Kaitaia College 66 Okaihau 22: The 2015 NorthTec Adam Blair competition got away to another early start this year with the first game taking place between the two Far North schools on the Kaitaia College top fields on Monday.
In what is early days for both teams, Kaitaia soon established a comfortable lead but then appeared to take their foot off, allowing the smaller visiting team to come back into the match. Okaihau probably had the better of the end of the first half and traded tries with the homeside for the start of the second, and were actually running the better lines during these times, while the Kaitaia forwards began to visibly tire.
However, under the guidance of Jim Larkin the homeside employed its stronger interchange and went on to win eight tries to four. Okaihau is being coached by Jimmy Croft this season with the help of phys ed teacher Paul Atkins, a former Junior Warriors player, who reffed the game.
Back at HQ, Rugby League Northland general manager Alex Smits was among a number of local league-philes who welcomed the early start to the new season in all its formats (e.g. secondary schools, juniors and Northland senior club competition) - perhaps another dig at their rugby union rivals? He noted that the 'premature' match in Kaitaia on Monday was evidence of how eager teams were to take part this year.
The 2015 competition, contested mostly by Year 11 to 13 students, again kicked off in school term 1, "as it has done for the past two years", attracting 11 colleges this time around, an increase from last year. This included a new combined team, Kura Hokianga - made up of players from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Te Tonga O Hokianga, Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Kaikohe and Opononi Area schools - which took on Northland College in round 1 last night.
