DRAGGING three defenders over the line to score - it was a moment of strength and determination from Grace Hamilton which helped to inspire her NSW Waratahs to a 36-0 win over the Queensland Reds in their Super W preliminary final.
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While the Hamilton skippered Waratahs went into Thursday night's match as hot favourites given they had never lost to the Reds, beat them 46-0 five days earlier and are the four-time defending champions, Queensland came read to play.
Playing at Granville Park the Reds threw plenty at the Waratahs in attack, before Panuara product Hamilton came up with a play which changed the momentum.
With 29 minutes gone and the contest locked at nil-all, star number 8 Hamilton charged her way over the line off the back of a Waratahs scrum some 12 metres out.
It was Hamilton's first try of the season and first in Waratahs colours since February 2020.
Fired up after Hamilton's try, Waratahs scored twice more before half-time to take a 17-0 lead. The Reds never recovered.
"I think for us that was a tough grind, they're a hearty team and we knew that we were going to have to grind that out, I'm really glad we got that win," Hamilton, who made a number of strong carries, said.
"We just needed to get some points on the board and as soon as we did that I knew the energy would be up and we'd keep going and getting forward."
The Waratahs will face Fiji Drua - the only side to ever beat them in a Super W match - in the April 23 grand final.
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