HSOB lift to make it two in a row

High School Old Boys flying winger Puhi Tau races for the line to score a vital try in his team’s 19-12 win over Ngatapa, while in a clash of the forwards, Petelo Palusa lines up rampaging Ngatapa big man Sam Hudson, who has HSOB coming at him from all sides, including one tackler wrapped around his leg. Pictures by Paul Rickard

Wayne Ensor and George Halley-Donnelly now have something real to work with.

The Blue and White hoops of Earthworks Solutions High School Old Boys made it two wins in a row on Saturday, with

a 19-12 win against Larsawn Ngatapa on

Oval 2.

Halley-Donnelly won the coin toss and played with the wind in the first half.

On the cusp of halftime, Ngatapa loosehead prop Campbell Chrisp scored the first try of the game with a conversion by first-five Aquila Waqa for 7-0.

Two minutes into the second half, HSOB captain and halfback Halley-Donnelly opened the home team’s account with a try, with a conversion from reliable goal-kicker Bryan Howard to draw level at 7-7.

HSOB openside flanker Selisio Pasula was the next man to dot down, with a conversion by Howard, after 56 minutes.

It remained 14-7 to HSOB until Hamish Chrisp of Ngatapa scored in the 61st minute  for 14-12 to the home team. It was not converted.

Right wing Puhi Tau scored the fifth and last try of a match played with more than a hint of urgency — if not desperation — by the age-old rival teams.

Waqa converted for 19-12.

Ngatapa skipper lock Jack Twigley, the country club’s Taste One Most Valuable Player, said: “HSOB played well, but we let them in with with errors and penalties. It was a pretty tough game.

“They had some big, hard-running forwards and backs, and they had a good lineout, but I reckon we had an edge at the scrum.”

Halley-Donnelly was delighted.

“That was a great effort by us on both sides of the ball,” he said.

“We felt like the forwards were winning the

battle up front, putting us in good positions. The backs spread the ball when they needed to and our centres made good ground, when we needed to keep it close.

“We probably left some points out there in the first half, but I’m really proud of the boys’ second-half effort in getting over the line a few times.”