School gets top help for final
29th June 2010 02:21PM
By AARON GOILE - Waikato TimesLast year's runners-up host Hamilton Girls' High School in the Vanessa Cootes Cup final and yesterday went through their final preparations for the fixture, under the eye of Waikato-based Simpson-Brown, who was called in to add some spark and confidence to the youngsters.
Coach Mike Smith was hoping the former international would help his players to aspire to go on and further their rugby once they leave school, even though there is no Waikato secondary school girls' team to aim for.
Smith, who is in his second year with the team, also felt it would offer them a fresh approach leading into their most important game of the season.
"Getting some different points of view from someone else instead of hearing my voice all the time," he said of the objective.
"And just trying something a little bit different before a final because it's a big game."
Last year Fairfield suffered an agonising three-point loss in the final to Forest View High School after conceding a late penalty, so there is added motivation to get the job done this time round.
"Hopefully we can learn from what happened last year and see if we can do things slightly differently and go one step further," Smith said.
"Sometimes you learn more from a loss."
Having kept plenty of core players from last year, Fairfield have gone through the seven-match round robin unbeaten and had an inadvertent rest last week when they won by default against Matamata.
In their six games they have scored an average of 53 points, highlighted by a 101-7 annihilation of Cambridge High School.
When they faced HGHS in round two they were 32-17 victors so they're hoping they can carry that psychological advantage into tomorrow.
They're expecting a very physical game and know that HGHS have a big mobile team who can hit hard.
"I think we've improved since we played them last, but so have Girls' High, so I'm looking forward to the game," Smith said.
"It's going to come down to who wants it the most.
"It'll be tough but we'll be up for the challenge." Standouts for Fairfield so far this season have been wingers Ana Marsters and Meisha Enoka, second five-eighth Te Ao Marama Wilson, openside flanker Hautai Te Tomo, and captain and centre Siva Tonga.
The quintet will all be primed for another great performance, with the MVP trophy – donated to the school by former Black Fern Farah Palmer – up for grabs.
