Watch: 21-year-old fullback ignites try-of-the-season contender from inside 22

21-year-old fullback Tepaea Cook-Savage has set up a try-of-the-year contender in Wednesday’s NPC clash between Waikato and Southland in Hamilton.

The two provinces entered the match with vastly different records to their names.

Waikato – who conquered the Premiership last year – have not lost a game in 11 months, with their last defeat coming at the hands of Hawke’s Bay in the latter stages of the 2021 competition and were sitting atop the Odds conference heading into Wednesday’s encounter. Southland, on the other hand, were yet to taste victory this season.

Come half time of the mid-week encounter, however, the two sides were locked up at 14-all and Southland were even able to take a narrow lead not long after the break through the boot of the talismanic Marty Banks.

Waikato bounced back soon after with centre Tana Tuhakaraina touching down for his first try at provincial level but it was the following score to first five-eighth Taha Kemara that had fans out on their feet.

Waikato's 21-year-old fullback Tepaea Cook-Savage has just set up one of the tries of the season with this blistering run. He'd look pretty good in a Chiefs jersey next year 👀#WAIvSOU #BunningsNPC pic.twitter.com/tSCX1IVzp6

— Tom Vinicombe (@TomVinicombe) September 14, 2022

At 50 minutes on the clock, 21-year-old Cook-Savage received the ball inside his own 22 and launched a scintillating counter-attack that resulted in a try down the other end of the field.

From the 22, Cook-Savage chipped the ball over the oncoming Southland defenders, plucked the ball off the turf and goose-stepped his way around Stags second-rower Caleb Aperahama.

While Banks was able to cut the Waikato fullback down not much more than five metres out from the goal line, Cook-Savage lobbed the ball back in-field to the supporting runners and Kemara was able to dot down the ball for a brilliant score.

The try, coupled with some additional points off the tee from Kemara, took Waikato out to a 28-17 lead and the game blew out from there, with Cook-Savage’s replacement – All Black Damian McKenzie – setting up two tries and scoring one of his own to help his team to an eventual 54-24 victory. While there were some great scores throughout, including a hat-trick to Daniel Sinkinson, it was the one set up by Cook-Savage that took the biscuit and will certainly be in consideration for the top try of the season.

Cook-Savage was a star for the Chiefs Under 20s in 2021 and also featured in the national Under 20s side, making appearances in all three matches throughout their compacted campaign.

Following Wednesday’s victory, Waikato have cemented their spot atop the Odds conference and now hold a six-point lead over both Hawke’s Bay and Wellington – with those two sides set to meet in this weekend’s Ranfurly Shield challenge.