A teenage wing wonder with Jamaican genes grabbed Bond University a thrilling success in rugby’s Australian Club Championship for women.
Today’s stunning three-try blast from winger Dianne Waight sunk Sydney premiers Gordon 29-26 in a superb advertisement for women’s rugby.
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The youngster fought back an asthma episode on full-time just minutes after an 85m solo try had won the day for Queensland’s flagship team.
Temperatures simmered at around 28 degrees and the best rugby was even hotter at Brisbane’s Sci-Fleet Stadium for the inaugural staging of this event for women.
The faster, fitter Bond women celebrated by holding aloft the Sukkar Cup, struck this week to honour all that Buildcorp duo Josephine and Tony Sukkar have done to develop women’s rugby.
Waight turned 18 only last November. A lingering virus had affected her rugby but now her health has improved the sky is the limit.
The former Southport High student has already been talented spotted and has started her development in Queensland’s elite sevens programs.
It is easy to see why.
Her pedigree on the track over 100m and 200m was as evident as it was needed because two of her three tries as a second half replacement were long-range gems.
Diane is the daughter of Dennis Waight, who spent more than 20 years as the fitness guru behind the most feared of West Indian cricket teams when Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards were in their primes.
His love affair with the Caribbean literally turned into married life with his Jamaican wife Ann and their family on the Gold Coast.
“I got my running genes from Jamaica,” young Waight said with a smile at full-time.
“The girls really worked hard for that, to fight back and to win in such a close game.
“In the moment, everything went a bit blurry for that last try. I just kept running.”
Replacement Gordon forward Moniqca Mo’ale looked to have stolen the game for Gordon in the closing minutes when she surged over from close range.
The 26-24 lead, with Akira Kelly’s conversion, forced Bond into a desperate final attack from their own quarter.
The Bull Sharks flip between 15-a-side rugby and winning sevens tournaments so their instincts to go wide to Waight at the death were not out of character.
She took a high pass and took off from a standing start. She beat two defenders with pace and excellent balance for the winning try.
Midway through the second half, she had beaten three defenders with speed on the left sideline plus a smart step and swerve.
Today’s match seemed to be unfolding as a celebration of Gordon rugby when two tries and a 12-0 lead were on the scoreboard before Bond could blink.
The Bond women weren’t unruffled by falling behind to hot favourites Easts in last year’s Premier Rugby grand final and showed the same composure today with Reds centre Mel Wilks prominent.
Gordon recruit Sarah Riordan, the former Wallaroos centre, had excellent handling touches in those two tries in the opening seven minutes.
Unfortunately, a random backhanded pass by Riordan backfired when Gordon looked set to extend their lead.
The ball was seized by teenage finisher Charlize Ratu who ran the try in from 85m out.
The try against the run of play invigorated the Bull Sharks. The best team try of the game was theirs just before half-time. A sweeping seven-pass movement over 70m was finished off by young flyhalf Ava Wereta.
The 14-12 half-time lead was improved to 19-14 with Waight’s first try.
The only sour note for the jubilant and exhausted Bond women was the serious injury to backrower Lucy Lockhart who suffered a suspected broken leg early in the second half.
