The University Whales stunned Taieri 3-2 on Saturday to end the Tuataras’ Challenge Shield reign of over three years. After a cagey first quarter, the game livened up in the second with a slick Whales counter-attack finished off by Jono Hair. Questions will be asked of the defending, but it was yet another example of what the 2026 Whales are capable of if given time and space. With the lead, the Whales’ tails were up, as they remained competitive in an end-to-end contest which featured both keepers being tested. Taieri found the game’s next goal, as Oliver Battrick converted a stroke with 38 seconds to go in the third quarter, setting up a blockbuster final quarter. To win games like this, you need a bit of luck, and to the credit of the Whales, they created their own. They forced a penalty corner, which Jakob Bell-Kake was able to sneak in by flicking it through traffic with a heap of power.…