2020 Farah Palmer Cup
Captain: Anna Bradley
Coach: Mel Bosman
Asst. Coach: Steve Curtis, Billy Guyton
Manager: Jo MacLean
It was a difficult season for the Mako having lost several players, including the air force pair Hayley Hutana and Wairakau Greig who were transferred to Whenuapai in North Harbour.
The change in competition format to north-south pools meant further issues for Mako, a union still in its infancy in establishing a competitive Farah Palmer Cup squad. This resulted in heavy losses to the well-established teams. Many of the regular players were in their second or third championship seasons.
Timara Silcock had moved to Canterbury but was loaned back to Tasman and was the team’s best performer. She was a consistently effective flanker. Blenheim-born and Motueka-educated Elisha Godsiff, also loaned from Canterbury, was the ‘rookie’ of the year, a 19-year-old who gave Silcock grand support in the loose.
Other teenagers to impress were versatile back Eve Findlay, lock Jess Harvie and prop Alisi Seigafo. Bethan Manners showed improvement.
Taylor Curtis, daughter of assistant coach Steve Curtis, and twin sister of Canterbury wing Sam Curtis was loaned from Auckland.
Results and Scorers
Game 1 [L] – Sat 12 Sep, 1pm – v Wellington – Blenheim
Tasman 0 – Wellington 62. HT: 0-36.
Game 2 [L] – Sun 20 Sep, 11.35am – v Manawatu – Palmerston North
Manawatu 88 – Tasman 0. HT: 47-0.
Game 3 [L] – Sat 26 Sep, 11.35am – v Otago – Nelson
Tasman 24 (Stephani Mitchell 2, Anna Bradley, Ashley Ulutupu tries; Eve Findlay 2 con) – Otago 67. HT: 5-33.
Game 4 [L] – Sun 4 Oct, 12pm – v Hawke’s Bay – Motueka
Tasman 5 (Pippa Andrew try) - Hawke’s Bay 62. HT: 0-19.
Game 5 [L] – Sat 17 Oct, 12pm – v Canterbury – Christchurch
Canterbury 84 – Tasman 0. HT: 39-0.
