On Saturday afternoon the King's First XV team kicked off the start of the 1A Auckland competition with a win against De La Salle College.
All other King’s Rugby teams started their season with trial matches against Saint Kentigern College and De La Salle College.
“This was the first proper match for many of the teams and the boys showed great skills and promise as we lead into the start of competitive season,” says Head of Sports Jim Potts.
Results
King's First XV vs De La Salle College
First XV
De La Salle College
28 - 5
Win
Tries to Thorn Parkes, Lukas Halls, Chicago Doyle and Millenium Sanerivi
Conversion to Meihana Grindlay
Penalties to Isa’ako Enosa (2).
The First XV travelled across the railway tracks to play our closest 1A neighbours – De La Salle College on Saturday. Following an extensive pre-season programme and preparation under our Strength and Conditioning Coach - Scott McLaren, the coaches were confident that we would be able to maintain the positive momentum from the earlier pre-matches played. Deciding on a squad that contained a mixture of youth and experience, the coaches were to commence the season on what was a lovely autumn day with a firm field and a gentle cross-breeze blowing.
As we had expected, De La Salle College came out strong, putting our line under early pressure. Our boys, equal to the task, managed to maintain their discipline and weathered the early ‘storm’. Eventually King’s got into their work and started to dominate territory with some clever kicking and strong running.
De La Salle College were pushed to the fault on two occasions and both times second five-eight Isa’ako Enosa stepped up and kicked penalties for King’s to move out to a 6 – 0 lead. Our tighthead prop Levi Uluakiahoia was yellow-carded for a high tackle and De La Salle College took advantage of the extra man and scored a well-taken try close to our posts. The conversion sailed wide, but the try was enough to wake us up and our boys started to play wide and moved their big forwards around the field.
From a breakout, halfback Thorn Parkes scored a very good try following a jinking run, but Isa’ako Enosa was unable to convert. Just before halftime, the ball was moved along the backline and center Lukas Halls ran well to score a solo try that Isa’ako Enosa was also unable to convert. We went into the break 16 – 5 up, knowing that we were on the brink of breaking down the opposition.
In the second half the game went back and forth with King’s having much of the possession, but inaccuracies foiled many opportunities to score. An individual piece of brilliance by our Year 10 fullback Chicago Doyle saw a 60-metre solo effort that lead to his try in the corner, giving us the third of our four tries we needed to gain the extra bonus point.
In the last quarter, we continued to open them up with clever tactics and good running, but we lacked finish and opportunities to score again went begging. Inside the final 10 minutes Captain and number 8 Millenium Sanerivi scored a try to the right side of the posts that was converted by Meihanan Grindlay to give us our final score of 28 – 5, and our four try bonus-point victory.
We were delighted to leave De La Salle College with a bonus point win under the belt and no major injuries sustained, but our challenge gets a lot harder this weekend with a trip across to Pakuranga to play rivals and defending Auckland 1A Champions –Saint Kentigern College under the leadership of ex-King’s College First XV Coach – Tasesa Lavea.
2A
De La Salle College
15 - 12
Win
Tries: Luron Iosefa (2) Thomas Ludbrook (1)
Colts
De La Salle College
20 - 0
Win
Under 15s
De La Salle College
19 - 0
Win
4A
Saint Kentigern College
Loss
5A
Saint Kentigern College
17–24
Loss
6A
Saint Kentigern College
Win
7A
Saint Kentigern College
28 - 26
Win
