Pulse ready to battle at Invercargill fortress

Enjoying their finest moment, the excitement was palpable after Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse rocketed their way into Wednesday’s inaugural ANZ Premiership Grand Final.

The Pulse have little time to digest their meteoric rise in 2017, the camp’s next challenge of taking on the unbeaten Ascot Park Hotel Southern Steel at their Invercargill fortress and battling for the title, however, doing little to dampen spirits.

“We’ve had some quick turnarounds in the season, so we’re prepared for that and there will be a lot of adrenalin come Wednesday, so I don’t think the turnaround’s going to be too much of an issue for us,” Pulse midcourter Claire Kersten said. “It will just be exciting to get out there and get going.”

Having a season to savour, the reliable and ever-consistent Kersten epitomises the spirit that has shone from this year’s edition of the Pulse, who overcame a slow start to run down the SKYCITY Mystics 59-52 in Sunday’s Elimination Final.

There was a determined intent written on each of their faces as the team staged a stirring comeback to seal the win, the post-match reaction reverberating between the players and their loyal fans.

“This has been 10 years in the making for the Pulse and there have been a few pretty tough seasons in recent years, so we’re absolutely stoked to be in the Grand Final on Wednesday,” Kersten said.

“It was a bit of a slow start for us (in the Elimination Final) but in that second quarter we started chipping away at the lead and the feeling in that last quarter…..the team effort was incredible. We just all fed off each other and that’s what got us over the line in the end.

“We’ve absolutely grown as the season’s progressed. We’ve had a couple of wee blips along the way but that’s made us stronger in the end and the feeling, particularly in that last quarter, was something really special.”

There have been a number of firsts for the Wellington-based team this year, making a Finals Series for the first time in their 10-year history and now lining up in their first Grand Final.

Fans can catch all the ANZ Premiership Grand Final action live from 7.30pm Wednesday night on SKY Sport 1, Radio Sport and for international fans (outside NZ) via the ANZ Premiership Facebook page.