26 Apr 2022

Tuesday 26 April 2022

Catch up on the First XV's preseason fixtures against Napier Boy's High School and Christchurch Boys' High School. 

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Saturday 9 April vs Napier Boys High School at NBHS

A fine, warm day with a slight breeze was what greeted the team as they ran onto the #1 field at Napier Boys’ to play this pre-season fixture refereed by Old Collegian Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri (School, 1993-03).

Napier had the initial pressure on attack and King’s conceded a converted try after 7 minutes. A well-worked set move from a scrum allowed Trey Alatini to score in the corner to make the score 5–7 after 14 minutes.

Play then moved from end to end with a mixture of good defence and mistakes keeping both teams scoreless. King’s was awarded a penalty 22m out in front and Francis Manuleleua kicked it for King’s to lead 8–7. Napier replied with their own penalty goal to lead 10–8 after 29 min.

A fantastic breakout from our defensive 22m by Scott Sheffield-Gray and some inter-passing between Scott, Freddie Forsythe and Jonty Willis allowed the sweeping movement to be finished by Jonty with a great try which Francis converted to take the lead at halftime 15–10.

The second half started with more ebb and flow rugby before a great run by Jarius Iosefa allowed Francis to put through a pinpoint grubber kick for Brodey Warren to score in the left-hand corner. Jarius then picked up a loose pass after good phase play to run through and score to extend King’s lead to 25–10 after 12 minutes of the second half. The next 12 minutes saw Napier score two tries from lineout drives with Francis kicking another penalty to take the score to 28–20 in favour of King’s.

At the 30-minute mark good phase play by King’s saw them hot on attack and Napier conceded a penalty 7 metres out from their line. Jack Elliott took a quick tap and ran at the line. An offside player tackled him and the referee had no option but to award a penalty try with King’s now leading 35–20 with 5 minutes to play.

Napier scored another lineout drive try with 2 minutes to go to take the score to 35–25. Sheldon, who was such an officious timekeeper when he was on duty in School House, then somehow managed to find another 5 minutes of play with Napier scoring their last try at the 38-minute mark to finish the game.

Final score King’s 35–30 Napier Boys’.

It was a relatively inexperienced team that travelled with the following players making their debut for the First XV-:

Sam Afu (Year 12, Selwyn); Harry Kaveriri (Year 13, Averill); Luca Fuller (Year 12, Selwyn); Flynn Hamilton-Muller (Year 11, Averill); Callan Ogilvie (Year 12, School); Hawaiki Morrison (Year 11, Parnell); JP Kama (Year 12, Parnell); Freddie Forsythe (Year 13, Major).

Scott Sheffield-Gray (Year 13, Selwyn) earnt his cap for his 13th appearance for the 1st XV.

Tuesday 19 April vs Christchurch Boys’ High School at CBHS

A fine, warm day with a light but building breeze were the conditions that greeted the team as they took on Christchurch Boys’.

CBHS had the initial flow of the game with King’s countering when they could hold onto the ball for enough phases. After 15 minutes CBHS had been on attack and King’s conceded a penalty. A quick tap saw them score a converted try. A sweeping move down their right-hand side saw them score another converted try after 21 minutes to take a 14–0 lead.

King’s played some good attacking in the next part of the game and from a lineout on attack, there were 5 phases played before the ball came left, Trey Alatini stepped his defender then fed the ball to Luca Fuller for him to score in the left-hand corner. Francis Manuleleua converted from the sideline to make the halftime score King’s 7–14 CBHS.

Play ebbed and flowed in the first 12 minutes of the second half before a set move from a scrum saw a great pass from Francis put Jonty Willis away on the right wing to score a try in the corner which was not converted. The next 15 minutes saw both teams attack with intent but good defence and errors kept both teams from scoring.

CBHS managed to score next from an attacking scrum to take the lead to 12–21.

With 3 minutes to play King’s had put together some good phases and were awarded a penalty 5 metres out from the line. Jarius Iosefa took a quick tap and powered between two defenders to score a try which was not converted.

King’s had all the intent to work out of their half for the last part of the game but the CBHS defence held solid for them to finish the game as victors.

Final score King’s 17–21 CBHS

TJ Anae-Paila (Year 10, Major) made his debut for the First XV in this game.

The final pre-season game for the team will be Saturday 7 May at King’s against Saint Kentigern College, kicking off at 2.30pm.

Thank you to  Bayleys Real Estate for hosting this function and for their ongoing support of our First XV. Thanks also to our Premier Partner Jaguar Land Rover New Zealand in conjunction with Archibald and ShorterKukri New Zealand and SRG Radiology.

Rugby First XV Sponsor Lockup V1