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Centre Hinckley Ioka’s last-play try sealed the One New Zealand Warriors’ second straight trip to the Harold Matthews Cup (under-17) finals after an astonishing finish to their eighth-round encounter with the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Navigation Homes Stadium in Pukekohe on Sunday.
With three minutes to go it looked like the Rabbitohs had stolen victory when they scored and converted to go from 12-14 down to 18-14 ahead.
But no. Instead cue a crazy finish.
From the restart the Warriors regained possession from a short kick-off, tapping the ball back for interchange forward Dougal Grant to carry to just outside South Sydney’s 30.
From the play the ball they headed left where prop Krushil Koteka made another 10 metres. On the next tackle Ronan Byford took the play to within 15 metres in front of the posts, hooker Dreytin Marriott then having a strong dab from dummy half before being stopped just short of the line.
On the fourth tackle, the Warriors shifted wide to the left, the play appearing to break down when a pass went to ground but winger Kaian Olsen tidied up, heading back infield where he linked with halfback Alapati Tusa Soagia. He hoisted a bomb across the face of the posts, Rabbitohs fullback Darcy Feltham spilling the ball and Hinckley seizing the moment to score and lock it up 18-18.
Match: Warriors v Rabbitohs
Round 8 -
home Team
Warriors
away Team
Rabbitohs
Venue: Navigation Home Stadium, Pukekohe
Hinckley was engulfed by jubilant teammates, only the try hadn’t yet been awarded. A few nervous moments followed while the referee consulted his touch judge before confirming the try. More celebration but it wasn’t over.
Soagia then had to compose himself for the conversion, he obliged to make it 20-18 and the scenes of joy continued.
The net effect of the win was that it vaulted the One New Zealand Warriors to the top of table on 14 points with one regular season match to play against the Roosters in Pukekohe next weekend.
The finish was in keeping with a contest which had been on a knife edge throughout.
Needing to win to lock in a finals berth, the Warriors opened brightly when they shifted wide to their left, fullback Jeremiah Lemana ghosting across the defensive line to give winger Kaian Olsen a clear run to the line.
It was 6-6 minutes later but just as soon the Warriors had a 10-6 lead when Lemana speared through from close range.
After the Rabbitohs sparked another lead change with their second try to go to the break 12-10 ahead, the Warriors came out of the blocks quickly to regain the lead seven minutes into the second half.
Again they shaped their attack left, Soagia linking with centre Soane Ma’asi who handed Olsen his second try to make it 14-12.
There it stayed for most of the half although the Warriors had opportunities to put South Sydney away, most notably when Lemana collected a kick on his 20, raced down the touchline and connected with Soagia before backing up to take aim at the line 50 metres way only to be taken into touch a metre short.
It left the door open for the Rabbitohs and their late try looked like being a killer blow – until the remarkable last-gasp finish uncorked Ioka’s try.
The result leaves the One New Zealand Warriors with 6-1 record and the chance to claim the minor premiership before starting their defence proper of the title they won last year.
