College sport: Jersey jumble tarnishes title

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

A mix-up in jersey numbers at the national secondary school sevens tournament has taken some of the gloss from Wesley College's back-to-back victory.

Wesley won the tournament for the second time in a row and for the fifth year since the competition started in 1986, beating the hosts, Rotorua Boys' High School, 35-10 in the final.

But the victory was overshadowed by a mix-up when substitute Amena Tuibua was named the tournament's most outstanding player and included in the non-playing national secondary schools selection.

The honours had been intended for Vince Fatu, clearly the star of the Wesley side, who scored nine of the team's 35 tries.

Though no games are scheduled for the team, the names will go into a database that New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens refers to when looking for new blood.



At the beginning of the tournament Wesley submitted a playing sheet stating that Tuibua would be wearing the No 7 jersey and Fatu the No 9. However, when the jerseys were handed out at the start of the day they picked up one another's by mistake.

They played in the wrong numbers for the entire competition. Selector Gerry Davidson, watching from the sidelines, based his tournament team choice on the information on the playing sheet, and ticked the wrong name.

Davidson, learning of the mix-up, is sure that Fatu is the player he should have named.

"He's the player. If there was a mix-up then I'm sure he [Fatu] is the right one," he said.

Davidson had to leave to catch a plane back to Christchurch before the presentation and team photograph, meaning the organisers - Rotorua Boys' High School principal Chris Grinter and Condor Club representative Ron Bragg - had to give his selection the benefit of the doubt.



"When I told them at the presentation that they had the wrong boy, they said they had to go with the team Davidson selected," Wesley coach Nick Leger said. "I let it lie and accepted that. I could see the situation they were in.

"The boys knew that it was Vince who was meant to have picked."

Although the wrong boy will appear in the official photograph, Tuibua handed over the outstanding-player award and the New Zealand jersey he was given to its rightful owner, Fatu, at a school assembly yesterday.

WRESTLING

Dilworth School have maintained their stranglehold on the national secondary schools title, winning the Lloyd Woods Challenge trophy for the sixth consecutive year.

The Dilworth team were especially strong in the junior boys divisions, gaining places in six of the 10 weight classes.

Kelston Boys' High School featured strongly, winning three of the divisions. They were second overall and Rosehill College third.

The sport's growing popularity with girls was reflected in nine schools entering girls' teams. Wellington's Tawa College won the Beryl Bell Trophy.

RUGBY

St Paul's College retained the Moascar Cup in their first defence of the trophy since winning it from St Peter's College last month, beating Marcellin College 17-0.

They face a big test on Saturday when they take on De La Salle at home in the second of six scheduled defences of the 81-year-old cup.

Westlake Boys' High School, invited to replace King's College in the secondary schools rugby quadrangular tournament, won the competition in their first outing.

Westlake, who are second behind Massey High School in the North Harbour first XV championship, beat hosts Tauranga Boys' College 29-5 in the final.

VOLLEYBALL

A North Island team emerged victorious at the transtasman quadrangular tournament in Queensland, proving they can foot it with the powerful Australians.

The North Islanders beat teams from the South Island, New South Wales and Queensland, defeating the latter in straight sets in the final.

The girls were made to fight hard against the South Island in the final, eventually winning 3-2.

The New Zealand boys team were convincing against Australia, winning 3-0, but the girls failed to complete the clean sweep, pipped 2-3 by the Australians.

This week:

TODAY

Auckland: rhythmic and tumbling gymnastic championships, rugby league, premier boys hockey.

Counties Manukau: netball.

TOMORROW

Auckland: duathlon championships, girls soccer, premier girls hockey.

Counties Manukau: premier girls hockey.

FRIDAY

Auckland: badminton, premier basketball, squash.

North Harbour: badminton.

SATURDAY

Auckland: rugby, netball; soccer: Chatham Cup, Mt Albert Grammar v Mangere United.

Counties Manukau: rugby.

North Harbour: rugby, netball.

Waitakere: netball.

SUNDAY

Auckland: cycling time trial, orienteering.

MONDAY

Auckland: squash, girls rugby.

Counties Manukau: premier boys hockey.