Rugby: Joy as Western Heights scoop shield

Heights co-coach Steve Smith said it was special to pick up the Te Kani Shield. Photo / Thinkstock

The Western Heights High School 1st XV team have won the prized Te Kani Shield for the first time in "a long time" after beating Aquinas College 28-0 at home.

Western Heights are undefeated this year and are enjoying their best season in recent history.

Along with winning the Te Kani Shield on Saturday, they have also won a place in the Chiefs Trophy competition for next year, following their top form earlier this season.

On Saturday, they went up against one of the better sides in the Bay of Plenty secondary schools first division, the Aquinas College 1st XV.

Aquinas were looking to hang on to the Te Kani Shield, a trophy which was gifted by Paora Te Kani's family after he died in battle in Tunisia in 1943.

The first half of the match was a real arm wrestle as the home side took a slim 3-0 lead into the break, courtesy of a Brad Munro penalty.

A rev-up at halftime triggered a much better second half for Western Heights, as they piled on another 25 unanswered points. Hikairo Stewart-Reid got the ball rolling with a well-taken try off the back of the ruck.

Munro was kicking well as he slotted the conversion from out wide and also added two penalties early in the second period.

A chip kick down the right touchline took a wicked bounce and Dejae Adlam collected to score Heights' second try.

Liam Membery then scored the final try of the game when he plucked an intercept about 40m out from the try line, before scooting away to score under the posts. Aquinas had a late flurry of possession but could not find a way through Heights' defence.

Heights co-coach Steve Smith said it was special to pick up the Te Kani Shield. "It is the first time we have ever played for it, I think, well at least not for a long time anyway."

He said the team they had now were mainly Year 13 students. "It has been three years in the making," he said. "A lot of them were in the 1st XV at Year 11 when they were young, and we struggled."

Smith said they almost missed out on playing in the Bay of Plenty secondary schools first division this year.

They had to win a play-off game against the Tauranga Boys' College 2nd XV at the start of the year just to secure a spot.

Western Heights High School 28 (Hikairo Stewart-Reid, Dejae Adlam, Liam Membery tries; Brad Munro 2con, 3pen) Aquinas College 0. Halftime: 3-0.