Monday 12 May 2025
First XV 36 vs 22 Sacred Heart College
The First XV continued their winning momentum in the 1A competition with a well-earned 36-22 victory over Sacred Heart College in a fiercely contested home fixture.
The game began with early pressure from the visitors, who opened the scoring with a penalty to take a 3-nil lead. King’s responded with intensity with a bursting run from Marco Miln (Year 13, Selwyn) setting up D’Angelo Tupou (Year 13, Parnell) for King’s opening try, giving the home side a 7-3 lead. Sacred Heart briefly regained the advantage with a converted try at 10-7, but King’s quickly flipped the script with back-to-back tries under the posts. Charlie Burn (Year 13, School) finished off a clinical team move and Zion Heiloa Savaka (Year 13, Peart) powered through defenders just before halftime to put King’s into the break up 21-10.
Sacred Heart narrowed the gap early in the second half with a try just five minutes in, but King’s extended their lead again through Ollie Anderson (Year 11, Greenbank), who scored a great team try. It was unconverted to make it 26-15. The winger struck again minutes later in spectacular fashion, chasing down a well-placed kick to score in the corner. A conversion by Marco Miln pushed the score to 33-15.
Sacred Heart weren’t done yet, responding with a converted try to bring the score to 33-22 and setting up a tense finish. However, King’s remained composed and sealed the result with a last-minute penalty in front of the posts, securing a 36-22 victory.
It was a game defined by sharp execution, determined defence and moments of individual brilliance across the field. Captain Marco Miln’s game management and playmaking were crucial, while Ollie Anderson’s finishing proved decisive in the second half.
Head Coach Ian Robinson said after the game that "despite it being a very busy week at the College due to Small House Music and Senior Ball, all 22 boys stepped up and delivered."
"Every week we are looking to get better and better, and although today wasn't our best performance, the determination the boys showed was awesome and a testament to how hard the boys work day in day out."
A special moment came after the final whistle, as Calvin Harris-Tavita was awarded his First XV cap. His presentation was accompanied by a powerful haka from the squad.
Tries: Ollie Anderson (2), D'Angelo Tupou, Charlie Burn, Zion Heiloa Savaka.
Conversions: Marco Miln (4)
Penalties: Marco Miln
The team now looks ahead to their next clash, travelling to face St Paul’s College next weekend. With growing momentum, King’s will aim to continue their strong run in the competition.
Second XV 33 vs 17 St Peter’s College
The Sun Gods smiled on King’s with fine weather for what was expected to be a tough clash against St Peter’s College.
With a strong westerly blowing into the north eastern corner, St Peter’s took early advantage and led 10 - 0. King’s defence responded well, forcing turnovers that led to tries by Leo Kirkland (Year 12, Selwyn) and Noah Moss (Year 11, Parnell). Felix Spary (Year 12, Selwyn) slotted both conversions to give King’s a 14-10 halftime lead.
In the second half, excellent forward link play opened space out wide for Kirkland’s second try. Karson Hawkins (Year 12, Parnell) then crossed near the posts to stretch the lead. St Peter’s hit back after some confusion from new combinations off the bench. But with five minutes to go, sustained pressure paid off when Matt Cunningham (Year 12, Greenbank) pounced on a loose ball to score.
Tries: Leo Kirkland (2), Noah Moss, Karson Hawkins, Matt Cunningham
Conversions: Felix Spary (3), Matt Cunningham
Player of the Day: Taani Mafile'o (Year 13, St John's)
1R Maroon 15 vs 10 Glendowie College
There were no matches organised for the restricted grade teams today, so we asked Glendowie College if their U85kg team would be prepared to play a non-championship game against us. They agreed and we played on the #3 field at midday in wonderfully sunny conditions.
With only our Vice-Captain Tommy Farag (Year 13, School) absent (injured), all members of the squad had at least half a game and we needed to have a hit-out today to start implementing our patterns of play and start getting used to playing together as a team.
We had a lot of possession but were guilty of several loose carries and inaccuracies that gave Glendowie possession that we then had to defend. We missed three or four scoring opportunities in the first half and only flanker Denver Olde (Year 13, School) was able to cross ‘the chalk’ to give us a narrow 5-nil lead at halftime.
Nine fresh players were brought on at halftime, but our continuing lack of concentration and inability to finish off opportunities we had created made for a nail-biting finish. The opposition scored two unconverted tries to take the lead 10 -5, but we hit back with a well-constructed and finished try in the right-hand corner to replacement centre Charlie Robertson (Year 12, School). Dan Chitty (Year 13, School) superbly converted from the sideline, and we held a narrow 12 – 10 lead, which we pushed out to 15-10 right on fulltime, with a penalty that was converted by Dan Chitty.
We have been working hard on our passing and catching skills as well as ball into contact and our work around the breakdown – both on attack and defence, but there is still a lot of work to be done in all these areas. Our defence was pleasing today - congratulations to Eduan Jacobs (Year 11, Greenbank), Carter Stewart (Year 12, School) and Captain Fraser Brown (Year 13, Peart), who tackled everything in a blue jersey on the field.
Sometimes it is better to ‘win ugly’ than to play well and still lose… Onwards and upwards.
Tries: Denver Olde, Charlie Robertson
Penalty/Conversion: Dan Chitty
6A 5 vs 22 Glendowie College
Despite originally not having a match, the 6A boys showed up in full force for a late notice pre-season friendly against Glendowie College. With the game split into thirds, the boys dominated the first third, setting the standard for the game.
Some big carries from Noah Plowman (Year 10, Selwyn) and Taylor Kijowski (Year 10, School) kept the opposition on the back foot. The first third ended neck and neck thanks to some amazing individual tackles. The boys came out confidently for the second third and got the very well-deserved first try of the game. The opposition decided to tilt the momentum in their favour and take their first points from a nicely kicked penalty. Despite a dominant performance for the majority of the first two-thirds, Glendowie’s kick was enough to swing the game their way. They scored a try to go ahead for the first time in the game and at the end of the second third, they managed to score again, making the score 5-15 going into the final third.
Unfortunately, Glendowie managed to secure the win with another try in the final third, but thanks to some more brave try-saving tackles from Sammie Richardson (Year 10, St John’s) on the wing, it ended 5-22 to Glendowie. A special mention to Zack Anderson (Year 10, Greenbank), who was solid under the high ball at fullback, and Noah Plowman, who was man of the match for his excellent physical performance on and off the ball.
Tries: Freddie Dryden (Year 10, School)
U15A 22 vs 7 Westlake Boys’ High School
At our Hahei pre-season training camp, we sat up on the Pā site and spoke about what would be required to defend it in ancient times.
We needed all that courage and more as we stared down the fact that, due to Year 10 camp and injury, we were down 10 players for our first competition match of the season. What’s more is that we were facing the same Westlake team that had beaten us in the pre-season game the week before.
Westlake started hard and fast, scoring their one and only converted try six minutes into the match. Under siege, on our own try line shortly after, Nikau Henwood (Year 11, St John’s) was able to steal a Westlake lineout, which led to a lengthy counter-attack deep into the Westlake 22. From here, with further bullocking runs from our tight five, we were able to construct enough space for Manaariki Kea-Cameron (Year 10, Selwyn) to score in the right-hand corner.
Four minutes later, after a sustained attack, we scored again through a dominant charge from Te Hura Marsh (Year 10, School), this was converted by Toby Willis (Year 11, Selwyn) and the score remained 12-7 to us at halftime.
The second half was a torrid affair with a well-drilled Westlake side fighting hard to make inroads. It took until the 17-minute mark before a sniping sideline run from Karter Harris (Year 10, Peart) was finished off by Kea-Cameron for his second try of the match. With this unconverted, Westlake still did not pack their bags. Finally in the dying minutes of the match our one and only “Raging bull” Kavelle Wiki-Rawiri (Year 10, St John's) took the ball from a penalty tap on our own 22 line, ran through two defenders, outpaced others, showed his footwork beating another two before drawing in the last few tacklers and making the final pass for Matthias Petelo (Year 10, Marsden) looming in support to run the final 10 meters to score a well-deserved try.
Tries: Nikau Henwood, Manaaki Kea-Cameron, Te Hura Marsh, Matthias Petelo
Conversion: Toby Willis