Waikato outlast Canterbury to become back-to-back FPC champions

The 2025 Farah Palmer Cup final saw Waikato host Canterbury in a rematch of the 2024 decider, and just like last year’s contest, this one would come right down to the wire.

Waikato’s stars stood up when needed, with Kaea Nepia making some huge plays with the game on the line late. It was low-scoring and tense, but Waikato again proved their class with a 19-13 win to become back-to-back FPC champions.

 

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A Waikato charge down had Canterbury under pressure early, forcing the visitors to take the ball into their own in-goal and ground it. After a penalty in the ensuing scrum, the hosts made an early statement, scoring a try via lineout drive.

Another charge down didn’t dismay Canterbury halfback Kelsyn McCook, who landed a superb tactical kick that pinned Waikato on their own try line. The Canterbury defence applied pressure and forced a Waikato knock-on.

The hosts absorbed a couple of phases on defence, but a breakdown steal worked against them when the clearance kick went straight to Winnie Palamo, who ran around the defence to score in the corner.

Waikato lost their captain, Mia Anderson, in the opening quarter. The hosts had the upper hand at scrum time, but Canterbury were able to keep play in Waikato’s half for much of the opening quarter, thanks to discipline and handling that made life difficult for the Mooloos.

With a 29th-minute penalty, McCook landed a penalty kick to claim Canterbury’s first lead of the game at 8-5.

The half-hour mark arrived along with some Waikato execution on attack, and some rapid phase play saw them chew through metres on their way towards the try line. Once there, Leomie Kloppers provided the finishing power to give her team a 12-8 lead.

Canterbury had one final shot at points before halftime, but their lineout maul was overpowered by the Waikato pack.

The second half saw a confident Waikato outfit look to extend their lead, but Canterbury’s competition-leading defence was up to the challenge.

The visitors strung some offloads together after a Rosie Buchanan-Brown break, but the ensuing try was ruled out due to a knock-on.

The set-piece battle was more even once the reserves entered the contest, and Canterbury continued to threaten with the ball in hand. Louise Blyde beat consecutive defenders on the right edge to get her team into Waikato’s 22, and a handful of phases later the ball swung back the winger’s way, with Palamo drawing the defence and offloading for Blyde to score.

That left Canterbury with a one-point lead with 17 minutes remaining. However, the visitors let the restart bounce and struggled to exit once pinned on their own tryline.

Canterbury had almost made it out of their own half when they conceded a penalty. Some quick thinking from Kaea Nepia saw Waikato take the quick tap, and the fullback placed a kick behind the Canterbury defence, where her side were able to recollect possession and attack on the front foot.

Waikato chipped away with tight carries before sending the ball wide to Shyrah Tuliau Tuua, who scored in the corner. A superb sideline conversion from Nepia handed Waikato a 19-13 lead with 10 minutes left in the final.

Canterbury had a chance just outside Waikato’s 22 shortly after play resumed, but Grace Houpapa Barrett’s third breakdown steal of the match got Waikato out of trouble.

Binky Muamua wouldn’t let Canterbury’s attack go stale late and broke the Waikato line to get her team on the front foot once more. The visitors had one final shot at victory, and sent the ball wide to Fia Laikong, who tried to skin Nepia on the wing but was bundled into touch on the five-metre line.

Just seven seconds remained when Waikato threw in the final lineout, and the home team were able to collect the ball and bring a tense final to an end with a 19-13 lead.