Semifinals

New Zealand’s quarter-final kicks off at 3pm, and a win will see coach Leon Birnie’s team face either Cook Islands or Vanuatu in Wednesday’s semi-final.

At stake is an automatic qualification to the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, a berth that awaits the winner of the OFC tournament being held in Fiji.

On Saturday, Samoa and Fiji won tightly-contested quarter-finals, with Samoa needing a penalty shootout to get past Tahiti.

The 2018 Dally M medallist was in sparkling touch and continued to push his case for All Blacks selection, creating a try for Beauden Barrett on 48 minutes before slashing through for his own on 69 minutes.

Despite losing hooker Andrew Makalio to a red card for a no-arms tackle in the 22nd minute, the Highlanders managed to keep the Blues at bay for the first half an hour of the contest, taking a 6-0 lead through two Marty Banks penalties.