Eastern Bay of Plenty Black Ferns Kate Henwood and Luka Connor are two of the more experienced faces named in the Bay of Plenty Volcanix team for the upcoming Farah Palmer Cup, starting next week.

Once again, the Eastern Bay has a good number of players in the squad, with Poroporo providing four players, alongside three from Rūātoki and the two Black Ferns, who are aligned with Ōpōtiki.

The Eastern Bay could have several others in the squad, but hopefully they will be selected in a development team, under-18s and / or an Eastern Bay squad itself.

Poroporo’s players to make the squad are Jordyn Tihore, who has been picked as a front row forward, and Emma Birkett, who played some games on the wing for Poroporo, although the Volcanix coaches have picked her as a halfback.

Standout second five Kokako Raki has been selected. The hard-running midfielder was in dominant form for Poroporo this season and deserves her spot.

Their fourth and final player picked is Kesha Church, although somewhat surprisingly her sisters, Shykauda and Hayley, have missed out, although the latter did play some club rugby in Waikato, so could be part of their squad.

Rūātoki’s three selections are dynamic front rower Te Urupounamu McGarvey, who continues to get better every game she plays, while loose forward Nadia Flavell, who makes plenty of tackles and tough carries, has earned a spot, as has fleet-footed fullback Hope Parata-Kingi.

Henwood and Connor, who will shore up the front row with their experience when they are available, are likely to be key with a young Volcanix team.

Stalwart Tynealle Fitzgerald is sidelined by injury.

Poroporo coach Geri Paul said it was exciting to see some of her players recognised after a hard and highly competitive club season.

“We are very proud of our girls making the Volcanix; they have worked hard, and I look forward to seeing how they grow in that environment.

“We have three girls in the BOP under-18 team and, of course, an EBOP is yet to be named but that will likely feature more of our girls.”

Shykauda Church, Fern Nixon and Hera Eruera are in the under-18 team, while Moly Byford would have made it but is out injured.

Bay of Plenty Volcanix start their FPC campaign on Saturday, August 10, with a clash against Waikato, and a week later they head to Whangarei to battle Northland.

In week three they have their first home clash of the season, and it’s in Whakatāne at Rugby Park against Counties Manukau on August 24, with the BOP under-18s to face Ngati Porou East Coast under-18 as a curtain-raiser. A week later they head to Napier to face Hawke’s Bay.

September 7 sees them rewarded with a well-deserved bye, before their final two games on September 14 and 22 at Tauranga and Rotorua see them host Auckland and Canterbury, respectively.