Philippines Women Sampaguita International Ragbi Liga team founder; Tammy Fletcher and recently retired professional NRLW St. George Illawarra Dragon Renee Targett, retired from the International game as champions with a win over the Malta Dames.
In the same fixture in 2022, the Sampaguitas failed to score against Malta, losing the International match 6-0. At the 11th minute of this match the Sampaguitas found themselves in the Malta quarter. With Renee Targett heading towards the try line and stopped by Malta. In the ensuring play the Sampaguitas spread the ball through their backline, passing the ball until it reached Tynia Wells who scores in the corner for the Philippines first try, which was converted by Payge Louise Condon.
The Sampaguitas second try came 5 minutes later at the other side of the field with an unstoppable Cassandra Koch crashing through tired Malta defense to score.
Malta had no answer to the tenacious Sampaguitas play, finding themselves again defending in their own quarter. With the ball being passed again through the Sampaguitas backline to find Tynia Wells to score her second try in the corner.
Tiring Malta defense, saw a gaping hole amongst the Malta players, for Payge Louise Condon to easily score the Philippines fourth try, which she duly converted. Ending the first half to the Sampaguitas at 20-0!
The Sampaguitas were not through and started the second half as they did the first. With a carbon copy try that ended the first half, with Payge Louise Condon again finding a gap in Malta defense, scoring and converting her second try!
The next try for the Sampaguitas started just inside the Malta half with a dummy from Sampaguitas Fullback Takiah Buchanan. Fooling the Malta defense allowing her to run through more of their players to score under the post, which was converted by Janine Jamieson.
With the Sampaguitas camped in the Malta Dames quarter it did not take long for Meagan Rickertt to score the Philippines seventh try, which was converted by Janine Jamieson.
The match ended for the Sampaguitas as it started. In the final minutes of play, coming off a scrum. The ball was again passed along the backline to find Tynia Wells, collecting the final pass to score in the corner for her hat-trick of tries! Ending the International for the Philippines at 42-0!
Philippines Women Ragbi Liga history was made at this International, prior to the main game. With the Philippines fielding their first U16 Junior Sampaguitas International team. Playing a much bigger Malta Junior Dames side.
The Malta Junior Dames dominated the game. Down 32-0 with a couple of minutes left on the clock, they found themselves in the Malta quarter and passing the ball amongst each other to find half back Madison Massey, squeeze through 3 Malta defenders to make history and score the first try for the Junior Sampaguitas. Which was converted from a difficult position on the field between the side line and goal post by Captain Anissa Cue.
The Junior Sampaguitas did not give up competing and almost sored a second try in the final 10seconds of play. With a chip kick from Tzuki Tory, finding Matilda Downie speeding down the side line and gathering the ball, only to be bundled out the side line with a strong tackle from a Malta defender before she could score!
Philippines Sampaguitas V Malta Dames 42-0
Tynia Wells *3, Payge Louise Condon *2, Cassandra Koch, Takiah Buchanan, Meagan Rickertt, Tries; Payge Louise Condon (3/5) and Janine Jamieson (2/3) Goals
Philippines Sampaguitas
• Takiah Buchanan, Jilena Grant, Leah Ellem, Linae Williams, Tynia Wells, Natalie Webb, Cassandra Koch, Charlene Vaughan, Payge Louise Condon, Meagan Rickett, Jacky Lyden, Janine Jamieson, Renee Targett.
• Subs: Alana-Lee Grace, Tammy Fletcher, Roslyn Lye, Erica Rowell
• Coach – Tammy Fletcher, Asst Coach – Renee Targett, Manager – Steff Leigh, Trainer- Pricilla Younes
Philippines Junior U16 Sampaguitas V Malta Junior U16 Dames 6-32
Madison Massey, Try and Anissa Cue (1/1) goal
Philippines Junior U16 Sampaguitas
• Leiyla Rose Garcera, Matilda Downie, Kiara Faulkner, Gwennahvive Vasquez, Lani ANDERSON, Aaliyah Zabat, Madison Massey, Gracie Gorrel, Tzuki Tory, Lucy Driscoll, Astrid Betuin-Mann, Anissa McCue, Kayla Soriano, Jenny Decena, Jayda Cunanan
• Coach – Tammy Fletcher, Asst Coach – Renee Targett, Manager – Steff Leigh, Trainer- Pricilla Younes
