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Waikato have gone clear at the top of the Farah Palmer Cup premiership ladder after stunning defending champions Canterbury at the death in a thrilling golden-point clash in Hamilton on Saturday.
Down 24-17 and defending near their 22 with less than two minutes left at St Paul’s Collegiate School, the hosts produced not only a turnover penalty win, then not only a long-range try and conversion to take the match to extra time, but then also managed to ice the cake with a penalty goal to snatch the spoils.
It was Rina Paraone who came up trumps when getting over the ball to repel a hot red and black attack, and after taking the tap and go, the centre set off to spark her side’s super score.
Despite Merania Paraone even having the ball ripped from their grasp, Waikato quickly recovered possession, and despite Kaea Nepia then kicking the ball long, Canterbury’s Hannah King was smothered and the ball back yet again for the home side.
Working their way from the right flank to the centre of the park, the red, yellow and blacks then did the business, getting their forwards charging close, and blindside flanker Victoria Makea then diving over beside the sticks from the base of a ruck.
Bruce Lim/Photosport
Canterbury prop Maddi Robinson charges into the Waikato defence in the Farah Palmer Cup clash in Hamilton.
And with the simplest of conversion attempts, Samantha Wood nailed the extras to take the game to golden point, and it wasn’t long before the reserve halfback was back with the kicking tee for a crunch kick once more.
With Waikato claiming a lineout win and getting a rolling maul going, Canterbury snuck up offside, and with no advantage coming, the visitors were duly pinged.
And from around 10 metres out, and in front of the posts, Wood made no mistake in chipping her 85th minute shot over, completing the miracle comeback, and leaving everyone in a state of shock.
In a match where the margin never got beyond seven, Canterbury will also look back to what could have been when they turned a rather gettable penalty shot with 10 minutes to play.
They still take two bonus points out of the defeat, to sit on seven, while Waikato, on the back of their 50-0 demolition of Bay of Plenty in the opening round last weekend, are on a perfect 10.
AT A GLANCE
Farah Palmer Cup, Rd 2
Waikato 27 (Victoria Makea 2, Chantae Wilson-Jenkins, Mia Anderson tries; Ariana Bayler con, Samantha Wood con; Samantha Wood pen) Canterbury 24 (Karla Wright-Akeli 2, Laura Bayfield, Martha Mataele tries; Isabella Waterman 2 con). HT: 10-12
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