U85 National Club Cup: Final review

Tears, beers, cheers, bandages and bruises; it was a scene of euphoria and exhaustion in the Pakuranga United Black Panthers dressing room after their monumental 23-22 victory over the High School Old Boys Light Bears in the U85 National Club Cup final at Sky Stadium.

In the 73^rd minute, the Black Panthers trailed the reigning champions 22-16 when Light Bears lock Dan Livingston won a turnover reminiscent of Sam Whitelock’s poach against Ireland. Taine Cordell-Hull, spotless from the tee previously, narrowly shaved the right hand upright with his subsequent penalty shot, leaving the door slightly ajar.

The Black Panthers obstinately cast an anchor inside the Light Bears 22, bludgeoning away with patience and power. The scrum was a furnace, the Light Bears were victims of penalty after penalty.

Finally, in the 85^th minute, the defence buckled. The Light Bears were enveloped in congestion beside the posts, and rare space was exploited by centre Francis Morrison.

“Credit to the forwards. They drew everyone in. My job is to be ready and pull the trigger when required,” Morrison said of his try.

The title hinged on the conversion, 15m in 25m out. Riley Harrison never looked like missing.

“I wanted to kick it as quickly as possible. If I thought, about it too hard, the pressure would have gotten to me. I won the game with a last play kick two weeks ago, but this one had much more on it,” the Black Panthers pivot said.

The opening quarter belonged to the Black Panthers. Sturdy, surgical phases were constructed and Harrison slotted three consecutive penalties.

It took a spontaneous break by winger Tom Anderson to spark the Light Bears to life. Though Anderson fumbled near the line, the Light Bears enjoyed rare field position.

The Light Bears would pile on 19 unanswered points with Percival nailing four penalties from beyond 30m out.

The Light Bears solitary try was scored by Ned Milne. The fullback retrieved a bullet pass and ramrodded through two defenders, slipping while lunging for the line. A juggle of the ball ricocheted off his forehead and back into his hands.  

There was no panic from Pakuranga. Scrum, lineout, and structure swung the pendulum back to the Black Panthers.

Logan Kinnear, a veteran of 186 games, scored a try from a scrum when he stormed openside, noticing the defence had migrated in the opposite direction.

Cordell-Hull’s fifth penalty made it 22-16 to the Light Bears. Centre Ryan McNulty is a winger in premier rugby and he went within a whisker of sinking the Black Panthers, busting 20m down the western sideline and leading the race to his chip before the ball dribbled out. The Light Bears stole the lineout but couldn’t convert.

Sir Graham Henry presented Pakuranga with the trophy and remarked, “Bloody good game boys, enjoy the waters.”

The referee was Jack Sargentina, a national squad member from Wellington whose father Scott was also a referee.

Pakuranga United Black Panthers: 23 (Logan Kinnear, Franics Morrison tries; Riley Harrison; 3 pens, 2 con) High School Old Boys Lightbears: 22 (Ned Milne try; Taine Cordell-Hull 5 pen, con).