VINCENTIA’S Ashleigh Hewson has helped Sydney secure the Buildcorp National Women’s XVs Championship for a third year in a row after defeating the ACT 34-nil at Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon.
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Three second-half tries for Sydney sealed their third consecutive national title, against an ACT side that fought tooth and nail the whole way.
Sydney captain Hewson scored 19 points in the title match, booting four conversions, two penalties and scoring a try.
The final was the ACT team’s, which included Bomaderry Harriet Elleman, only defeat in the competition, and their third consecutive runner-up finish.
In a dominating performance across the three days, Victoria Latu, the number eight for Sydney was named player of the tournament.
In the other matches Queensland finished third, defeating Western Australia in their third-place playoff earlier in the day 27-13, with five penalties from Fenelle Hake helping the hosts to that win.
NSW Country and the ADFRU scored a try apiece in the fifth-place playoff, but a penalty from flyhalf Nicole Hall sealed a win for the Defence Force in extra time.
The South Australia Barbarians took out the seventh-place playoff in a tight 17-12 win over Victoria, despite a double from Rebels number eight, Ashley Marsters.
Buildcorp Wallaroos coach Paul Verrell will select a squad from this weekend’s nationals to travel to New Zealand in June, ahead of the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup which will be held in Ireland.