College sport: New Zealand keep Australia at bay

New Zealand's 20-year unbeaten home record in transtasman secondary school rugby contests remains intact.

A team effort at Auckland Grammar yesterday earned the Winston Stanley-led New Zealand XV to an 18-8 win after Australia had led 8-5 at halftime.

Inspired by a strong effort up front, especially in the pick-and-go around the fringes, the home team, playing in front of a crowd of around 4000, were dominant for long periods.

As well as outscoring the visitors two-tries-to-one, New Zealand were unlucky to be held up over the line five times, twice appearing as if they should have been rewarded.

Quade Cooper, from Anglican Church Grammar School (Queensland), kicked a 15th-minute penalty to give Australia the early lead.

The home side hit back with Luke Braid (Tauranga), younger brother of All Black Daniel, crossing for a try, and a 5-3 advantage before wing Peter Betham dotted down for Australia to regain the lead.

A second try for New Zealand, scored and converted by first five-eighth Daniel Kirkpatrick (Napier BHS) and two Kirkpatrick penalties got them home.

Braid, No 8 Nasi Manu (Christchurch BHS) - like Stanley - back for a second go at the Australians, second-five Jackson Willison (Hamilton BHS) and wings Joe Hill (Wellington College) and Ken Pisi (Massey HS) showed out for the home side.

Australian captain and first-five Kurtley Beale, from the strong St Joseph's College in Sydney, stood out and gave the crowd glimpses of the form which has already caught the attention of the Wallaby selectors.

BASKETBALL

Jess McCormack's star continues to rise. The talented 17-year-old, already good enough to play at the highest level, claimed another first in leading her Northcote College team to victory in the national secondary schools championship in Christchurch.

Leading the way with 27 points (along with 22 rebounds and three blocks), McCormack, who overcame a tentative start and was later named the final's most valuable player, took real satisfaction from the 84-54 win over Rangi Ruru Girls School.

Westlake BHS completed a notable double for North Harbour with their runaway 81-63 win over St Patrick's College in the boys' final.

After conceding the first points, WBHS then sank three three-pointers and raced away to lead 29-6 at the end of the first quarter.

Led by a match-high 34 from Corey Webster, there was no stopping Westlake, who led 46-21 at halftime.

Tournament teams:-

Girls:- K. Barnes (Rosehill), M. Caldwell (Rangi Ruru), L. Driscoll (Sacred Heart, Hamilton), L. Ford (Church College), H. Fenwick (Rangi Ruru), K. Kelly (Northcote), J. McCormack (Northcote), G. Richards (Christchurch GHS), R. Sharrock (Church College), J. Vucinic (Waimea College).

Tournament MVP: McCormack.

Boys:- S. Dobbs (Shirley BHS), R. Loe (WBHS), H. O'Riley (KBHS), W. Parata (Aranui HS), D. Peck (Waitaki BHS), A. Rainbird (Nelson), B. Ruscoe (St Patrick's), T. Silver (St Johns), T. Wallbutton (WBHS), C. Webster (WBHS).

Tournament MVP: Webster.

CRICKET

More than 2000 players will start their various term-four championships on both sides of Auckland Harbour on Saturday.

Following a revamp of the competition, all teams will play a stand-alone series of matches before Christmas and revert to a calendar-year format next year.

Every side will play one-day matches this week before taking a break over Labour weekend. A-grade teams will then play two two-day matches while B-grade sides will have four further one-day games.

NETBALL

Massey High retained their Lion Foundation national schools title but needed extra time to see off a spirited Verdon College 40-38.

Trailing 7-11 at quarter time, Massey bounced back to lead 18-16 at halftime and were 26-24 up at three-quarter time.

Verdon, coached by Southern Sting guru Robyn Broughton, then outscored their favoured rivals by two points in the final quarter to finish level 33-33 at fulltime.

In two tense five-minute periods of extra time, Massey edged home.

In semifinal action, Massey cruised home against a disappointing Mt Albert Grammar 42-20. Making the most of their all-court advantage, Massey, led by new Silver Ferns attacker Paula Griffin, who scored at both goal shoot and goal attack, won easily.

Griffin was well-supported by Chanel Jacobs who scored 12 from 15 attempts.

Verdon found it more difficult getting home 35-28 over TCS Tu Toa after leading 15-11 at halftime.

Interestingly, while Griffin has been named in the Silver Ferns, it was her Massey team-mate Emma Winter who was named attacker of the tournament.

Massey's Amy Latu was defender of the tournament while Sam Durie-Aranga (TCS Tu Toa) was best of the mid-court players.

TENNIS

The strength of the sport at St Kentigern College is reflected in the line-up for Saturday's semifinals of the Auckland SS Championship.

The East Auckland school has teams in five of the six grades including both senior A1 combinations.

Auckland Grammar and King's College have teams in all the boys' grades but they clash in only the junior contest which will be played at Merton Rd.

The winning sides will meet on October 28, which is the finals day, at Merton Rd.

COMING UP

Friday: Water polo, junior, girls, Kaipara v St Dominics, West Wave 5.40pm, Avondale v MAGS, West Wave 6.10pm, Rangitoto v Carmel, Millennium 6.10pm, WGHS v Diocesan, Millennium 6.50pm, MRGS v St Kentigern, EGGS 7.20pm, Massey v St Cuthberts, West Wave 7.40pm, Corran v Glendowie, Sacred Heart 7.50pm. Junior boys, Avondale v Mt Roskill, West Wave 5.10pm, Kaipara v Massey, West Wave 6.40pm, Sacred Heart v Kings, Sacred Heart 7.10pm, Green Bay v Lynfield, West Wave 7.10pm, WBHS B v Western Springs, Millennium 8pm.

Saturday: Cricket, 1A one-day matches (11am, home team first), pool A, St Kentigern v WBHS, KBHS v TGS, Rangitoto v MAGS. Pool B, Macleans v King's, Sacred Heart v AGS, Rosmini v Avondale.

Tennis, AKSS championship semifinals, boys (all Merton Rd), senior A1 (8.15am), St Kentigern v King's, AGS v WBHS. Intermediate (10.15am), St Kentigern v AGS, King's v WBHS. Junior (10.15am), St Kentigern v WBHS, King's v AGS. Girls, senior A1 (Merton Rd), 8.15am, St Cuthberts v Baradene, St Kentigern v Rangitoto. Intermediate (home school first) 8.15am, Baradene v Rangitoto; St Cuthberts v Diocesan. Junior 8.15am (home school first), Baradene v St Kentigern; Diocesan v St Cuthberts.

Sunday: Water polo, junior, boys, WBHS v KBHS, West Wave 5pm, AGS C v Onehunga, EGGS 5.10pm, Parnell C v St Peters, EGGS 5.40pm, MAGS v Glendowie, West Wave 5.40pm, Liston v Northcote, West Wave 6.30pm, Sacred Heart Blue v St Kentigern B, Sacred Heart 7pm, WBHS C v Rangitoto B, Millennium 7.30pm, AGS B v Macleans, Sacred Heart 7.30pm, AGS v Rangitoto, Sacred Heart 8pm, Parnell College v St Kentigern, Sacred Heart 8.40pm. Junior girls, Baradene v AGGS, EGGS 6.10pm, Marist v St Marys, EGGS 6.40pm.

* RESULTS

BASKETBALL

NZSS CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Christchurch)

Boys

Final: Westlake BHS 81 (C. Webster 34, D. Clarke 18, Rob Loe 10) St Patricks College 63 (Jonathan Tait 18, Hayden Whelan 11.

3rd-4th: St Johns 96 KBHS 85.

5th-6th: Aranui 82 Waitaki BHS 56.

7th-8th: Nelson College 73 Hastings BHS 70.

9th-10th: Wellington College 94 Northcote College 89.

11th-12th: Shirley BHS 76 Dilworth 60.

13th-14th: Nayland College 91 Hamilton BHS 67.

15th-16th: Palmerston North BHS 77 Avondale 69.

17th-18th: AGS 99 NPBHS 51.

19th-20th: Church College 97 Tauranga BHS 57.

21st-22nd: Rotorua BHS 55 Napier BHS 52.

23rd-24th: Otago BHS 73 Hillcrest HS 57.

Girls

Final: Northcote College 84 (Jess McCormack 27, Stevee-Rose Theyers 14, Kezia Kelly 10) Rangi Ruru Girls 54 (Natalie Moore 22, Miranda Caldwell 10).

3rd-4th: Church College 72 Christchurch GHS 43.

5th-6th: Sacred Heart (Hamilton) 80 Rosehill 28.

7th-8th: NP GHS 71 Sacred Heart (New Plymouth) 48.

9th-10th: Waimea College 77 Marian College 54.

11th-12th: Nayland 73 AGGS 68.

13th-14th: Avondale 63 Wainuiomata HS 61.

15th-16th: Massey HS 72 Mana College 63.

17th-18th: Rangitoto 79 Queens HS 66.

19th-20th: Otago GHS 65 Rotorua GHS 51.

21st-22nd: Sacred Heart (Lower Hutt) 96 Tauranga GHS 69.

23rd-24th: Rangiora HS 50 Freyberg HS 30.

* * *

NETBALL

NZSS CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Blenheim)

Playoffs

Final: Massey 40 Verdon College 38 (aet).

3rd-4th: MAGS 47 TCS Tu Toa 34.

5th-6th: Craighead 41 Villa Maria 32.

7th-8th: New Plymouth GHS 41 Marlborough Girls 34.

9th-10th: Cambridge HS 31 Taradale HS 28.

11th-12th: Sacred Heart 25 Paraparaumu College 24.

* * *

RUBGY

TRANSTASMAN SHIELD

(Auckland Grammar School)

New Zealand 18 (Luke Braid, Daniel Kirkpatrick tries, Kirkpatrick con, 2 pens) Australia 8 (Peter Betham try, Quade Cooper pen). HT: Australia 8-5.

* * *

SOCCER

NZSS UNDER-19 EUROPEAN TOUR

NZSS 1 (Sam Greene) 1 Belfast Schoolboys Under-18 1.

NZSS 5 (Nick Roydhouse 2, Nick Keown-Robson, Tom Cairns, Karl Romijn) Crusaders Colts Under-18 0.

NZSS 0 Northern Ireland Under-19 Schoolboys 0.

NZSS 1 (Cairns) Welsh Colleges Invitational 3.

NZSS 4 (Roydhouse 2, Romijn 2) Swansea City Youth X1 4.

NZSS 4 (Roydhouse, Blair Konik, Greene, Josh Perrett) England Schoolboys Under-19 0.

NZSS 0 Vorarlberg Under-19 Academy (Austria) 1.

NZSS 1 (Konik) Slavia Prague Under-18 2.

NZSS 2 (Cairns, Keiichi Nguyen) Nitra FC Under-18 (Slovakia) 1.

NZSS 0 Under-18 Youth Bundesliga X1 4.

Played 10, won four, draw two, lost four. Goals for 18, goals against 17.