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Waikato 23 Tasman 20
Waikato - Sullivan 2 tries; Leuila 2 penalties & 2 conversions, Smith penalty
Tasman - Ware & Strange tries; Hunt 2 conversions & 2 penalties
Second half
40+3 minutes - Hunt finds touch 30 metres out and one last chance, but MacDonald's throw is loose, Waikato secure it and kick out. Now the celebrations can begin.
40th minute - Waikato turn down the kick at goal and Smith kicks for the corner. They win the ball and keep the ball in hand again.
Time is up, but Briant awards Tasman a penalty. Hunt kicks for touch and a lineout - they can still steal this.
Mako win the lineout and a penalty advantage. Hunt kicks deep and Tongia claims the catch, kicks to touch and celebrates... but Briant comes back for the penalty.
39th minute - Waikato forwards keep the ball in hand and build some phases. They win a penalty and Smith can soak up the remaining time with this kick...
38th minute - Lam wins the lineout and Waikato just needs to control the ball.
37th minute - Waikato win a scrum penalty and Smith kicks for the corner.
35th minute - From a kick ahead, Norris pounces on a loose ball and Waikato go onto attack. Finau takes an inside pass and runs a clear path to the line, but Briant senses a knock-on and finds one - no try.
34th minute - The Mako shift the ball left, but a pass goes astray and Coombes-Fabling hacks it downfield.
Chapman kicks high, but Aumua knocks on and Waikato have a chance to clear.
33rd minute - From the kickoff, Tasman throw into a lineout on the 22 and win it.
31st minute - Smith lines up a shot at goal from about 30 metres out and slots it, WAI 23-20
30th minute - Waikato have a lineout on the 10 and they win at second attempt. Wrampling picks up the ball and scrambles a few metres, and Segner is penalised at the breakdown.
29th minute - Tasman have the ball inside Waikato half, but Ollie Norris is over the ball and wins a penalty.
28th minute - Former All Black Liam Messam enters the game for his 99th Waikato game.
27th minute - TRY to Strange
Aumua drags a couple of tacklers with him and as play continues close to the line, Strange reaches out in a tackle to score. Hunt converts, 20-20
26th minute - Tasman win another attacking lineout and Aumua crunches into midfield. Briant plays advantage.
25th minute - Waikato steal the ball and Smith clears a dangerous situation.
24th minute - Tasman have a lineout on the 22 and Faina'anuku tries to power into midfield. There's no way through for him.
23rd minute - Tasman win penalty advantage at the scrum, but they pour into the Waikato half. Tavatavanwai makes a powerful run down the right, but Waikato turn the ball over.
22nd minute - Tucker wins a lineout, but Misa's throw isn't straight.
21st minute - The scrum collapses and Briant penalises Tasman. Smith kicks for touch...
20th minute - Tasman win the lineout and drive about 20 metres, but they can't free it and concede a turnover.
19th minute - Waikato win a scrum and Smith floats a long pass to Waaka, but he's smashed by Tavatavanawai and Nankivell steals the ball. Briant reviews the tackle, but it looks fine.
18th minute - Tasman win a lineout on the Waikato 10, but Nankivell drops a pass in midfield.
17th minute - Chapman feeds on halfway and Knewstubb stabs a kick through. Tongia tries to clear, but the kick is partially charged.
Big change for Waikato, with Leuila replaced by Fletcher Smith.
16th minute - Strange wins a lineout on the Waikato 10 and Tasman build another attack. Nankivell is mobbed in midfield and bumps into Briant, who blows for a Tasman scrum.
15th minute - Waikato win a scrum and Leuila kicks long, behind the goal-line. Tavatavanawai retreats to clear, but Waikato surge back onto attack.
Briant blows a penalty against Waikato for illegal entry to a breakdown and Hunt clears.
13th minute - Quentin MacDonald enters the game for his 100th appearance for Tasman.
12th minute - Hunt lines up a kick at goal and slots it, but you have to wonder whether Tasman are taking too many kicks at goal. Almost on queue, he misses to the delight of the cowbell-ringing crowd.
10th minute - Knewstubb claims a high ball and is tackled in the air. Briant plays advantage, but Tasman surge into the Waikato half.
They earn another penalty advantage and eventually return to midfield. There's a lot going on and Briant is getting something from his touch judges.
Tucker cleared Hunt from the back of a ruck and the little first-five is furious, but Briant saw it and waved it off.
Eighth minute - TRY to Sullivan
Chapman kicks high, but Nawai completely mistimes the catch and Tasman come away with the ball. Another pass goes astray and Sullivan pounces again, sprinting 30 metres to score.
Mako want advantage from the Nawai knock-on, but Briant claims advantage over. Leuila converts, WAI 20-13
Seventh minute - Leuila kicks off and Strange claims it, cantering a few metres after landing.
Fifth minute - Briant finds a penalty for Tasman in front of goal. Hunt slots his kick, 13-13
Fourth minute - Waikato control the lineout and Ratima kicks into touch, but Tasman are still on attack.
Off the lineout, Segner surges towards the posts and Makalio carries a little further.
Second minute - Tasman win a lineout in their own half and Nankivell breaks up midfield. The Mako are on attack and Nankivell rolls a kick into touch near the Waikato line.
First minute - Hunt kicks off high, Tongia clears from deep inside his 22. Ware tries to launch an attack, but Sullivan is over the top of the breakdown for a turnover.
First half
40th minute - Marshall overthrows a lineout on the Tasman 10 and there are knock-ons both ways.
As the halftime siren sounds, Waikato win a scrum penalty in midfield. Leuila can put them ahead at the break... and he slots it, WAI 13-10
38th minute - Strange claims the kickoff and Chapman pumps a high kick, Tongia rises to claim. Leuila puts up a high kick and Hunt gets smashed again.
36th minute - Jacobson tackles high and Tasman have another penalty just a couple of metres from the tryline. Hunt points to the posts - he could throw it over from here.
Hunt slots the goal and the scores are tied, 10-10
35th minute - Makalio throws to a lineout and Tasman have penalty advantage, as they try to maul to the line.
34th minute - From the kickoff, Sullivan kicks long and Hunt returns. Sullivan leaps to claim it, but when he lands, Tasman roll over him for a penalty.
Hunt kicks to the corner.
32nd minute - TRY to Sullivan
Tasman look imposing now and roar onto attack, but when a pass goes astry in midfield, Sullivan pounces on it and sprints clear of the defence. Leuila converts, WAI 10-7
31st minute - From the scrum, Tasman demolish Waikato and win a clearing penalty. Makalio has plenty to say, but Briant tells him to shut it.
30th minute - Waikato win a lineout in Tasman territory and then a penalty. Marshall takes the quick tap, but Ratima spills the pass - another wasted opportunity.
26th minute - TRY to Ware
Chapman feeds a scrum on halfway and scampers left with the ball, finding Ware at full speed. No-one stops Ware at full speed and he ducks under a couple of tacklers to score.
Hunt guides the ball between the uprights from the left sideline, TAS 7-3
25th minute - Hunt finds touch on halfway, Strange wins the lineout, but he dispossessed by Finau. Leuila kicks deep, but the ball bounces into touch in goal.
24th minute - Tasman win a penalty, when the front rows collapse, so they can clear.
23rd minute - Waikato start to build momentum, but the Mako have defused the maul and earn the turnover just seven metres out from their own line.
22nd minute - Tucker wins another lineout, but Tasman drive Waikato back.
20th minute - Waikato win a lineout through Tucker and Leuila chips ahead, but covered by Nankivell. Waikato win a breakdown penalty and Leuila kicks to the corner.
19th minute - Coombes-Fabling rises high to take a high kick and Waikato roll forward.
18th minute - Briant blows up the scrum and gives a free kick to Tasman. Ratima is too slow to feed, but the Mako take another scrum.
16th minute - Hunt is under another high ball and receives two tacklers at the same time.
15th minute - Briant has already warned Tasman for too many penalties, but Leuila misses his shot at goal.
14th minute - Ratima puts up a high kick and Hunt is under pressure again. Waikato have a penalty just outside the 22 and Leuila will shoot for goal.
12th minute - Another solid scrum from Waikato allows Leuila to clear. Great chase from the Waikato backs and Hunt is under pressure.
11th minute - From under his own posts, Leuila fails to find touch, but Tasman knock on, so Waikato get another chance to clear.
10th minute - From the kickoff, Tasman reclaim possession and mount an attack. Norris charges towards the posts, but Lam is over the tackle and creates a turnover.
Eighth minute - Waikato still trying to find a way in midfield and earn a penalty at the breakdown. Jacobson and Leuila exchange a nod, and the first-five points to the posts.
Leuila slots the goal, WAI 3-0
Seventh minute - Waikato win a lineout and Leuila barges through the Tasman pack into the 22.
Sixth minute - Tasman win a lineout and put a kick over the top. Tongia returns serve and Knewstubb runs it back - Tasman are penalised at the breakdown.
Fifth minute - First scrum is solid and Waikato clear through the boot of Leuila.
Fourth minute - Hunt finds touch on the 22 for an attacking lineout. Tasman win it and bring Fainga'anuku off the back, but there's a forward pass that ends the momentum.
Third minute - Tavatavanawai takes the ball into contact and ends up in a strange position. In league, that would be a neck roll and Jacobson is penalised.
Second minute - Waikato spill the ball in midfield and Knewstubb clears.
First minute - Nick Briant will referee the final and signals the start of the match, Leuila kicks off.
Marshall throws to the first lineout, as Waikato mount an attack in midfield.
6:48pm - Perfect still night at Hamilton, perfect conditions for footy.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the NPC premiership final between hosts Waikato and two-time defending champions Tasman.
In one of the most topsy-turvy competitions in recent memory, the Mako have managed to sneak through the side door in quest of their threepeat. They needed victory over Wellington in their final regular season outing to snatch the fourth and final semi-final spot, then upset frontrunners Hawke's Bay in Napier to reach the title game.
Meanwhile, Waikato overcame perennial contenders Canterbury to earn the right to host the final, but only confirmed FMG Stadium as the venue this week, after COVID-19 alert levels were eased in Hamilton.
Last time these two sides met, Waikato ran away 39-22 winners in Nelson, but Tasman - missing several star players on the current All Blacks tour - have history on their side.
TAB Odds: Waikato $2.28, Tasman $1.58
Waikato: 1- Ayden Johnstone, 2-Rhys Marshall, 3-George Dyer, 4-James Tucker, 5-Hamilton Butt, 6-Saminpeni Finau, 7-Mitch Jacobson, 8-Jack lam, 9-Cortez Ratima, 10-D'Angelo Leuila, 11-Mosese Dawai, 12-Gideon Wrampling, 13-Bailyn Sullivan, 14-Liam Coombes-Fabling, 15-Ryan Tongia
Reserves: 16-Steven Misa, 17-Ollie Norris, 18-Sefo Kautai, 19-Rupeni Tamani, 20-Liam Messam, 21-Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22-Fletcher Smith, 23-Beauden Waaka
Tasman: 1- Isi Tau'ungafasi, 2-Andrew Makalio, 3-Sam Matenga, 4-Antonio Shalfoon, 5-Quinten Strange, 6-Jacob Norris, 7-Anton Segner, 8-Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 9-Louie Chapman, 10-Mitch Hunt, 11-Regan Ware, 12-Alex Nankivell, 13-Leicester Fainga'anuku, 14-Timoci Tavatavanawai, 15-Andrew Knewstubb
Reserves: 16-Quentin MacDonald, 17-L Inch, 18-Isaac Salmon, 19-M Hicks, 20-Hugh Renton, 21-N Hotham, 22-M Springer, 23- L Aumua
