Waikato have battled back to beat Canterbury 22-20 at Rugby Park in Christchurch and win their first Farah Palmer Cup.
Facing a 10-point deficit at halftime, the visitors made full use of a sizable wind advantage to dominate both field position and territory in the second half, flipping the script completely after the hosts had all the running in the first.
Prop Awhina Tangen-Wainohu set the ball rolling with a try five minutes into the second half, followed 10 minutes later by Merania Paraone.
Two yellow cards proved costly for the Cantabrians, who repeatedly infringed during lengthy spells camped on their own tryline.
No. 8 Victoria Edmonds marked her 50th cap with a try off the back of the scrum to give Waikato a nine-point advantage heading into the final stages of the game.
Canterbury rallied late to cross with time expired but it was mere consolation, as the Waikato side exploded with joy at the final whistle, denying the red-and-blacks a fifth consecutive title.
Watch the video above for highlights.
Waikato 22 (Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, Merania Paraone, Victoria Edmonds tries; Tenika Willison pen, 2 con).Canterbury 20 (Lucy Jenkins, Steph Te Ohaere-Fo tries; Isabella Waterman 2 con, 2 pen) HT: 3-13
FULLTIME
81 mins - TRY CANTERBURY
Over they go from a close range ruck but time is expired. This is over!
80 mins - Canterbury earn a 5m scrum but it's too little, too late.
78 mins - Canterbury knock on at the Waikato 22m. Ball turned over, wide ball to Steinmetz who had acres of space but the pass is poor and she can't hold on.
76 mins - Defensive penalty for Waikato! Huge play. They clear back to their own 10m.
74 mins - Canterbury break from deep within their own half, down to the Waikato 10m they go. Penalty goes their way, they tap and go. Must score here.
Teneti shown a yellow card for a high tackle, Waikato down to 14 for the rest of the match. Canterbury 10m out.
73 mins - Wing Montessa Tairakena scoots down the sideline from 5m out off a handy offload to score. They go back to take another look, appears to have been a knock on. No try.
70 mins - Great touchfinder puts Waikato immediately back within the Canterbury redzone. Wing Wainohu knocks on with the tryline begging. Canterbury have barely spent a minute inside the Waikato half in this second forty.
67 mins - TRY WAIKATO to Victoria Edmonds
Stand-out No. 8 Edmonds celebrates her 50th cap by rampaging over under the black dot off the back of the 5m scrum. Conversion is over. (22-13)
65 mins - Simple pick and go from Waikato an Canterbury concede another penalty. That'll cost them a second yellow card, as Stacey Niao joins her fellow lock Jenkins - who has one minute left - in the bin.
62 mins - Waikato right back on the offensive, winning a penalty 5m from the Canterbury line. They'll tap and go here.
Waikato rummage over the chalk again but they're held up. Canterbury tryline dropout is out on the full, 5m scrum for Waikato.
59 mins - TRY WAIKATO to Merania Paraone
Clinically executed rollimng maul try from the 5m lineout. The hosts have all the momentum on their side. No conversion. (15-13)
57 mins - Waikato camped on the Canterbury line. Another penalty goes against Canterbury and finally they pay with a yellow card, as Lucy Jenkins makes her way to the sidelines.
5m lineout for Waikato.
54 mins - Waikato win another penalty in excellent attacking position. 10m out, they tap and go. Repeated infringements from Canterbury, somehow they escape without a yellow card.
50 mins - Waikato win a penalty with a massive shunt at the scrum and the visitors have their tails well and truly up. They throw a 5m lineout, another great chance here.
They roll the maul over the chalk but Canterbury are able to hold up the player in the tackle and clear from the tryline dropout. On second look, appears as though the ball was on the line there. Tough break.
46 mins - TRY WAIKATO to Awhina Tangen-Wainohu
The prop burrows her way over from a close range ruck to help Waikato get off to a superb start in the second stanza. Conversion over. (13-10)
44 mins - Waikato controlling possession well, charging towards the Canterbury 22m.
41 mins - Jenkins breaks down the left flank to open the half. Waikato are able to turn it over and take play back to the Canterbury 22m for a lineout.
Second half underway...
HALFTIME
42 mins - Penalty Waikato. They'll move to a 5m lineout.
Waikato launch a tryline assault but Canterbury eventually win a turnover to end the half.
39 mins - Final chance of the half for Waikato, 5m short of the line now.
Knock on at the ruck after a 10-phase attack. That should do us for the half.
No, clearance is charged down and Waikato are back on the offensive.
36 mins - Canterbury caught in a high tackle. Waterman accepts a gift three points. (13-3)
33 mins - Willison pins her ears back for the corner but the Canterbury defence is up to it, and they win a penalty. Touchfinder catches the wind and goes over 70m, setting them up with a lineout at the Waikato 22m.
31 mins - Huge charge from Kelsey Teneti, who has caused plenty of troubles for the Canterbury defence so far today. Waikato win a penalty and will throw a 5m lineout.
27 mins - Wipers kick placed for wing Steinmetz, gets a favourable bounce but can't quite force it without stepping dead in-goal. 22m dropout Waikato.
25 mins - Waikato trying to run their way out of their own half but a forward pass ends their momentum. Canterbury scrum near the Waikato 22m.
21 mins - Canterbury extend their lead with a straightforward penalty shot. ( 10-3)
18 mins - Canterbury again piling on the pressure at the Waikato line. Somehow they hold out and win a penalty to give themselves some breathing room.
14 mins - Waikato get on the board through a penalty strike. (7-3)
12 mins - Waikato finally with some attacking ball inside the Canterbury 22m. Canterbury win the defensive penalty at the ruck to kill off the movement.
8 mins - Waikato still camped out on their own line but are scrambling well on defence. The entire game has been played in their 22m. Penalty goes their way and they're able to clear.
4 mins - Brilliant try saving tackle in the corner denies Canterbury another early try. Lineout isn't straight, Waikato feed the scrum and immediately hand the ball back with a knock-on.
2nd min - TRY CANTERBURY to Lucy Jenkins
Simple tap and pass for the charging lock and Waikato are punished for their early mistake. Conversion over. (Canterbury 7-0)
1st min - Nightmare start for Waikato, as the pill is spilled from the kick off. Huge change early for Canterbury, feeding a scrum 5m from the Waikato line.
2:04pm - After the national anthem, the teams exchange fearsome haka. The scene is officially set.
2pm - Both teams are out on a sun-soaked pitch in Christchurch. Predictably hearty reception for the locals. Let's get into this.
***
Kia ora and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Farah Palmer Cup final between Canterbury and Waikato in a replay of the 2020 season showpiece.
Both teams will have a very different look about them this afternoon, with their respective Black Ferns players in the thick of training camp in preparation for their upcoming trip to England and France.
With the Auckland-based sides stuck in lockdown, it was a two-team battle to join the champion Cantabs in the final, with Waikato edging Wellington last week.
We'll have all the action for your from 2pm.
TAB odds: Canterbury $1.35, Waikato $2.90
Team Line-ups:
Canterbury: 1-Lucy Anderson, 2-Rebecca Todd, 3-Stephanie Te Ohaere-Fox, 4-Lucy Jenkins, 5-Stacey Niao, 6-Greer O'Rourke, 7-Jorja Miller, 8-Marcelle Parkes, 9-Melanie Puckett, 10-Te Rauoriwa Gapper, 11-Grace Steinmetz, 12-Oliva McGoverne, 13-Amy du Plessis, 14-Isabella Waterman, 15-Rosie Kelly
Waikato: 1-Awhina Tangen-Wainohu, 2-Ryleigh Hayes, 3-Esther Tilo-Faioga, 4-Leomie Kloppers, 5-Chyna Hohepa, 6-Mia Anderson, 7-Emma Lee-Heta, 8-Victoria Edmonds, 9-Klee Begbie, 10-Kennedy Tahau, 11-Gaibrelli Wainohu, 12-Rina Paraone, 13-Kelsey Teneti, 14-Montessa Tairakena, 15-Tenika Willison
