana faced South Island. The Falcons proved too strong for the Scorpions, leaving them scoreless 18-0. Counties extended their unbeaten run to four wins, beating Wellington 22-8 to stay top of the table. With Counties and Canterbury still leading the pack, the 18s will play one more round-robin game tomorrow morning to decide grand finalists for the afternoon.
For all draw and results updates visit sporty.co.nz
On Day 3, finals day, Field 1 and 2 will continue to be live-streamed here pages.nzrl.co.nz/watch-national-youth-tournament-2025
