Ferns on form in NPC

Pic: Otago Spirit made history beating Auckland at home

New Zealand's Women's National Provincial Championship was first played in 1999, and has undergone a number of changes of design (and name) since.In 2006 it was reduced to a core of six teams playing in one grade - Auckland, Canterbury, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu, Otago and Wellington. In 2010, the competition wascancelled, but it returned in 2011and this year expanded to eight teams with the inclusion of Counties Manukau, Taranaki and Waikato (Hawke's Bay dropping out).

Auckland have won every tournament except one (in 2006 they went down to Wellington in the Final) since 1999. Canterbury were the beaten finalists in 2012.

The league phases of tournament is being played over seven weekends, ending on 19th October, and after four rounds neither Auckland nor Canterbury lead the way - instead it's Otago who are on top, after a 29-23 win in Auckland last weekend. Auckland had been crusing, 20-9 ahead at halftime with tries from Claire Richardson, Fiaoo Faamausili, and Doris Taufateau - but in the second half Anika Tiplady lead a remarkable turnaround. Her try and 19 points from the boot overall, aided by a second try from Lucy Anderson, was enough to allow Otago to go away with the points.

That performance leapt Tiplady into fifth place in the points scorers table, alongside Hazel Tubic from Counties Manukau and Wellington's Katarina Simpkins, and just behind teammate Halie Hurring who scored 30 points in Otago's first three games.

However, its the familiar figure of Canterbury's Kendra Cocksedge who leads the points scorers with 52 points from her four games. That has contributed to Canterbury lying in second place - as well as making them NPC's highest scorers so far, with only one defeat (to Auckland) in the opening week.

Waikato's Chelsea Alley is also showing great form with 42 points, though her contribution was not enough to stop her team going down to a 25-18 defeat to Canterbury last weekend. However, the game was notable for seeing two familiar faces making their Waikato debuts - Spanish internationals Patricia Garcia and Irene Schiavon (along with Berta Garcia, who has yet to play her first game) are training and playing with the province as part of Spain's preparation for the World Cup.

Waikato lie in fifth place. Just above them in fourth are Manawatu, with Selica Winata standing out as the NPC's leading try scorer with five tries in her first three games. However, she missed out last weekend, and this may have contributed to her team's 21-18 loss to Hazel Tubic's Counties Manukau - their first win of the season so far.

Wellington also picked up their first win of the season with a 49-3 six-try win over bottom team Taranaki. As well as Katarina Simpkins, Brenda Colllins and Aimee Sutorius were also on form - all touching down in the game.

Positions (after 4 of 7 games)

Team

Played

Win

Draw

Loss

For

Against

BP1

BP2

Points

Otago

4

4

0

0

119

65

2

0

18

Canterbury

4

3

0

1

169

74

2

0

14

Auckland

4

3

0

1

86

72

0

1

13

Manawatu

4

2

0

2

105

63

2

2

12

Waikato

4

2

0

2

72

89

0

1

9

Wellington

4

1

0

3

100

72

1

2

7

Counties Manukau

4

1

0

3

65

86

0

2

6

Taranaki

4

0

0

4

37

232

0

0

0

Leading points scorers are:52Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury) 3 tries, 11 con, 5 pen42Chelsea Alley (Waikato) 2 tries, 4 con, 8 pen33Selica Winiata (Manawatu) 5 tries, 1 con, 2 pen30Halie Hurring (Otago) 4 tries, 2 con, 2 pen24Hazel Tubic (Counties Manukau) 3 con, 6 penAnika Tiplady (Otago) 1 try, 2 con, 5 penKatarina Simpkins (Wellington) 3 tries, 3 con, 1 pen23Emma Jensen (Auckland) 1 con, 7 penLeading try scorers:5Selica Winitana (Manawatu)4Halie Hurring (Otago)Amina Rule (Canterbury)Estelle Uren (Canterbury)3Brenda Collins (Wellington)Katarina Simpkins (Wellington)Aimee Sutorius (Wellington)Michaela Bryde (Taranaki)Lucy Anderson (Otago)Crystal Mayes (Manawatu)Kendra Cocksedge (Canterbury)Corrina Whiley (Canterbury)Olivia Bird (Canterbury)Fiao'o Faamausili (Auckland)