A pair of tries from deep inside their own half allowed Rotorua Girls' High School to retain the Baywide secondary school girls' rugby crown against a gallant Whakatane High School side at Rugby Park yesterday.
The visitors were thrilled with their 20-17 win - especially considering they were hammered 52-17 by the same opposition just three weeks ago.
This was a match befitting of a final.
Rotorua Girls' had a wealth of early territory and possession, but failed to breach a Whakatane defence composed of players who continually turned up for each other before hitting on the counter attack.
Chief among them were the rampaging Anahera Rapana and pivot Stacey Waaka, who led the spirited resistance in contrasting styles.
Rapana was brutal with ball in hand; hers or anyone else's. From tap kicks, off the back of the scrum, in tight in defence and in the post-match meeting of hakas, she was a powerful force that insisted upon being reckoned with.
Waaka, on the other hand, dominated from 10 through sheer, unerring quality.
With her feet, her hands and her head she continually sucked defenders in before unleashing her pacey outsides with incredible ease.
Not content with running the game with the scraps she was given, she smashed into breakdowns and into tackles, leading her team in every sense of the word.
Maumahara Peita opened the scoring with a try in the left-hand corner to put the home side in front, which was rubbed out just before the break by the fluent Cherylee Crean, who ghosted through to make it 5-5 at the interval.
It was the Waaka show on the resumption. She split Rotorua Girls' right up the middle to make it 12-5 before Kodi Taylor returned fire for Rotorua Girls' to make it 12-10.
Waaka featured twice in a flowing scrum move that saw her score moments before taking out the corner flag, but the conversion missed and her try was to be the final points scored by her side.
Rotorua Girls' pair of late scores - bookended by the winner from nippy winger Seila Rakulu - took the title, sparking wild scenes of celebration.
Rotorua Girls' High School coach Charlie Hurihanganui cut a proud figure after the match.
"I'm really rapt because we got a bit of a towelling off them first time up," said Hurihanganui.
"We set a game plan today and the girls were great with their structure."
He praised both teams in what was a high quality display.
"They're still a great side, but I'm proud of the girls for turning it around today.
"I thought Stacey Waaka played out of her skin and cut us down. She really covered and defended well."
Opotiki College beat Te Puke High School 40-10 in a fiery encounter in the playoff for third.
Scorers
Rotorua Girls' High School 20 (Chevylee Crean, Selai Rakulu, Sorrento Bockman-Rurehe, Kodi Taylor tries) Whakatane High School 17 (Stacey Waaka 2, Maumahara Peita tries; Anahera Rapana con)