First XV wrap: Auckland Grammar edge Sacred Heart to stay unbeaten in 1A, Rosmini end Westlake streak

With St Kentigern trousering three points from a 26-26 draw (and bonus point) with fifth-placed Mt Albert Grammar – and much more about that further down – they have now moved back into third.

Grammar and Sacred traded try for try and blow for blow for most of an engrossing contest, with the score levelling out at 7-7, 14-14, 21-21, and 28-29.

When Sacred established a 36-28 lead 20 minutes into the second spell, despite playing into the wind, they looked a decent chance of becoming the first team to roll Grammar this year.

However, Grammar (or “Newmarket High School” as the Sacred wags prefer to call them, in a psychological depowering exercise) showed plenty of character to carve out three tries in the final 15 minutes and seal the game.

Over the past fortnight, Grammar concerns over privacy and player safety have been emphasised in unprecedented off-field initiatives to stamp out social media footage of their matches.

Ironically, Grammar have never been more worthy of viral viewing.

They’re a good watch. So it was understandable to still see a host of mobile phone cameras running hot – particularly at the scoreboard end – to capture a pulsating physical contest.

While concern about media coverage might be present higher up the food chain at Mountain Rd, perversely the players themselves are performing with such confidence and belief that they almost transmit a subliminal message of; “Hey, look at us go”.

Grammar openside Ben Stewart, rugged and alert, was the team’s standout, icing his day with a hat-trick of tries, including the one which finally nudged Grammar ahead 38-36.

Another critical contributor was first five-eighths Ethan Halaapiapi. He was slick as minestrone soup and kicked five of seven conversions, with many less than straightforward.

Fullback Louie Du Plessis was always dangerous with ball in hand and scored the day’s final try, finishing off a classic backline move.

Auckland Grammar flanker Sol Anderson tackles Sacred Heart winger Troy Hola.

Halfback Bobby Neels finished a good try close in, as did skipper Connor Murdoch.

And while he didn’t feature on the scoresheet, blindside Sol Anderson was effective in the loose, getting through a power of work.

Sacred at least banked a bonus point for their five tries, but missed a second when skipper Keanu Simpson was unable to convert a final-minute penalty.

Simpson had earlier done well to sell a dummy and feed Sacred fullback Tali Nimo to give his team a precious eight-point lead.

But Sacred were damaged by two late events. The first was a curious incident where they were purposefully running the ball up to the 10m line, when referee Ben Mclauchlan suddenly stopped the match mid-flow to have a chat with the captains.

He then restarted play with a scrum to Sacred – but back inside their own 22. Maybe we should see a clip of this online?

If that wasn’t enough of a disadvantage, wing Troy Hola was then sin-binned for a scuffle off the ball.

Earlier, imposing Sacred No 8 Malakai Havealeta opened the scoring and there were further tries from Hola, lock Breyton Tubu, and a clever dummy-and-dive from elfish halfback Koia Cook.

Despite the loss, this was arguably Sacred’s best showing of the season and it will fuel belief should they meet Grammar in the playoffs.

The tally in this fixture now stands at Auckland Grammar 119 wins, Sacred Heart 41, and 13 draws (with Sacred winning 10 since 2016).

Mt Albert Grammar go close

Is there a new 1A title contender in town? Well, there was when fifth-placed Mount Albert Grammar School led St Kentigern College 26-12 with seven minutes remaining at Alberton Ave.

However, things unravelled spectacularly for the hosts, conceding two late tries and ultimately sharing honours 26-26 to remain four points behind in fourth place.

St Kentigern are better known for their ability to break down opponents systematically rather than for flamboyancy.

However, when a mile behind, St Kentigern’s hand was forced.

Expanse replaced grind, and securing three points from an arduous road trip – where they were penalised heavily and outmuscled most of the game – was a more satisfying outcome for St Kentigern than it was for 23-time 1A champions Mt Albert.

St Kent’s resurgence was sparked by the bench. Ezra McCarthy and Sau Manu were especially lively, and when prop Manu crashed over and Keanu Graham converted, the deficit was halved.

From the restart, St Kentigern stretched the field but couldn’t find a gap until lock Brady Tait burst 30m with wholehearted determination.

McCarthy saw tired defenders on the short side. As the space narrowed, he flicked the ball inside to winger Owen Lamb. The ball bounced off retreating Mt Albert chasers and sat kindly for the elated Owen.

From the embankment side, Graham looked like a speck as he lined up an improbable conversion in the dimming shadows in front of the gym.

Surely not. The ball soared through the air, bending slightly from right to left, then straight down the middle like a javelin.

The kid looked like he’d been slotting goals of this magnitude his whole life.

Mt Albert were on the canvas. Replacement winger Lafaele Mikaele lost the plot, tackling a player without the ball, and was yellow-carded.

St Kentigern stormed within 15m of the line, directly in front of the posts. With an overlap forming, Mt Albert somehow salvaged a breakdown turnover.

Earlier, Mt Albert’s confrontational approach unsettled St Kentigern. Loosehead prop Joseph Fuiamaono and captain-halfback Dylan Yare went within a whisker of scoring, while Mt Albert had a try disallowed for obstruction at a maul.

St Kentigern centre Leofe Usufono was elusive, and his searing break set up midfielder Cruz Kea-Cameron.

Mt Albert kept probing, and five minutes before halftime, St Kentigern prop D’Angelo Mikaele was yellow-carded for a high tackle. First-five Blaike Climo slotted the resulting penalty, 5-3.

Mt Albert gifted St Kent’s a penalty try by failing to clear their territory, and being overwhelmed by a rolling maul with 12 men.

Mt Albert turned the tide with the wind, and Climo started to take control. He created a gap for centre Adam Gruebner, who dished it off for Semisi Falaumoetao to score. The sideline conversion and two penalties pushed Mt Albert ahead 16-12.

St Kentigern were penalised at halfway and then marched 10m for backchat. Climo narrowly missed a 40m attempt but made amends moments later with his fourth penalty to lead 19-12.

Mt Albert No 8, Hanita Takulua, part of the Warriors’ premiership-winning Harold Matthews Cup side, was destructive. Openside Lucian Luatua-Mikaio punched above his weight.

Climo didn’t run often but when he stepped sharply off his left, he broke through the St Kentigern defence like an eager kid busting the turnstiles at Eden Park. His conversion raised his tally to 21 points, two more than the 19 points Auckland first five-eighths Rico Simpson scored for Sacred Heart in their memorable 1A final against St Kentigern in 2023.

Since winning the 1A and National Top Four titles in 2017, Mt Albert have won only 49 of 101 1A games and have missed the playoffs every season. However, with eight wins from 10 games in the disrupted 2021 season, they likely would have made the semi-finals. Their last win over St Kentigern was 18-17 in 2022.

Mt Albert boast a forward pack as heavy, abrasive, and athletic as any, and a smart, methodical fly-half. However, their late fade might come back to haunt them.

They finish the regular season with winnable games against ninth-placed King’s and sixth-placed St Peter’s. Ironically, to end their playoff drought, they’ll need late results favouring them – with St Kent’s set to face Sacred Heart in the final round.

Elsewhere Kelston Boys’ High kept pace, one point behind Grammar, with a 35-20 away win over St Peter’s. Despite still being without injured first-five and skipper Max Talbot, they ran in five tries to secure a bonus point.

Dilworth beat Liston College 24-7, with all their points coming in the first half, with tries to wing Jester Niuula, openside Amjayden Tafatoa Mauga, skipper Ether Fonoia and prop Adrian Vea. Dilworth’s 20-point haul so far this season equals their best-ever 1A return.

King’s College secured their third win of the season, 22-17 away to De La Salle, but it needed tries from lock Sam Coulter and halfback Ruka Smythe in the final 10 minutes to get them home. Centre Noah Moss and wing Leo Kirkland also scored in the first spell.

For De La Salle there were tries to first-five Denzel Sooa, prop Allen Manutulila and wing Blessing Toa-Elisala.

St Paul’s beat Botany Downs Secondary College 34-15, with the Kali brothers, fullback Siokatame and centre Daniel, registering 19 of their points. Both players are perhaps better known as rising rugby league talents.

Auckland 1A competition resumes on July 25, after the holidays.

Points: Auckland Grammar 43, Kelston 42, St Kentigern 35, Sacred Heart 34, Mt Albert Grammar 30, St Peter’s 23, Dilworth 20, King’s College 16, De La Salle 14, St Paul’s 13, Liston 7, Botany Downs 4.

Salute North Harbour’s comeback kings, Rosmini College

Gutsy Rosmini College engineered the greatest comeback since mullets, to come from 21-0 down and beat reigning Blues champions Westlake Boys’ High 31-21. They are now top of the Kyocera-sponsored North Harbour First XV competition.

Westlake’s 17-match unbeaten run north of the bridge was halted in its tracks by calm, disciplined, methodical rugby from a well-coached Rosmini team who showed great maturity to drag themselves back into contention.

So it was completely understandable at fulltime that there should be a pitch invasion from the 2000-strong crowd, as if they had just won the national title.

Rosmini prop Izack Faonevai celebrates his last-minute try against Westlake.

Westlake made a turbo-charged start, running in three converted tries in the opening 15 minutes to prop Demetrius Sanft, centre Matt Fleming and blindside Cohen Cameron.

But in a game of four quarters, Rosmini came storming back, neutering Westlake with a textbook tackling display, and then getting on the board themselves with a try to burrowing blindside Liam Kelly.

Rosmini halfback Eli Wharepouri expertly steered his team around the pitch and their pressure rugby paid off further when Kelly snared a second try after the break.

The Rosmini comeback picked up steam with a brilliant inside ball from rangy No 8 Luchian Opperman, who put first-five Kayden Godbold in for a nice try, and just a two-point deficit, while Westlake had a player in the bin.

Rosmini finally hit the front through a lineout maul try to hooker Ethan Bates, converted by Godbold for 26-21, and to their credit, Rosmini kept attacking in an entertaining spectacle.

Prop Izack Faonevai sealed the game for Rosmini in the final minute, scoring from a pick-and-go, after sustained pressure.

Rosmini first five-eighths Kayden Godbold engages with the crowd after converting the critical go-ahead try against Westlake Boys’ High.

Rosmini’s win was their 28th against Westlake, who’ve won 56 of the 87 previous games, including 11 of the last 13 heading into this contest.

Since 2017 Westlake have had 121 wins, 10 defeats and three draws, and Rosmini 82 wins, 42 defeats and six draws.

But the scoring sequence of a Westlake First XV conceding 31 points without reply had the sideline historians completely baffled.

Meanwhile, Rangitoto College got home 10-7 in a tight affair against Whangārei Boys’ High, to ease into third place.

Not a lot has separated these teams in recent times and it was Whangārei who won the clash earlier this season.

Early pressure by Rangitoto was interrupted when Whangārei winger Dane Severinson snaffled a well-timed intercept to score under the posts in the eighth minute.

But later in the first half Rangitoto responded with a clever Campbell Bibbie chip regathered by Chase Hawkins and passed to flying winger Oscar Faamausili to score.

Whangārei held a 7-5 halftime lead and dominated early in the second spell.

But Rangitoto No 8 Josef Streeter received the ball on halfway, burst through, and was rapid enough to go all the way to the try line for a match-securing try. Rangitoto defended valiantly for the remainder of the game.

In other matches Ōrewa College beat Takapuna Grammar 27-19, while on Friday Mahurangi College beat Massey High 20-0 to retain fifth place.

North Harbour points: Rosmini 51, Westlake 50, Rangitoto 35, Whangārei 35, Mahurangi 24, Ōrewa 16, Takapuna 10, Massey 2.

Hamilton stay top of Super 8 while Napier topple Rotorua

Hamilton Boys’ High have retained their Super 8 championship lead after a significant but unconvincing 29-22 home win over Tauranga Boys College.

It was not a match either side would remember fondly.

Tauranga enjoyed about 70% of possession but couldn’t quite do enough with it, while it was a stuttering, error-ridden Hamilton performance despite some promising interludes of excellence.

It started encouragingly enough for Hamilton with a well-worked eighth-minute converted try to fullback Ben Ward wide on the left.

But through one of innumerable penalties, Tauranga soon got on the board, and that was followed by two Hamilton yellow cards to Ward and prop Masami Kawai within six minutes.

Throw in a penalty try to Tauranga for a 10-10 halftime scoreline and from a Hamilton perspective, this was less satisfying than a $3 school lunch.

Halfback Carlos Nordstrom and right wing Carson Hunter at least gave Hamilton a margin of comfort with tries early in the second half, but there were also more penalties than the Monaco Grand Prix.

Tauranga Boys’ College fullback Tommy McQuoid scores a brilliant late solo try against Hamilton.

Tauranga fullback Tommy “Ethereal” McQuoid brought his team back into contention with a pacy, swerving run to the line in the 60th minute and substitute lock Zac Keaney scored just before fulltime to make it interesting.

However, Hamilton retained the Don Clarke Boot, contested in this fixture.

Before the advent of Super 8 the schools had shared 18 wins apiece.

In the first six years of Super 8 the ledger stood even at 3-3, but since 2004 Tauranga’s only Super 8 victories over Hamilton have been in 2009, 2021 and 2024.

Tauranga centre Matui Te Maipi was always a danger, but often guilty of trying to do everything himself. Lock Kahn Charlton was the pick of the forwards.

For Hamilton, Jackson Botherway was ever-reliable with his kicking, while Hunter Hammond was industrious up front.

Hamilton Boys’ High School hooker Hunter Hammond is tackled by Finn Curtis, of Tauranga Boys’ College.

Hamilton are at home to Gisborne Boys’ High (July 25) and then away to Hastings Boys’ High (August 1) in their final round robin matches, needing only to win one of them to make the final.

Meanwhile, Rotorua Boys’ High’s 18-game unbeaten streak is finally over.

The defending national First XV champions were humbled 33-7 by Napier Boys’ High, a result that leaves them five points adrift of a final berth with just two rounds to play.

Gun Napier fullback Riley Winchester gave it both barrels to score three tries, two coming in the first half as Napier established a 26-7 lead, and all executed wide on the left.

Napier second five Charlie Worsnop produced one of the day’s best tries, gliding through to go under the posts and centre Sakaraia Paodi also scored.

Napier’s most influential player was first-five Will Lovatt, who also chipped in with four conversions. A very structured defence was also critical in restricting Rotorua, despite a 35th-minute yellow card to mammoth No 8 Carter Pirie.

Samuel Howe, playing at No 8 in the absence of Te Ariki Rogers, scored a first-half try for Rotorua.

Napier’s biggest win previously against Rotorua was 39-14 in 2018 when Napier were National Top Four runners up.

Super 8 Points: Hamilton 23, Napier 21, Rotorua 16, Palmerston North 15, New Plymouth 13; Gisborne 10, Tauranga 8, Hastings 7.

Business as usual in Wellington

It was business as usual for the top four teams in the Tranzit Coachlines-sponsored Wellington Premiership, with the leading quartet all achieving crushing victories.

Wellington College stayed unblemished, easing past Wairarapa College 51-5. Hooker Noah Sipeli, winger Blake Hansen and second five Taysian Davey-Tiotio nabbed a pair of tries. Joe Barry, not even a starter at the beginning of the season, served as Wellington captain.

Hutt International Boys’ School managed to cobble together just enough players to get through their daunting fixture against St Patrick’s College, Silverstream; a 73-6 scoreline was unsurprising.

Silverstream crossed 11 times with Donald Mar, Troy Waldrom and Fletcher Cooper each scoring twice. Cooper added nine conversions for a personal haul of 28 points. Cooper has scored 113 premiership points. In 2025 he had 192.

Rathkeale College have risen to third, disposing of winless Mana College 71-3. Achieving their highest score of the campaign, Rathkeale scored 11 tries and kicked eight conversions. Titan Te Kani and Jone Ralulu were standouts with doubles.

St Pat’s Town flattened St Bernard’s College 67-10. Backs scored eight of the 11 tries, with wingers Ashton Hamer (3 tries) and Zack “Zoom” Kimmins (2 tries) seeing plenty of the ball. Decodah Silva switched from first-five to fullback with aplomb and joined the multiple-try scorers club.

Meanwhile, the washed-out round six games will not be rescheduled. No points were awarded.

Rousing Rongotai upset

Rongotai College’s mantra “We had to flush it,” before their seventh round premiership clash against Scots College might be the understatement of the century.

Rebounding from the worst performance in their history, a 109-0 humiliation against St Patrick’s College, Silverstream on June 17, Rongotai pulled off a rousing 38-33 victory over Scots.

This was their first success in 2026 and their first Fiso-Meaclem Trophy win since the trophy’s inception in 2015.

The late Dave Meaclem was a coach renowned for his giant-killing exploits. In 2003, he led Rongotai to their last premiership, knocking over top qualifier Wellington College in the final.

Scots First XV was a Premier II basket case when Meaclem arrived in 2007. In 2009 they were beaten by Wellington College 2nd XV in the final. A year later, Scots stunned Wellington’s First XV 19-17 in Premier 1. Jackson Garden-Bachop (the most capped Wellington Lion in 2025) was player of the match. It was a result that hinted at future prosperity. Scots won five Wellington titles between 2014 and 2023.

Rongotai were in the doldrums in 2012. By 2016 Meaclem lifted them to the premiership semi-finals, twice lowering the colours of St Patrick’s College, Silverstream.

Summoning that unique underdog spirit, Rongotai, with 17 players in their squad Year 12 or younger, rolled Scots in a boilover.

Scots are far from the force they once were, and though some systemic issues crippling Rongotai rugby don’t vanish with one win, this one will be a cherished memory.

For Rongotai, tries were scored by Soni Sola (2), Cameron Jacobson, Aisah Johnson and Kingston Tuioti. Codie Tawhiri was on target with six conversions and a penalty. Lome Va’a was worthy of acclaim.

Scots brought plenty to a gripping encounter. Andreas Focas, James Favel, Matthew Gerondis, RJ So’oialo and Meli Tuni featured on the scoresheet with So’oialo kicking four conversions.

With two bonus points, Scots move to 17 premiership points and remain a faint chance of reaching the semis for the first time since 2024.

Timaru take Trustbank Cup

The Trustbank Cup has a new home.

Christchurch Boys’ High’s eight-match tenure with the Ranfurly Shield of South Island secondary schools rugby ended with Timaru Boys’ High’s 31-26 victory.

It’s the first time since beating Nelson College 25-22 in 2022 that Timaru have held the Trustbank. Their last win against Christchurch was in 2021.

Timaru trailed for only two minutes in a deserved outcome. They led 31-14 and showed tenacity to withstand a late onslaught.

In the 30th minute, industrious No 8 Jonty Leary wriggled over for his second try, converted by Will Brown for a 14-12 Christchurch lead.

Timaru Boys’ High co-captains Zy Woodham (left) and Nick Murray, with the Trustbank Cup.

Strangely, the visitors allowed the restart to skid across the greasy surface and roll gently into touch at the 22. An overthrown lineout was snatched by Timaru hooker Pulileka Latu. Timaru churned through the phases and inspirational captain Nick Murray clattered through.

Ahead 19-14, Timaru weren’t done in the first half. Latu was a battering ram while first-five Jackson Robinson was dexterous. A clever chip he jabbed behind the Blue-Black wall saw the ball sit in a slab of mud, with George Davis sliding to secure it for a 24-14 advantage.

In the 41st minute, Christchurch fumbled at the Timaru 10m mark. Three phases and nine passes later, Robinson scored after space was created by a trifecta of decoys and swerving fullback Boston Davis.

Linchpin midfielder Zy Woodman was the architect of much positivity, openside Miles Henriksen was typically exceptional, and prop Viliame Fituafe bustled earnestly.

Christchurch had more quality to summon from the reserves, and greater urgency led to greater precision. Tries to winger Lennox Limu-Franklin and increasingly potent Willam Brown cut the deficit to five. Robinson stopped Brown when a leveller beckoned.

In June, Tioti Barao, GP Van Heerden, Henriksen, Murray, Davis, Robinson and Woodham were named in the Canterbury U18 squad. Timaru last made the Miles Toyota Premiership final in 2017.

Nelson College still in top four hunt

Nelson College looked anything but a top-four side for 50 minutes of their Miles Toyota Premiership clash against Shirley Boys’ High School on Thursday.

Trailing 14-12 approaching halftime, Shirley hooker Joshua McIlraith was red-carded, which initially appeared to spook the hosts.

Immediately afterwards, a penalty was conceded for a reckless high tackle, which Shirley first-five Caleb Harrison failed to convert. Instead of clearing for touch, Nelson was brazen and chose to run from under their own posts, coughing up possession.

Shirley created an overlap, but zippy halfback Jaakoby Gapper, an earlier try scorer, failed to hit the chest of his unmarked winger, firing a pass that possibly rolled down Waimea Road.

Halftime should have provided the reset Nelson needed. Instead, they emerged in worse shape, conceding a try to winger Kaedin Fettes, 19-12.

Nelson steadied with a 45th-minute try to lock and school 400m sprint champion Ryan Quinn. But galling discipline allowed Harrison to land a 48th-minute penalty, stretching the lead to 22-17.

Did Shirley have hopes of just their fourth win against Nelson since 2001 and first since 2013 when future All Black Brodie McAlister and seven-time Super Rugby winner Tom Christie were Year 11 First XV prospects?

Nelson fullback Liam Soper emphatically answered no. Following his 50m angled break, skittling a trifecta of tackles in the first half, he kicked a 50-22 from which Nelson won a lineout, furiously rumbled 20m and created a stroll-in for winger Alexander Drury.

From there Nelson’s poise, structure and groove returned. In the 57th minute, centre and captain Flynn Simkin flashed into a hole, his second try giving Nelson the lead for the first time in 38 minutes, 27-22.

Despite the enduring resistance of captain and lock Luka Richards, bona-fide ruck pest Shaedyn Lang and punchy second five Leonjay Salevao, Shirley were flat-lining.

A 65th-minute penalty kicked by Soper came after another careless tackle on bulldozing prop Coby Davis. Shirley then inexplicably allowed the ball to bounce off a wayward punt at halfway, and Nelson replacement Solomone Pouli said; “Thank you very much”.

The mighty Quinn capped a fine afternoon with a 35m intercept, 42-22 a flattering but satisfactory scoreline.

Not even when Shirley were finalists in 2015 and 2016 could they roll Nelson College. In the 2015 encounter, they lost 21-19 with future Year 11 All Black Leicester Fainga’anuku scoring the winning try for Nelson.

St Bede’s College were similarly scratchy in the first half against Marlborough Boys’ at Lansdowne Park, Blenheim, only leading 24-21 at halftime.

But a 22-0 second half sealed a convincing sixth consecutive victory, 46-21. Head boy George Kneebone and deputy head boy Ethan O’Donovan scored half of their eight tries.

Sports captain and hooker Jack Gunn joined the prefects party with a try. Marlborough lock George Adams, who should push for Crusaders U18 honours, charged over for a try.

Capped winger (10 appearances) Kymani Tikotikoca-Lai shows promise, as does Marlborough U16 representative Makalio Ligaliga.

Despite three tries by captain and hooker Adriaan Pieter Van Wyk, Christ’s College were tamed 35-22 by St Thomas of Canterbury College. The scorers were Sowane Baravilala, Calieb Fidow, Nikora Mata’afa, Joejerry Loto and Rei Shirakawa in their first win in five games.

Miles Toyota Premiership points: Christchurch Boys’ 30, St Andrew’s 30, St Bede’s 29, Timaru 20, Nelson 20, St Thomas 15, Shirley 12, Marlborough 9, Christ’s College 7.

South Island Schools points: Southland 47, Christchurch 42 St Bede’s 34, Timaru 29, Nelson 25, Otago 21, St Thomas 20, Marlborough 16, Shirley 15, King’s 14, Christ’s 14.

Southland juggernaut rolls on as John McGlashan push Otago Boys’ High

It took a miraculous Jimmy Taylor drop goal for Southland Boys’ High to shrug off King’s High 27-26 in the 2025 Southern Schools Rugby Championship final.

But the gulf between first and second this year is vast.

While King’s played a brave first half, holding the defending champions to 12-7, Southland awoke from their slumber at halftime. They scored 33 unanswered points as King’s leaked more than 40 for the fourth time in a 45-10 pasting.

Second five-eighths Finn Hurley scored three tries and assisted two more, delivering a deft offload to centre Caleb “Creatine” Harvey and then linking with replacement Daniel Munro after a Harvey breakout.

Hurley and Harvey are among the best midfield duos in the country. They have scored tries in every game for Southland except their 41-0 whitewash of St Thomas. Prefect Harvey’s grandfather Tony was in the 1955 First XV.

Otago Boys’ battled past John McGlashan College 17-14 under lights at Logan Park on Friday night.

It was a tense tussle with both sides exchanging two tries. Though Otago prevailed with strikes to Otago U16 fullback Jahziel Lafita-Kadavaki and lock Fabian Eschenmoser, John McGlashan claimed a moral victory, social media commentary reported.

“This was a great opportunity to see if we had missed anything from not being in the South Island Boys’ schools competition,” according to a John McGlashan Facebook post. “If you watched the game, you would agree that it showed we didn’t, and that we looked more prepared, hungry, and ready to battle.

“The game had plenty of opportunities, strong defence from both sides and if the game had gone for another five minutes it would have been interesting to see if we could have got the win, with a number of holes starting to open … This was probably the best game of the season yet with a huge effort across the field.”

Lachie Clearwater, Harry McDonald and Hunter Sutherland received their caps. Winger Hugh Craig and prop and Te Ao Māori Prefect Jonty Ellis scored tries.

The annual “Blood match” for the Leo O’Malley Memorial Trophy between Waitaki Boys’ and St Kevin’s College doesn’t have Southern Schools competition points at stake. But local bragging rights in Oamaru count for just as much and Waitaki won 39-14 after leading 19-14 at halftime at Milner Park.

It is the third straight year Waitaki Boys’ have retained the Leo O’Malley Trophy, known as The Peanut. Waitaki’s last time winning more than two consecutive games was when they won five consecutive games between 2008 and 2012. In all, 92 matches have been played: Waitaki has won 60, St Kevin’s 26, and six have been drawn.

Southern Schools Championship: Southland 10, John McGlashan 6, King’s 5, Otago 4, South Otago 0, St Kevin’s 0.