College sport: De La Salle's roll finishes in Rotorua

By DAVE WORSLEY

A successful rugby season for De La Salle came to a halt in the semifinals of the national first XV championships.

De La Salle led 7-6 at halftime, but Rotorua Boys High eventually won 27-14, thanks to some clever kicking and positional play.

Sam Tuia and Isaia Toeava scored the tries for De La Salle with Toeava kicking two conversions, but Rotorua matched the two tries and grabbed extra drop goals and penalties for the scoreline to blow out to its final result.

Watched by a 3000-plus crowd, Rotorua dominated the first half and ground down the much bigger De La Salle forward pack. De La Salle fought to stay in the game in the second half, but Rotorua put their dominance into points.

Rotorua will now face Napier Boys High School in the final. Napier will have to put the Moascar Cup - for supremacy in college rugby - up for grabs.

In the other semifinal, Napier Boys High beat Southland Boys High 28-21 in Invercargill.

The final will be held at Jade Stadium in Christchurch as the curtain raiser to this weekend's Ranfurly Shield match.

CYCLING

St Kentigern won the Bigwood Cup trophy ahead of Auckland Grammar on Sunday in tough conditions along Tamaki Drive.

Grammar was first away and maintained a good pace with the wind behind them. However St Kent's were stronger into the wind on the return journey, winning by eights seconds.

CURLING

The North Island secondary school champs start at the Paradice rink in Avondale tomorrow.

Rangitoto and Birkenhead will be keen to retain their boys' and girls' titles respectively and have been getting in plenty of practice during the Auckland schools competition.

The Baradene 2nd IV lead the girls section on six points.

They are followed by Birkenhead College and Glen Eden both on four points, and Baradene 1st IV and Westlake Girls on two points. However Birkenhead have a game in hand.

In the boys' section, Birkenhead College lead followed by Kelston Boys and Rangitoto.

These schools, plus Long Bay College, will battle it out in the second North Island schools championships until Sunday, with all competitors building up to the national champs next month.

MULTISPORT

Rangitoto College's Anna Hamilton has won the New Zealand Triathlon secondary school girls Athlete of the Year award.

Hamilton convincingly won the secondary schools senior girls triathlon and duathlon championships.

In December, Hamilton will represent New Zealand as the youngest member of the junior elite team at the world sprint distance triathlon championships in Queenstown.

THIS WEEK

Tomorrow: Curling - North Island schools champs until Sunday, Paradice Ice Rink, Avondale.

Friday: Badminton - New Zealand teams events, Wellington.

Saturday: Rugby - first XV final - Rotorua Boys v Napier Boys, Jade Stadium, Christchurch.

Cycling, Secondary Schools Championships, Levin/Fielding.

Monday/Tuesday: - Lawn Bowls, North Harbour, Auckland/Counties Manukau finals.