The Hunter Wildfires women are set to make their first ever finals appearance in the top division of Jack Scott Cup after securing fourth place with a resounding 21-5 win over Warringah at Pittwater Park on Friday night.
The Wildfires entered the Sydney women's premier rugby union competition in 2020, winning second division before stepping into the top grade.
Hunter will face Jack Scott Cup heavyweights Sydney Uni in the semi-finals next Saturday and Wildfires coach Joey de Dassel was pleased to be back in the winners' circle ahead of the tough test.
The win over Warringah was the Wildfires' first since beating Eastern Suburbs on May 28.
"It's just been such a battle," de Dassel said. "Our injury toll is more than normal so to be able to delve into the depths of our squad and come up against teams that have got Wallaroos every week and still be competing with them, and drawing and just losing and then to get a good win is really satisfying."
The Wildfires were always in control on Friday night. They led 14-0 at half-time then 21-0 before Warringah scored a late try.
Fullback Danielle Buttsworth produced two tries and added six points with the boot for a 16-point game haul. Captain and scrum-half Peta Salter scored the other try in a win that was built on defence.
"We've still got work to do on our attack but our defence was just phenomenal," de Dassel said. "Just attitude and really attacking with our defence at every opportunity. Until they got that try at the end, they didn't look like breaking our line.
"If you had have said at the start of the year the Wildfires are going to make the finals, I'm sure a lot of people would have said that's a successful year. But we've always had the gall to win the comp and that doesn't change for us."
