Whanganui rugby: Collegiate downed by Wellington College by barest of margins

Whanganui Collegiate (in white) succumbed to a late penalty at Wellington College.

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Whanganui Collegiate 1st XV will knuckle down for the toughest matches of their Central North Island competition next week after one trophy just barely slipped through their fingers on Thursday.

The final of the 97th Quadrangular Rugby Tournament was another thriller, and buoyed on by their passionate sideline support, home team Wellington College had the last shot in a back-and-forth struggle, making it count to secure a 32-31 victory near fulltime.

Looking to start quick, Wellington moved the ball and earned a ruck penalty, with a quick tap seeing them put it through the hands to score in the corner, which they followed up when a clearing kick took a horrible high bounce near touch for the Collegiate sweepers, leading to a re-gather and try 50m downfield for 12-0.

But Collegiate have trailed before this season and began to get a roll-on, with lock Oscar Mabin making a big charge, and after earning a couple of penalties, they transferred the ball into the corner for winger Monty Sherriff to swerve through three tacklers and score.

First-five Noah Ioasa converted, and although Collegiate were denied a try from a forward pass, they stuck to the task and Mabin – a 1st XV and 1st XI prodigy who has already represented Whanganui in senior cricket – powered through for the equaliser.

Wellington replied with a penalty, but just like against Nelson College, Collegiate took control before halftime, with the home side losing a player to the sin-bin.

First, Collegiate went from an attacking scrum, and a switch play on the ruck near the posts from left to right set up the overlap for No8 Timothy O’Leary to score, with Ioasa slotting the extras from the sideline.

A penalty lineout saw Collegiate move midfield and second-five Tali Ioasa hit the line and produced the perfect flick offload for blindside flanker Jimmy Peacock to score for 26-15 at halftime.

Back to their full complement, Wellington just stopped Collegiate scoring, and then with the visitors having another attacking opportunity inside the 22m, a loose pass was snatched and Wellington had seven points going back the other way for 26-22.

Collegiate had a quick reply, as following a carry-back over the halfway from a Wellington kick, Tali Ioasa took the ball off the ruck and dashed down the blindside, beating a cover tackle to score in the corner to again put his side outside touching distance.

But with the clock winding down, Wellington found a way – as sustained hard carries saw them get the ball down under the heap for a converted try, and then a ruling on a late tackle when clearing the ball meant Wellington were in a good position for a three pointer, and it was not missed.

While gutted, Collegiate must lift for the CNI with two tough games to finish the round-robin, away to fourth-place St Paul’s Collegiate and third-place defending champions Feilding High School.