09 Sep 2022

Friday 09 September 2022

Read on for a match report from our U15 and 1R Rugby teams during tournament week. 

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An Under 15 Rugby First!

The Under 15 Open team played St Johns-Hamilton in day four of a pool crossover 1 VS 1 final for the Williams and Kettle Cup at Lindisfarne College Tournament Week in Hastings, winning emphatically 53-8.

Both teams were unbeaten in pool play and it shaped for a worthy final on Lindisfarne No1- Pakowhai Field.

The team had prepared well during the week playing some attractive running and after a pleasant dinner with many of their parents whom had made the trip to Hastings to kindly support the team they were ready to go.

It was clear from the start that the team were very focused on the task at hand and implementing a more direct game plan for the final. The pack showed early dominance at scrum and lineout time with front rowers Sione Manuopangai (Year 10, Peart), Evile Tuumatavai (Year 10, Major) and Tevita Veikoso (Year 10, Major) leading the way. The Selwyn locking pair of Sam Gapes (Year 10, Selwyn) and Olly Chapman (Year 10, Selwyn) very industrious around the field and at lineout time while the loose trio Johan Schaumkell (Year 10, School), Hemana Connew (Year 10, St. John's) and Ethan Ola (Year 10, Averill) were unstoppable with the ball in hand and dominating the breakdown. 

This led to an explosive start of high tempo rugby with 4 quick tries to our backs who were full of running, in particular TJ Anae-Paila (Year 10, Major), Evan Nathan-Patuawa (Year 10, School) at fullback and captain Saia Manu (Year 10, Averill). With a halftime score of 29-0 the team looked on track.

A few combinations were changed at halftime and after an error ridden start to the second half St Johns crossed for their first points and shortly after increased their points tally to 8 which reflected the momentum shift. After some stern words from skipper Saia Manu the team reacted well, in particular Hemana Connew who crossed the line twice in quick succession to burst Johnnies bubble immediately.

This was backed up by some fine footwork and running by winger Joseph Fatuvalu which saw Manu score again and this was backed up by a superb solo try by replacement winger Sean Angilau running 50m to score.

The bench again provided a lot of impact (Keneti Fanuatanu [Year 10, St. John's], Loghan Pulotu-McCarthy [Year 10, Parnell], Tom Boucher [Year 10, Greenbank], Charlie Burn [Year 10, School], Henry Wagstaff [Year 10, Averill] and Kace Hipkins-Taimai [Year 10, Parnell]) and allowed us to continue playing at pace.

Both halfbacks Ruka Smythe (Year 9, Parnell) and D’Angelo Tupou (Year 10, Parnell) delivered speedy ball to allow us to play our high paced game and flyhalf Zion Savaka (Year 10, Peart) controlled the game well. A final score of 53-8 for King’s and another valuable piece of silverware for the team to bring home and back to Auckland for the first time.

Tries: Connew 3, Anae-Paila 2, Manu 2, Nathan-Patuawa, Angilau.

Conversion: Nathan-Patuawa 3, Savaka.

 TJ Anae-Paila was awarded the Player of the Tournament -MVP trophy.

 Many thanks to all our whānau who travelled down to support their sons and the team, also to Head of Athletic Development Mr Birkbeck who assisted the team on the last two days of the tournament.

Thank-you to everyone who wished us well and all the kind words of encouragement, you can be very proud of the way our boys represented King’s College and played with so much passion and desire. Many hours of evening prep were also allocated over the week.

 

1R Rugby: Pride and Passion for the Game!

This morning we played our final pool match against 3rd placed St. Pat’s Silverstream with the winner going through to the final. The boys started well and were in control of the match all the way through. Two penalties to Harrison Martin (Year 11, Selwyn) gave us a 6 - 0 halftime lead. In the second half we played an effective kicking game, pinning Silverstream inside their own half and eventually sealed the 11 - 0 win with a fantastic 20m driving maul from a line out. The win delivered a second opportunity to play Sacred Heart College in the final. 

In another dour encounter, neither team was willing to yield and both teams kicked a penalty to turn around at the break with the score 3-all. In the second half SHC kicked another penalty and Misha Craig (Year 13, Greenbank) equalised to square the score once again. With time almost up on the clock, all we needed to do was close out the match and the title would have been ours. However, an infringement at the breakdown saw SHC awarded a penalty which they converted and from the re-start the final whistle blew and SHC were the winners. 

The boys were great ambassadors for the College and represented King’s with great pride and passion.