College sport: Rotorua end Grammar's season

Auckland Grammar's bid to make the national secondary schools rugby final came unstuck in Rotorua, when they lost to Rotorua Boys' High 16-3.

For Rotorua, having worked their way into the final, the aim is to go one better than last year, when they were beaten finalists to Wesley College.

This year, Rotorua will play Napier Boys' High, who beat Otago Boys' High 32-13 in the other semifinal.

The Rotorua-Grammar game was as tight and as tough as expected.

The home side scored two tries to nil for a 16-3 victory.

The tryscorers for Rotorua were Steve Setephano and Viliami Waqaseduadua with Willie Ripia kicking the other points. Jamie Helleur kicked a penalty for Grammar.

The final will be held on Friday at Eden Park at 3.30pm as a curtainraiser to to the Auckland-Canterbury NPC game.

SOCCER

The New Zealand team are set to learn plenty from their two-week tour of Australia. Aside from the two-test series and one build-up game the side will spend time at the Australian Institute of Sport and take a tour of training facilities at the Canberra Raiders headquarters.

The team leave on Friday to play NSW Country. They spend a week at the AIS in Canberra where the two tests with Australia will be played.

MULTISPORT

Terrenzo Bozzone won his third successive title at the national championships at Wairoa River Bridge, north of Tauranga.

He finished almost four minutes ahead of Rangitoto College schoolmate Cameron Walker.

Bozzone has not lost an U18 multisport event for the past three years. His younger brother Dino finished third behind Bruce Hunter from McLeans and James Askew of Christchurch in the intermediate section.

The girls events went the way of pupils from schools outside Auckland. Last year's runner-up Sonja Harkness from Taradale won the 4km kayak, 20km cycle and 5km run in 1h 30min 28s, just over a minute ahead of her nearest rival, Annika Edmonson of Napier.

The intermediate girls had a local winner with Tauranga Girls' Olivia Meehan coming in first while the juniors was won by Alice Towgood.

TENNIS

A coaching grant by Auckland Tennis will assist Shona Lee in aiming for her dream of being a professional tennis player. Lee, 14 who attends Rosehill College has been granted $1000 towards coaching at the Bartercard Tennis Centre in Manukau. Lee plays for the Pompallier club in Caro Bowl and is coached by Peter Blow at the centre.

CLIMBING

The fifth climbing event of the year was dominated by North Harbour schools.

Northcote won the senior boys title thanks to James Gunn and the junior girls with Christine Gunn.

The senior girls was won by Laura Blundell and the junior boys Adam Blundell, both from Massey.

This week

Monday: Yachting, New Zealand fleet racing, Takapuna Beach (until Thursday).