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Canterbury Lock Cindy Nelles crashes to score full time during the Farah Palmer Cup final.
A wasteful Canterbury bounced back from three failed chances to score attempts to win its fourth straight Farah Palmer Cup title in spectacular fashion.
But they certainly did a tough job, shading Waikato 8-7 in a bug-plagued final at Rugby Park in Christchurch on Saturday after lock Cindy Nelles crashed to score the winning try in the 81st minute.
“We know this Canterbury team is an 80 minute team and we express it,” said Canterbury running back Kendra Cocksedge.
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Waikato players celebrate after Canterbury center Grace Brooker threw the ball over the test line.
“We will definitely be doing some celebrations. It’s a four-mob race and you have to celebrate your success and our girls have had an incredible season. “
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Much improved Waikato could smell victory after No. 8 Kennedy Simon scored in the 65th minute to cancel a first-half penalty to Cocksedge, who placed from the front.
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Canterbury captain Alana Bremner looks for a shock.
But they were heartbroken when Nelles saw a hole in his impenetrable defense to hand Canterbury a fourth straight title when it looked like it was literally going to slip through his fingers.
Winger Sam Curtis and center Grace were guilty of hitting the ball over the try line during a barely believed 10-minute period in which Canterbury missed three set attempts.
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Canterbury captain Alana Bremner celebrates with coach Blair Baxter.
“Away it was difficult,” Cocksedge said. “When I was there, I was thinking, ‘Oh my God, I think this could be one of the most difficult games I’ve been in in my entire career and I’ve played in World Cup finals.
“We made some mistakes in that first half and we give them credit [Waikato] because in that second half they came for us but we are very proud to fight to the death there at the end ”.
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Waikato No. 8 Kennedy Simon lunges to score the game’s first try.
Waikato also came up short in the first half with Cocksedge making a crucial save tackle to deny danger to female Stacey Fluhler after a flowing sequence down the right.
Waikato seconds five Chelsea Alley hit the post from a penalty attempt at halftime after spraying an earlier effort off goal.
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Canterbury Lock Cindy Nelles is dragged down by a Waikato defender.
“We gave it our all, as you can see,” Alley said. “Canterbury is a classy team and they need to be really proud, but I am very proud of my girls for the season that we have had.
“We are not broken yet. We will return next year bigger and better than ever, ready to go again. “
Canterbury 8 (Cindy Nelles tries, Kendra Cocksedge pen) Waikato 7 (Kennedy Simon attempt, Chelsea Alley scam)
HT: 3-0
