The Junior Warriors scored after the final siren to draw 28-28 with the Otahuhu Leopards in today's under-20 trial at North Harbour Stadium in Albany.
With eight minutes to play, the Junior Warriors were seemingly well out of it with the Leopards leading 28-14, but late tries to halfback Eko Malu and winger Viliami Lolohea gave the defending Toyota Cup champions a sniff.
And with their last shot, rugby union convert Ngataua Hukatai scored to lock the score up at 28-28. Hukatai tried to bring the ball around as close as possible to the posts for what could be the match-winning conversion, but Braxton Stanley's attempt from about 15 metres to the right of the posts went wide to the left.
Junior Warriors 28 (Viliami Lolohea 2, Fine Faingaa, Malakai Houma, Eko Malu, Ngataua Hukatai tries; Eko Malu 2 conversions)
Otahuhu Leopards 28 (Jo Fuimaono, Carlos Ulberg, Geoff Ruaporo, Toutai Hala, Marty Langdon, George Smith tries; Freddy Turuwhenua 2 conversions)
Halftime: 18-10 Leopards.
