NPC rugby live updates: Otago v Waikato

Cam Millar has emerged as Otago's at Forsyth Barr Stadium, slamming home an 80th-minute penalty goal to give his side a 44-41 win over Waikato, guiding them through to the NPC semi-finals next weekend.

Halfback Dylan Pledger's breakout season continued, as he opened the scoring, collecting a Sam Gilbert kickthrough after only five minutes.

Bolstered by the return of All Blacks Luke Jacobson, Samipeni Finau and Anton Lienert-Brown, Waikato then dominated the next 20 minutes.

Fellow young talent Oli Mathis scored for the visitors, followed by Finau, but a costly yellow card to Jacobson for a professional foul halted all their momentum. Otago hit back with tries to Jae Broomfield and Will Stoddart to take a 19-15 lead into halftime.

Pledger gave Otago a perfect start to the second half, when he picked off a pass to race 70 metres and score, then Lucas Casey crossed in the corner to give the home side a healthy lead.

Waikato threatened a comeback through the impressive Tupaea Cook-Savage, but his try saw a response almost straightaway from Gilbert down the other end.

In his last season of NPC before he takes up a contract for Irish province Connacht, Gilbert seemed to put the game out of reach, with a beautifully struck drop goal from 40 metres out, but Waikato weren't keen to give up. A massive scrum with eight minutes to go saw replacement halfback Charlie Marsh go over between the posts, then replacement hooker Sean Ralph scored his second try to seemingly send the game to extra time.

However, there was time for a final kickoff, which saw Otago earn a penalty 45 metres out. Millar, who leads all scorers in the competition this year, had no hesitation in calling for the tee and sent the kick through to win the game.

On a sad note, veteran Aaron Cruden was forced from the field with a shoulder injury in what may be his last act in a professional game.

Meanwhile, Pledger looms as a long-shot selection in the All Blacks on Monday, but he surely must be in the frame for the All Blacks XV that to be announced a day later.

Tomorrow's quarterfinals see Bay of Plenty host Tasman in Tauranga, then Hawke's Bay take on Taranaki in Napier. Canterbury and Counties-Manukau fight it out for the remaining semifinal spot on Sunday afternoon in Christchurch.

Read how the game unfolded here:

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