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Waikato secured their first national sevens title in 12 years after beating Bay of Plenty 21-14 in the final at Queenstown this weekend.

The Cup contest went down to the wire before the Mooloos captain and international sevens star, Tim Mikkleson, scored a superb long range individual try with time up.

Waikato, who fought back from an earlier 0-14 deficit, had been pinned inside their own goal area when the final hooter sounded.

Just when it seemed as if the match would go to extra time, Waikato’s ability to keep the ball alive was rewarded when Mikkleson stepped his man before outsprinting Zar Lawrence for a winning 90m touchdown.

Bay of Plenty dominated the first spell and led 14-0 after tries to Adam McGarvey and Mathew Hodson.

Waikato stayed in the match thanks to a fine individual try from his own side of halfway by Frank Halai just short of halftime before Glen Robinson crossed after the break to level the scores before Mikkelson’s solo effort bought them the title in front of a watching Gordon Tietjens. 

Earlier on Waikato had ended Counties Manukau, the 2008 and 2009 runners-up, hopes with a tight 14-0 win. Waikato’s ability to dominate possession starved the likes Sherwin Stowers form getting much ball, with the perennial Nationals’ bridesmaids left frustrated.

It was another tight affair in the other semi-final with the highly fancied Bay of Plenty team edging past a tenacious Taranaki, 19-17.

2009 champions North Harbour had to settle for the Plate with a 38-19 over Hawke's Bay. Horowhenua-Kapiti shocked nine-time national champions Auckland in the Bowl competition, 21-15.

Horowhenua-Kapiti trailed 0-15 at halftime but prevailed after three second-half tries, the last of them to captain Ashley Drake.

Horowhenua-Kapiti improved throughout the weekend and lay down a marker in the semi-finals with a 17-14 win over Wellington.

Taranaki and Bay of Plenty were the only two unbeaten sides after day 1 of the tournament, with the pool stages highlighting the huge competiveness of this year’s event.

New Zealand National Sevens Results:

Day 2

Game 25
Time 10:05
Auckland 31 vs South Canterbury 5

Game 26
Time 10:25
Northland 14 vs Southland 32

Game 27
Time 10:45
Tasman 0 vs Wellington 26

Game 28
Time 11:05
Horowhenua Kapiti 26 vs Buller 5

Game 29
Time 11:25
Otago 5 vs Counties Manakau 22

Game 30
Time 11:45
Hawkes Bay7 vs Waikato 19

Game 31
Time 12:05
Taranaki 7 vs Manawatu 0

Game 32
Time 12:25
Bay of Plenty 14 vs North Harbour5

Game 33
Time 12:50
South Canterbury 7 vs Northland 47

Game 34
Time 13:10
Tasman 35 vs Buller7

Game 35
Time 13:30
Auckland 26 vs Southland 0

Game 36
Time 13:50
Wellington 14 vs Horowhenua Kapiti 17

Game 37
Time 14:10
Otago 7 vs Hawkes Bay 29

Game 38 -
Time 14:30
Manawatu 10 vs North Harbour 19

Game 39 - Cup Semi-Final
Time 14:50
Counties Manukau 0 vs Waikato 14

Game 40 - Cup Semi-Final
Time 15:10
Taranaki 17 vs Bay of Plenty 19

Game 41
Time 15:40
Northland 12 vs Tasman 26

Game 42 - Bowl Final
Time 16:05
Auckland 15 vs Horowhenua Kapiti 21

Game 43 - Plate Final
Time 16:30                                                                                                                                    Hawkes Bay 19 vs North Harbour 38

Game 44 - Cup Final
Time 17:15
Waikato 21 vs Bay of Plenty 14

Day 1

Game 1
Time 11:10
Wellington 17 vs Northland 21

Game 2
Time 11:30
Manawatu 14 vs Hawkes Bay 28

Game 3
Time 11:50
Taranaki 26 vs Southland 12

Game 4
Time 12:10
Waikato 33 vs Tasman 14

Game 5
Time 12:30
Bay of Plenty 26 vs Horowhenua Kapiti 0

Game 6
Time 12:50
Counties Manukau 41 vs South Canterbury7

Game 7
Time 13:10
Auckland 12 vs Otago 21

Game 8
Time 13:30
North Harbour 21 vs Buller 12

Game 9
Time 13:50
Wellington 28 vs Hawkes Bay 24

Game 10
Time 14:10
Manawatu 21 vs Northland 10

Game 11
Time 14:30
Taranaki 24 vs Tasman 17

Game 12
Time 14:50
Waikato 31 vs Southland 0

Game 13
Time 15:10
Bay of Plenty 25 vs South Canterbury 7

Game 14
Time 15:30
Counties Manukau 34 vs Horowhenua Kapiti 12

Game 15
Time 15:50
Otago 43 vs Buller 7

Game 16
Time 16:10
North Harbour 17 vs Auckland 19

Game 17
Time 16:30
Northland 5 vs Hawkes Bay 19

Game 18
Time 16:50
Manawatu 26 vs Wellington 21

Game 19
Time 17:10
Southland 19 vs Tasman 24

Game 20
Time 17:30
Waikato 12 vs Taranaki 14

Game 21
Time 17:50
Counties Manukau 7 vs Bay of Plenty 12

Game 22
Time 18:10
Horowhenua Kapiti 22 vs South Canterbury 19

Game 23
Time 18:30
Auckland 12 vs Buller 7

Game 24
Time 18:50
North Harbour 19 vs Otago 17