Julian Savea of Wellington celebrates a try during the NPC Final - Wellington v Bay of Plenty at Sky Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday 26 October 2024. Copyright photo: Masanori Udagawa / www.photosport.nz Photo: Masanori Udagawa
The heart of New Zealand rugby is well and truly beating.
After an enthralling, exhausting 100-minute final, the Wellington Lions have been crowned the NPC champions for 2024.
Unable to be separated after regulation time, replacement Callum Harkin kicked the winning points to bring the curtain down on a pulsating final, and cap a stellar provincial season.
Julian Savea rolled back the years with a blockbusting display on the wing, 'the Bus' bagging a brace in vintage style.
He told Sky Sport it "means the world" to give back to the people of Wellington and bring another title to the capital.
"I just feel sorry for the big boys. It was so intense, as a final should be."
Savea tipped his hat to the Steamers, who were more than up for the contest.
"They brought it to us today and it could have gone wither way today."
Meanwhile, the wait goes on for Bay of Plenty, who were hunting their first title since 1976.
Lock Naitoa Ah Kuoi admitted it was a painful loss.
"That hurt so much, they are a good side and it shows, at the end of the day that's footy."
Savea struck first for the hosts in the left corner, taking a precision pop pass from Kyle Preston and powering in for the opening points.
The Steamers appeared to have replied through winger Leroy Carter as he exploded over from the base of the ruck, only for a desperate Prescot tackle to dislodge the ball.
It seemed they would be denied again when Aidan Ross was ruled to have knocked on, before replays showed he got enough downward pressure to get the five pointer and square the ledger.
Julian Savea of Wellington celebrates a try during the NPC Final - Wellington v Bay of Plenty at Sky Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand on Saturday 26 October 2024. Copyright photo: Masanori Udagawa / www.photosport.nz Photo: Masanori Udagawa
The bus then barged his way over for a second, some slick handling sending Savea down the right flank, the former All Black steamrolling past Emoni Narawa in trademark fashion.
A turnover just as the siren sounded gave the Lions one last shot, but conceded a penalty right in front of their posts to send the side's to half-time at 15-7.
Fans who braved the elements were treated to the annual half-time showdown between the provincial mascots, Whanganui streaking home well clear of the pack in the 90-metre dash.
Kaleb Trask kicked things off in the second forty with a penalty from in front and then added another three to put Bay of Plenty two points behind the hosts.
Wellington injected former All Black Hika Elliott from the bench for his first NPC game since 2017, but it was Bay of Plenty dominating the early stages.
The Steamers began to play more expansively, Carter sparking a chance with a kick ahead but a chasing Nikora Broughton was unable to ground it under Preston's pressure.
After being put on his back by his opposite, Narawa got one back for BOP as he burrowed under the black dot to put his side ahead for the first time in the final.
The Lions were bring starved of both possession and territory before yet another Du Plessis Kirifi turnover allowed them to finally exit their own half.
Riley Higgins made a clutch play as he chipped ahead and forced Cole Forbes to dot down over his own line, giving Wellington a five metre scrum.
It proved pivotal, as Peter Umaga-Jensen put it on a platter for Filipo who exploded through a hole to even the honours with five minutes to play.
Garden-Bachop's conversion attempt was awry to keep things locked up at 20-all and set up a thrilling finish.
The Lion's first-five had another two chances to snatch the win, slipping on a 50 metre penalty attempt and then sending a drop goal wide.
Fullback TK Howden then had his shot with a spectral dive in the corner but Narawa did enough to force him into touch.
A near 20-phase Wellington attack was finally thwarted in the 83rd minute by a knock on which saw the sides sent to extra time.
Despite a relentless assault by the Steamers, totalling 27 phases, they were unable to break the deadlock in an exhausting first extra period.
Finally, three minutes into the second period, Harkin stepped up to slot the match winning penalty, and close out an NPC epic.
Scorers
Wellington 23 (Savea 2, Filipo, tries, Garden-Bachop 1 con, 1 pen, Harkin 1 pen)
Bay of Plenty 20 (Ross, Narawa, tries, Trask 2 cons,`2 pens)