- By Henry Lee, AUT Journalism Student
Pakuranga United Rugby Club’s Black Panthers team have reached the New Zealand Rugby U85kg National Cup final after their victory over the Karaka Razzlers at Bell Park on Saturday.
The Panthers will play the national cup final at Wellington’s Sky Stadium in the curtain raiser before the second Bledisloe Cup game between the All Blacks and the Wallabies next weekend.
Last week, Pakuranga travelled to Wellington to play Poneke in the quarter-final, narrowly winning in the dying minutes through a Riley Harrison penalty goal.
Karaka, on the other hand, beat Morrinsville 28-20 to set up an all-Auckland semi-final against Pakuranga.
Karaka started strongly in the semi-final, leading Pakuranga 17-11 at half-time, but Pakuranga finished the better of the two teams, booking their place in next week’s national U85kg cup final.
Pakuranga Panthers centre Francis Morrison scored a superb solo effort early in the second half to take his team to a 21-17 lead.
Before a brilliant try from fullback Regan McGregor who took the Pakuranga Panthers out of Karaka’s reach.
The ever-reliable Riley Harrison stepped up from the tee in the second half to slot multiple pressure kicks.
The final score was 34-24 to Pakuranga.
The Pakuranga Black Panthers will take on High School Old boys from Christchurch in the final next week in Wellington.
It will be played on Sky Sport 51 from 4pm on Saturday September 28.
