Waikato has recorded their fifth win of the season keeping their playoff hopes alive, with a  38-14 win over Southland Stags at Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill, for round 8 of the Bunnings NPC.

Waikato opened the scoring after Xavier Saifoloi was put into some space down the right hand sideline. After offloading to Geroge Dyer, he took it to the 5 metre and then found Saifoloi to dive over in the right hand corner. Aaron Cruden added the extras from the sideline as Waikato led 7-nil after 12 minutes.

Cruden finished off Waikato’s well worked team try for their second. Quinn Tupaea ran perfectly onto a Gideon Wrampling grubber kick, after some brilliant support play from Bailyn Sullivan, the ball would find Cruden and he would cruise to the line to score. He would convert his own try and Waikato doubled their lead. 

An intercept from Southland helped them to score their first points. Waikato were hot on attack in Southlands 22 before an intercept from the home team would get them deep into Waikato’s half. After a couple of passes Rory Van Vugt would be put into space and he would race away to score. Jason Robertson’s conversion would cut Waikato’s advantage to just 7 points.

Southland would draw the game level with a driving maul try for Jack Taylor and a successful conversion from Robertson, as both teams went into the half time break level at 14 all. 

Ollie Norris opened the scoring in the second half. Waikato were within metres of the Southland line and D’Angelo Leuila came storming in and caught the defence's attention, however Xavier Roe cut out Leuila to find Norris, who spun in the tackle to score. Cruden added the extras and Waikato took back the lead 21-14

D’Angelo Leuila slotted a long range penalty, 55 metres out, after Quinn Tupaea won a penalty for the player not releasing the ball in the tackle. The successful penalty took the score to 24-14 after 52 minutes.

Southland put up a high ball at midfield that Saifoloi was able to collect and run about 30 metres towards the Southland line. He would pass to Roe in support and Roe would flick a ball to a charging Tupaea to run the inside angle to score untouched. Leuila would add the extras and Waikato lead quickly became 17 points approaching the midway point of the second half.

Leuila's strength helped him to cross was Waikato’s fifth try of the day. From a 5 metre scrum, Leuila received a short ball from Cruden and with his power and speed he was able to bust through a few tacklers to score.  Leuila would add the extras as well to give Waikato a commanding 38-14 lead with 12 to play.

The score would remain 38-14 to Waikato helping them keep their playoff hopes alive with one game remaining in the regular season.

Southland 14 (Rory Van Vugt tries, Jack Taylor tries; Jason Robertson 2 conversions)      

Waikato 38 (Xavier Saifoloi, Aaron Cruden, Ollie Norris, Quinn Tupaea, D’Angelo Leuila tries; Aaron Cruden 3 conversion, D’Angelo Leuila 2 conversion, 1 penalty)   

HT: 14-14

Article added: Monday 30 September 2024