SEVEN IN A ROW AT HOME – VODAFONE WARRIORS 26, PARRAMATTA 18

The Vodafone Warriors made it a record seven home wins on end when they opened their 2009 NRL campaign with a 26-18 win over Parramatta at Mount Smart Stadium tonight.
Last season’s home finals victory against the Sydney Roosters had stretched their run to six, until now the best in the club’s history.
It was also the third time in as many years that the Vodafone Warriors have had the Eels as their first home opponents of the season – and the third time they’ve won, too, after a 34-18 victory in 2007 and a 30-16 result last year.
But tonight’s triumph wasn’t without concerns as injuries reduced the Vodafone Warriors to just 14 fit players for the last few minutes of the game. Former North Queensland back rower Jacob Lillyman was the only player available on the bench.
For all that, there was much to like about the way the home side opened up on a night strong on emotion.
In fact, the whole week had been emotional starting with memorial services for Sonny Fai on Monday and Tuesday followed by the build-up to captain Steve Price’s 300th first-grade appearance. There was a massive ovation when he ran out of the tunnel ahead of his team-mates to a cacophony of sound from fireworks and a rapturous crowd.
On the other side of the equation, tonight was a homecoming of sorts for Parramatta’s new coach Daniel Anderson, returning to Mount Smart Stadium for the first time in five years after coaching the Vodafone Warriors in a club record 92 matches from 2001-04. No one in the crowd wanted him to have reason to enjoy the night and all too soon the Vodafone Warriors produced touches that showed why so many judges – notably in Sydney – are heavily tipping them to not only make this year’s grand final but win it for the first time.
While that’s months away, a superbly executed run around gave newcomer and ex-Bronco Joel Moon his first try for the club in just the ninth minute. And only five minutes later prop Russell Packer, brought in to start with Kiwi international Sam Rapira used from the bench, powered his way over. New winger Denan Kemp converted both for an early 12-0 lead during a period when the Vodafone Warriors could do no wrong as they completed their first 12 sets in possession.
The Eels, seeking redemption after a poor 2008 season (including their final 6-28 defeat that allowed the Vodafone Warriors to make last year’s finals), came back into the contest with an Eric Grothe try that came all too easily.
But the introduction of Lance Hohaia 10 minutes before halftime was immediately effective as he underlined once again why he is possibly the most dangerous interchange player in the game at the moment.
He’d been on the field only a minute when he speared through and then straight after halftime he was in again, scything through directly from a scrum win. With Kemp converting both tries, the Vodafone Warriors were out to a healthy 24-6 lead and then made that 26-6 after a Kemp penalty.







Soon after, though, the Vodafone Warriors found they had something of an injury crisis on their hands. They’d lost young second rower Ben Matulino with an ankle injury after only 14 minutes and in the 49th minute the electric Hohaia was forced off with a knee injury. Neither of them could take any further part in the game but the full extent of their injuries won’t be known for a day or two yet.
With only two options left on the bench, some players were required to play more minutes than expected. Price played the first 47 minutes before being rested – and just 11 minutes later he was back on as he went on to play 69 minutes in all. Lillyman, who played only about 20 minutes in the trials as he came back from shoulder surgery, had a 61-minute stint.
With that pressure on resources, Parramatta pegged its way back into the match with some clever football, the likes of Jarryd Hayne, Feleti Mateo and Krisnan Inu all posing threats. Hayne scored and Inu followed not long after to draw the margin back to 18-26 with 20 minutes to play.
Both sides became guilty of failing to complete sets at a time when the Vodafone Warriors were striving to close the Eels out but couldn’t execute consistently.
There was also concern when loose forward Micheal Luck was flattened by a Fuifui Moimoi hit that knocked him out and forced him from the field with three minutes left (he soon recovered, though, and will be fully assessed next week).
While there were plenty of anxious moments the eight-point buffer created by Kemp’s penalty – he had a perfect five from five – ultimately proved invaluable.
And so the Vodafone Warriors prevailed to provide a perfect outcome for Price’s 300th appearance. He delivered in bucket loads as well, credited with 24 runs and 190 metres gained in the provisional stats for the match.
An anticipated sell-out crowd didn’t eventuate with the official figure being 17,477, still comfortably the best for the first home match of the season for several years. Despite the final figure posted more than 20,000 tickets were actually sold, indicating quite a few people simply decided not to turn up.

At Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Vodafone Warriors 26 (Lance Hohaia 2, Joel Moon, Russell Packer tries; Denan Kemp 4 conversions, penalty).
Parramatta Eels 18 (Eric Grothe, Jarryd Hayne, Krisnan Inu tries; Luke Burt 3 conversions).
Halftime: 18-6 Vodafone Warriors.
Referees: Ashley Klein and Alan Shortall.
Crowd: 17,477.

Injury update for White Ferns Wicketkeeper Rachel Priest

Rachel received a heavy blow to her lower left lip and jaw during the match against England.

As a precautionary measure, x-rays were taken, no fractures were evident but dentistry will be rquired to re set a tooth that was knocked out.

DEVASTATING LAST-MINUTE LOSS FOR VODAFONE JUNIOR WARRIORS IN NYC SEASON OPENER

Parramatta centre Brad Graham scored a 79th minute try to give his side a dramatic 28-26 win over the Vodafone Junior Warriors in tonight’s NYC season opener at Mount Smart Stadium.
The home side raced to a 16-0 lead inside 15 minutes and led throughout the match – until Graham’s devastating strike.
That levelled the score at 26-26 with halfback Daniel Mortimer sliding through the close-range conversion for a victory the Parramatta players deservedly celebrated.
Earlier Vodafone Junior Warriors standoff Shaun Johnson had shown numerous touches of class, scoring two tries himself and producing a stunning chip kick which he collected expertly and then stepped and swerved past defenders before sending interchange forward Elijah Niko in for magnificent try.
That gave the Vodafone Junior Warriors a 20-10 lead and they were ahead 26-16 early in the second half but couldn’t withstand the Eels’ magnificent comeback.
Match details:
At Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Vodafone Junior Warriors 26 (Shaun Johnson 2, Siuatonga Likiliki, Thomas Ah Van, Elijah Niko tries; Kevin Locke 3 conversions).
Parramatta Eels 28 (Domenic Nasso 2, Albert Kelly, Mitchell Johnson, Brad Graham tries; Daniel Mortimer 4 conversions).
Halftime: 20-10 Vodafone Junior Warriors.
Referees: Ashley Klein and Alan Shortall.
Crowd: 20,000.

Aussies To Meet In ASB Pro Circuit Final

Two Australians will meet in the men’s final of the ASB Pro Circuit Tennis Futures at Albany Tennis Park, North Harbour after they were forced to move their semifinals indoors as a result of persistent rain.



Second seed Adam Feeney beat fourth seeded Russian Artem Sitak in a tight match 7-5 7-6(6) in the US$15,000 event where the tennis was way above the usual Futures standard. Sitak ranked at 410 is investigating becoming a New Zealand player and would add some depth to the small Kiwi contingent of professional players.



Twenty-three-year-old Feeney who has a current ranking of 379 but has been inside the world’s top-250 in singles and ranked at 100 in doubles will be the slight favourite against third seeded countryman Rameez Junaid 27, who has also been ranked highly in his career.



Junaid defeated unseeded Japanese player Yuichi Ito in a draw out contest 7-5 4-6 6-2 in two hours and 21 minutes and is now aiming for his third career Futures singles title. He has had good success in New Zealand previously having make the final at the Wellington Futures tournament last year.



Meanwhile the US$10,000 women’s final will be contested between sixth seed Ling Zhang of Hong Kong who is also targeting her third Futures singles title. Zhang, 19 with a ranking of 369 won the Wellington Futures title two years ago caused a minor upset with her 7-5 6-2 victory over top seed Sandy Gumulya(Indonesia).



Zhang will face second seed and her doubles partner, I-Hsuan Hwang from Taipei in the final after Hwang easily dispatched qualifier So-Jung Kim of Korea 6-3 6-0.



The women’s final will be held from 1pm on Sunday followed by the men’s singles final.



Men’s US$15,000 ASB Pro Circuit quarterfinal singles, North Harbour

(2)Adam Feeney(Australia) bt (4)Artem Sitak(Russia) 7-5 7-6(6)

(3)Rameez Juniad(Australia) bt Yuichi Ito(Japan) 7-5 4-6 6-2,



Women’s US$10,000 ASB Pro Circuit quarterfinal singles:

(2)I-Hsuan Hwang(Taipei) bt (Q)So-Jung Kim(Korea) 6-3 6-0

(6)Ling Zhang(Hong Kong) bt (1)Sandy Gumulya(Indonesia) 7-5 6-2

WHITE FERNS LOSE TO ENGLAND BY 31 RUNS AT ICC WOMEN'S WORLD CUP IN SYDNEY

England won the toss and elected to bat in hot, sunny conditions.

The White Fern bowlers, backed up by outstanding ground fielding restricted England to 142/4 from 43 overs with only the English captain Charlotte Edwards showing any freedom against the line and length bowling.

With the start of the 44th over,England then took their batting powerplay and scored 201/5 losing the wicket of Edwards along the way but scoring a valuable 55 runs in that five over spell.

Excellent run rate concedence from right arm medium pacer Nicola Browne [1/11 off 7] captured the key wicket of world number one ODI batter Claire Taylor having her caught behind by replacement keeper Lucy Doolan for 19.

A full blow to the left side of the face was taken by wicketkeeper Rachel Priest froma ball that was swung fine by Taylor,this neceesitated a change while Priest received medical care, she returned at the fall of Taylor's wicket.

Sarah Tsukigawa also returned excellent figures of 1/30 off her ten overs.

England totalled 201 after fifty overs, a more than fair return given the slowness of the outfield here at Bankstown.

Set 202 to win The White Ferns began cautiously, off ten overs they had lost Kate Pulford withthe score at 30-1,

Demanding line and length bowling inhibited the White Ferns, particularly from off spinner Laura Marsh, who finished her spell 2/21 from 10 and left arm spinner Holly Colvin.

All the England bowlers pressurised the Kiwi batters to the extent, they were forced to go into the air and with no pace on the ball couldn't peirce the field and subsequently got caught.

White Ferns captain Haidee Tiffen opened the innings and once getting to fifty off 109 balls was well caught on the off drive when the team total was 126 in the 43 rd over, Tiffen getting 53.

126/7 became 147/8 after a brief 14 run flurry from Nicola Browne.

Injured wicketkeeper Priest strode to the crease at number 11 still in the 46th over 150/9.

Sarah Tsukigawa and Priest added 18 before The White Ferns were all out for 170 in the 49th over, England skipper Charlotte Edwards captured 4/37 achieving a fine double for the match

The White Ferns now look to India on Tuesday.