In a season where teams play as many pre-season trial matches as actual competition matches we are now at the Super Rugby Women’s grand final stage.
Wallaroos coach Jo Yapp, at the Waratahs vs Force match, referred to the level of physicality in all the matches this season and the semi-finals were no exception. Maybe this is a result of playing a number of pre-season trials so they hit the competition running, plus it is a World Cup year.
Queensland Reds vs Fijian Drua
What a weird match this was. At halftime the Reds were up 42-5 and it looked like it was going to be an absolute blow out win by the Reds. Final score 54-40. The Drua, a bit like the Moana Pasifika against the Waratahs men, made a huge comeback.
The Reds were generally just ahead enough by a score or two to ensure the levels of anxiety, while no doubt a bit concerning, were not quite at overwhelming levels.
In the first half it was all Reds which is no surprise when you see the score. It is quite astonishing how good Shalom Sauaso is at 17 years old. We say it after each game, and it cannot be overstated how dominant she is. She leads the competition in line breaks. As Lori Cramer said in an ABC radio interview on Saturday, she is like a baby rhino. But it is not just in attack. Her defence and turnover work are top-notch too.
Shalom Sauaso of the Reds makes a break during the Super Rugby Women’s Semi Final match between Queensland Reds and Fijian Drua at Ballymore Stadium on April 06, 2025 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
A key moment in the game was in the second half with the Drua making their comeback and having scored 21 points straight. There were three parts to the one moment. First up Sauaso halted the Drua attack by getting a critical turnover penalty. Next while most players were pondering, Layne Morgan took a quick tap and made some serious metres downfield. The Drua were on the back foot, and from the ruck Eva Karpani made a barnstorming run, and crossed for a try.
Karpani has really warmed up into the season.
As noted earlier it was physical and hopefully the injury list will not be too bad. Co-Captain Jemma Bemrose came off early with an ankle injury from a sort of hip drop tackle. At one stage prop Bree-Anna Browne looked a bit distressed over her ACL knee but she was able to stay on. Then Sarah Riordan went down with a shoulder problem, then later an issue with her knee before coming off.
Overall, the Reds played very well and will be feeling mighty confident heading into the grand final. And they should be. They are a big, strong and highly skilled team. A Super Rugby title still eludes them so they will be desperate for a win on Saturday.
NSW Waratahs vs Western Force
The scoreline of 54-17, like the Reds vs Drua game, was very deceptive. It looks like an overwhelming and easy win for the Waratahs. The reality, it was a very physical match. The scoreline did not do justice to the effort the Force put in.
An issue for the Force was discipline, too many penalties. Captain Trilleen Pomare was yellow carded after a warning because there were too many high tackles. The tackle execution was obviously flawed but it demonstrated how the Force were trying to play, hard and dominant.
The Waratahs have more experience in big games and from playing together. In the first couple of minutes the Force were immensely physical.
Their backrow of Ash Marsters, Tamika Jones and Pia Tapsell were brutal. Tapsell was angry all match and was angry when replaced. (Lip readers could possibly pick up a word or two of her displeasure as she walked off).
The Waratahs weathered that initial storm with some very solid defence and the Force were unable to convert the pressure into points. The Waratahs however converted their opportunities. By the 20-minute mark the Waratahs were all of a sudden up 19-0 with Maya Stewart getting a double. A try by the Force right on half time, as a result of a Waratahs error, made it look closer. The Waratahs were up 19-12.
Despite the Force’s intent in the second half the Waratahs scored five more tries with Georgina Friedrichs putting on a masterclass with three. You can only say it so many times, but she is a very, very good player and never has a poor game. For the Waratahs and Wallabies, she is in the first-picked category.
As a side note, Annabelle Codey was not on the Rugby AU contract list but she must be pushing for an inclusion in the Wallaroos train-on squad. She is an absolute workhorse. It would be interesting to know how many carries she made this season. With Layne Morgan going to the Reds last minute, Tatum Bird has had to suddenly step up as the starting half. She is doing her job and playing very well, considering Saturday was a rare start for the Waratahs.
Sticking to positives it was great to see Caitlyn Halse come off the bench after her extended injuries. She slipped back into the backline seamlessly, looked good and scored a try.
For the Waratahs there will be a lot of bruised bodies and at least one player’s season looks done. Leilani Nathan went down with a knee injury, so bad the green whistle came out. It appears her season and World Cup hopes are probably over.
Piper Duck came off with what was said to be a shoulder injury. Add to that Adiana Talakai came off with a neck issue following a scrum collapse. Stewart was carried off with what look like both hamstrings cramping. Fingers crossed they are all OK for the final.
Obviously the Force will be disappointed to lose the semi-final, and it would be interesting to know how they assess the season. It started with a draw, then a very close loss to the Waratahs, a win over the Drua, then two big losses to the Reds and now the Waratahs. It is always hard to assess the impact the loss of players has on performance but in those two games they were without flyhalf Grace Freeman, half Georgia Cormick and prop Allana Sikimeti.
It is now Grand Final time, Waratahs v Reds at North Sydney Oval, 2.35pm on Saturday.
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