Waikato win the Ranfurly Shield Photo:
A late Lima Sopoaga penalty goal clinched a thrilling 23-22 Ranfurly Shield challenge win for Waikato over Taranaki in New Plymouth on Saturday. The veteran first five, who slipped back into the NPC after years playing overseas, provided his second Houdini act of the season after scoring the match winning try against Auckland in round one.
However, Sopoaga gave all Mooloo fans a heart attack with the way he took the kick, with the ball falling off the tee with 10 seconds on the referee's shot clock. The former All Black managed to reset the ball and calmly stroke it through the posts from 32 metres out, which ultimately sparked wild jubilation from his teammates once the ensuing kick off was secured and put into touch.
Earlier, you could have been forgiven for thinking you'd tuned into a game from the '50s with the score locked at 5-3 to Taranaki at the break. An exciting yet scoreless opening 20 minutes finally yielded an Aaron Cruden penalty goal to the challengers, but Taranaki answered back with a slick try to wing Josh Setu.
There was plenty more work for the scoreboard operators straight after the break, however. Taranaki halfback Logan Crowley scored after only a minute of the restart, before Cruden banged over another penalty.
Replacement back Obey Samate then scored a rather dubious try for Taranaki after some messy play in midfield, however the TMO check saw it awarded and the holders take a 19-6 lead. At that stage, it felt like it may well have been enough, as Waikato had butchered every chance they'd created in the Taranaki 22 through handling errors - especially after Jacomb knocked over another penalty.
Waikato hybrid wing/flanker Oli Mathis was then denied twice by some brilliant defence, but the challengers managed to keep Taranaki pinned in their own half long enough to set up an attacking lineout and finally score a try. It took a bit of luck when a pass destined for Mathis deflected off Josh Moorby to land in lock Dylan Eti's hand, but Waikato weren't complaining.
A crucial turnover by Mitch Jacobson and kick downfield from Xavier Roe eventually saw the halfback exploit a gap in the Taranaki defence near the ruck to scoot 30 metres to score under the posts, which drew them within a kick of the lead after Sopoaga slotted the conversion.
Then came the intensity of a furious final 10 minutes, where it appeared that Taranaki had done everything right for a while, before crucially giving up a string of penalties that gave Waikato a piggyback downfield. A ruck infringement then gave Sopoaga his moment of glory, one that will stand prominently in modern Shield lore.
It is Waikato's first Shield tenure since 2018 and they face an immediate challenge from Southland next weekend.
Read how the game unfolded here:
