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Watch: The last-minute try that booked Bay of Plenty’s place in NPC semis
By Finn Morton
Bay of Plenty are through to the NPC semi-finals after a dramatic last-minute try saw them beat Hawke’s Bay 19-17 in Tauranga. Replacement Taine Kolose was the hero for the hosts as the crowd burst into a wild celebration with time almost up on the clock.
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Former All Blacks Sevens ace Leroy Carter opened the scoring for the Steamers in the seventh minute, with the successful conversion giving them an early seven-nil advantage. But, the opening term was all the Magpies from there as far as points are concerned.
Fullback Harry Godfrey converted his own try to level the scores midway through the first half, and a try to hooker Tyrone Thompson saw the visitors take the lead before the break. It was a nervy match up to that point – setting the tone for what was to come.
In an all-time classic NPC knockout clash, Bay of Plenty snatched back the lead with a penalty try just a few minutes after the break. Prop Joel Hintz was also set the sin bin which saw the visitors drop down to 14 men for the next 10 minutes.
But, Hawke’s Bay were actually the next to score, although it didn’t come right away. Replacement hooker Jacob Devery scored with 12 minutes to go, and that would’ve left the away fans daring to dream as the visitors regained the lead.
Time wasn’t on the Steamers’ side, but they didn’t panic. After a kick for the corner, Bay of Plenty set up for one final attack at Hawke’s Bay’s try line with a maul. They quickly pushed ahead towards the try line, with some backs even coming in to support.
Then, a try was awarded.
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“One minute to play, a try will put them into the semi-finals,” commentator Beaven Dewar said on the Sky Sport NZ broadcast.
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“Going good at the moment, going good, going good, scoring! Yes! Bay of Plenty dot down and score.
Mils Muliaina added: “They were really patient about it, too. I’m not too sure who got it down… nice and steady, a few of the backs decide to come in and help and I tell you what, so did the crowd – they got in behind it too.”
It wasn’t clear who had scored, but that didn’t matter – Bay of Plenty were all but through to the semi-finals. Players began to celebrate, with lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi seemingly walking towards the fans in a moment of passion, relief, and celebration.
There was still a restart left, though, and it was that man Ah Kuoi who rose highest to claim the ball. With that, all Bay of Plenty had to do was kick the ball into touch – and that’s exactly what they did as they claimed victory in the famed Battle of the Bays.
“I wasn’t ready for that,” captain Kurt Eklund said post-game. “Mate, down to the wire. Pretty ugly but we’ll learn a lot from that and hopefully we get a couple more weeks out of it.
“That’s sometimes all it takes it that one opportunity and it’s pretty windy out here, hard for us hookers.”
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