College sport: Westlake outclass Australian counterparts

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

New Zealand champions Westlake Boys High blew their Australian counterparts, Brisbane Grammar, out of the water, winning the inter-dominion secondary schools teams championships for the sixth time.

Westlake, led by double world champion Michael Bullot, needed just two of the four scheduled days off the North Shore coast to defeat Brisbane 11-2. Westlake won with eight races in hand to continue New Zealand domination of the competition.

NETBALL

South Island schools have proved that netball talent on the Mainland goes down to grassroots level.

Christchurch Girls High and Verdon College went head-to-head in the final of the national secondary schools championships in Blenheim.

The small Invercargill school's 30-22 win capped a successful season for coach Robyn Broughton, who guided the Sting to an unprecedented third Coca-Cola Cup title. In the recent national provincial championships, Canterbury defeated Waikato to complete southern supremacy.

In Blenheim, defending champions Avondale College finished a disappointing ninth.

Auckland Girls Grammar, looking for a top-three place, held their own for most of their match against Inglewood High but eventually faltered, losing 35-36.

CRICKET

Joint champions St Kentigern and King's College will jostle for the outright lead in the Auckland senior championships on Friday in the two-day competition.

They were level at the top of the standings after the first term. King's take on Avondale, but St Kentigern will have a harder task against Kelston Boys High.

TENNIS

St Kentigern, Westlake Boys High, King's and Auckland Grammar will contest the Auckland senior boys' championship round over the next three weeks.

St Kentigern head the points table on 49, but King's (40) and Auckland Grammar (37) are not far behind. Westlake look out of contention with the 16 points they carried over from term one.

Diocesan, Epsom Girls Grammar, St Cuthbert's and King's comprise the senior girls' championship contenders.

RUGBY

Age restrictions mean a few of New Zealand's best schoolboys will miss out on a chance to play in an eight-match tour of England early next year.

Players in the touring squad had to be under the age of 18 on May 1 to comply with the English Rugby Union eligibility rules.

The major casualties were Jerome Kaino (St Kentigern) and Luke Eketone (Auckland Grammar).

The squad of 27 features many of the team who beat England Schools 33-7 in the Bledisloe Cup curtain-raiser in Dunedin.

The sides will meet again at Twickenham on January 30.

Coach Gerry Davidson is wary of scouts from overseas clubs attending the matches with contract offers.

It was unfair on the players, who were too young to make such decisions.

COLLEGE SPORT

After 11 years at the helm of the Auckland Secondary Schools Heads' Association, executive director Rob Boston has joined the Academic Colleges Group.

Boston nurtured the College Sport system that has grown to a membership of 89 schools running 37 sports in the region.

This week:

* Tomorrow - Counties Manukau: equestrian - showjumping.

* Friday - Auckland: cricket.

* Saturday - Auckland: cricket, tennis. North Harbour: senior cricket.

* Tuesday - Auckland: junior touch rugby.