Border Ladies retain Women’s Premier Division title after last-minute WP victory

Border Ladies centre Asisipho Plaatjies scored a last-minute try that handed her team a dramatic 19-16 win in the Women's Premier Division final against Western Province in Cape Town on Saturday.

Victory gave Border their back-to-back Women's Premier Division title win, who defeated the same opponents last year.

Up until that very minute the home side, who took the lead after 48 minutes of play, looked set to take back the national title, but a stunning run from 40 meters out by Plaatjies secured the double for Border Ladies.

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It was a match fitting of a final in the premier event of the domestic game for women’s rugby. Border, who held a slender 12-8 lead at the break, only had themselves to blame for such a nail-biting finish.

They dominated the first half hour of the match, with their forwards laying a solid foundation and supplying their willing backline more than enough space and ball to have a go.

Tries by midfielder Aphiwe Ngwevu and wing Unathi Mali were proof of that early dominance, while the hosts, who defended well despite the onslaught, could only reply via a penalty goal by flyhalf Kirsten Conrad. 

Despite their early attacking dominance, Border did not show enough patience in building phases and their game management also let them down in the latter half of the first half.

Twice they opted against going for poles from kickable positions. Instead, they tried to barge over from short range, however, both attempts delivered nothing.

The home side, on the other hand, were much more clinical on attack and that almost won them the match.

After finally getting some hands on the ball in the last ten minutes of the half,