Buzzer-beating try topples Central

Jack Malcolm

It was thunderous from the local crowd as Stoke captain Taine Robinson scored to take the lead with minutes on the clock to bring home a massive win over Central. Following a giant 106-3 win over Murchison in the second division, Stoke’s first division team had their work cut out for them against last year’s Tasman Trophy winners and they looked to be in all sorts of trouble late in the game before a breakaway try sealed their win and the top spot on the competition leaderboards. In other results from the region, Marist were too good for Nelson in their local derby 47-10, Kahurangi outclassed Moutere 67-0 and Waitohi beat Waimea Old Boys 31-24. While in local women’s rugby, the Tasman Trophy finalists have been found as Marist beat Waimea Old Boys 32-15 and Kahurangi beat the Wairau Wāhine 47-10 in the semi-finals. Having scored three times in the opening 15 minutes to build a 21-0 lead, Stoke let Central back into the game as the momentum swung multiple times in an exciting match that went down to the final whistle. Having trailed for the majority of the game, Central dragged themselves back into it on the back of their powerful set-piece. With kicking almost perfect from both teams - a long penalty kick from over 50m out the only miss of the day - it was all or nothing for Central as they continued their march forward.

A great inside ball and multiple broken tackles as Central’s centre

Nigel Satherley slipped through the defence to tie the scores at 21-apiece.

Stoke built the pressure and scored through number 8 Tevita Koloamatangi as he crashed through the defence following an attacking lineout after a penalty to give his team a seven-point lead. Minutes later he was shown a yellow card as Central looked to maul the ball over the try line, giving them even more emphasis and dominance in the forwards, as the visiting crowd erupted in celebration as they tied up the scores with 10 minutes on the clock by pushing the scrum over the line.

It looked like the tide had well and truly turned, that was until a thunderous breakaway run by reserve forward Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta as he effortlessly bumped off the first tackler and skipped through the ankle tap attempt before beating the last line of defense and offloading the ball to Taine to run under the posts.

Stoke coach Joe Kirker says it was an “awesome” win for his boys.

“We’ve been on a roll, but we knew coming up against this team that it was a whole different factor.

“We knew we’d have to be physical up front and we let them get back into the game. We played with a high tempo and that’s hard to keep up. We always knew they were going to come back. . . the message at half-time was pretty much keep doing what we’re doing.”

He was impressed with how the forwards put their heads down and continued to work under the adversity, saying they just had to get on with the job.