Honoured, excited, privileged.  

Ōpōtiki women had a high-level helping hand in their clash against Te Puke Pirates last weekend with Black Fern hooker Luka Connor joining them on the field.

Connor, who somewhat surprisingly has been left out of the team to play in the Pac4 competition featuring, Canada, Australia and the USA, returned to her roots and donned the Ōpōtiki colours for the first time in several years.

Ōpōtiki dominated proceedings to win 51-5, with Connor bagging a couple of tries in an impressive display.

She was joined by Chiefs Manawa teammate Tynealle Fitzgerald and together they added some real firepower to the Ōpōtiki side.

Fitzgerald is making her way back to full fitness after injury ruined most of her 2024 campaign.

Player-coach Helena Coughlan was over the moon when Connor asked about donning the hometown colours.

“It was amazing having Luka and Tynealle come back home.

“The level of rugby they had to offer to us; it’s just another step of women’s rugby for us all to reach.”

Coughlan said she knew for a while the pair were going to be available for the game.

“Their presence within the team was amazing; a different sort of feeling knowing our sisters have come home to jam, uplifting our team to another level of women’s rugby.

“Luka brought nothing but strong play, her communication and the experience she had to offer, talking from the moment we warmed up, to coming off the bench, her level of knowledge and skills she gave to the team.

“On the other hand, Tynealle’s first game back since surgery and it was like she never left.

Her tackles, turn-over balls and strong runs were the Tynealle we know – always amongst the contact; she was at every breakdown hunting that ball. It was awesome having them play.”

Coughlan said the win was another positive step in the right direction.

“A win is a bonus, but it’s not the win that gets me.

“It’s the way our ladies display themselves as players and as a person, show sportsmanship to their teammates and the opposite team, supporting and uplifting each other.

“That’s far better than a win; the attitude they bring to every training and to games.”

This Sunday, Fitzgerald will be lacing up again as Ōpōtiki takes on high-flying Whakarewarewa team at Princess Street Reserve.

There is hope Connor, who is training with the Black Ferns, will be allowed to come back and don the colours again to help keep Ōpōtiki’s winning streak alive.