Last minute game winners highlight Quad

Nelson College’s first XV were able to bounce back from the heartbreak of a first round Quadrangular Tournament loss with a come from behind win over Christs College.

In a game which doubled as a Miles Toyota round robin match, Nelson College were too strong in a high-scoring 38-31 win after fighting back from a significant deficit.

It was a big win for the team after a devastating first round loss against Whanganui Collegiate in a 35-28 loss.

Having been tied on the scoreboard with minutes left on the clock, Nelson College had a penalty from right out front to take the lead but would miss.

They would then regain possession from the restarting 22 drop out and would work some phases before being penalised for the classic offside infringement of being in front of the ball when it’s knocked on and picking it up.

The penalty, with time now all but expired on the clock, gave Whanganui the chance they needed and they took it with full force.

They caught Nelson College sleeping on the wide flank and expecting a kick for touch, choosing to go with a tap-and-go instead.

It was a fateful decision, with the defence stretched thin they were able to easily pass it through the hands with numbers and create the overlap to burst down the right-hand side of the park.

While there was still a man to beat, with Nelson College’s fullback in the backfield, the Whanganui players were already celebrating as they ran in the game winning try.

The loss snaps Nelson College’s unbeaten streak this season, having known the first-round game was going to be a tough one.

Despite having to process the ache of losing such a close game, it was impressive that two days later Nelson College were able to brush off the defeat and turn the tides against an in-form Christs College. And they did it from behind.

After an early try, Nelson College found themselves on the back foot and would take a 18-5 deficit into oranges.

Christs’ lead would grow with an early penalty to kick off the second half, but Nelson College would find their feet and start a red hot attack.

In the space of 13 minutes, they piled on five tries and four conversions as they raced out to a big lead with just 10 minutes on the clock.

While Christs were able to answer back with two tries of their own, it was too little too late as Nelson College held on in what was one of the most evenly contested Quad tournaments in years.

After scraping past Christs with 22 unanswered points to end the game ahead 32-26, hosts Wellington College were able to rise to the occasion as a penalty in the final minute gave them a 32-31 win over Whanganui.