Frantic? Dramatic? Some combination of both?
Until Otago winger Jamie Church crossed in the corner with a minute to play, the game was firmly in the balance.
She helped the Spirit clinch a 34-27 win over a spirited Tasman side at Forsyth Barr Stadium today.
The early exchanges favoured the home team.
Otago got into the right part of the field early thanks to a strong run by second five Keely Hill and a break from No 8 Greer Muir.
That opportunity slipped away but the Spirit forced the visitors to play in their own half.
Tasman eventually cracked. Otago got the ball wide to Church, who crashed over 15 minutes into the game.
Tasman played expansively despite being pinned down and pounced on an Otago turnover.
Impressive fullback Sarah Jones skipped through two tackles and offloaded to left winger Michelle Curry, who scampered 25m to score.
The try helped momentum shift to the visitors, who were now playing with ball at the right end.
They battered away and eventually added a second. Curry got over again.
Halfback Georgia Cormick knocked over two penalties to trim the margin to 12-11 at halftime.
Otago scored a sparkling try early in the second half. Te Atawhai Campbell stepped off her right foot to defeat the cover defence.
But there was a lot of good work done in the lead-up. Otago recycled the ball so quickly thanks to the wonderful work of Cormick.
Unfortunately, the Spirit had trouble clearing their line at the other end. Sheree Hume missed touch and Jones ran it back, swatting off multiple tacklers and offloading to hooker Jett Hayward, who stretched out and scored.
The front-rower had a storming second half and openside Fiaalii Solomona was making a big impact as well.
But in a game that just kept giving, Otago fullback Charlotte Va’afusuaga showed great determination to get to the line moments later.
Only some epic defence prevented Tasman replying almost straight away.
The game was firmly in the balance.
Hume sliced through from a scrum 10m out and Cormick slotted a penalty to push Otago out to a seven-point lead with eight minutes to play.
Of course, there was some late drama.
Tasman winger Iva Sauira crossed in the corner, leaving Jones a sideline conversion to level the score with five minutes remaining.
She missed, but it would not have mattered. Church got the winner to put a fullstop on a tremendously entertaining game.
The scores
Otago Spirit 34 (Jamie Church 2, Te Atawhai Campbell, Charlotte Va’afusuaga, Sheree Hume tries; Georgia Cormick 3 pen)
Tasman Makos 27 (Michelle Curry 2, Jett Hayward, Iva Sauira tries; Ashleigh Wood 2 con, pen)
Halftime: Tasman 12-11.
