College Sports: St Paul's snatches historic cup

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

The Moascar Cup is on the road again.

After living in the St Peter's College trophy cabinet for the best part of last season, the 81-year-old schools rugby cup has travelled from Epsom to Ponsonby to take up its new home at St Paul's College.

St Paul's claimed the historic trophy with a 15-11 win over St Peter's in the holders' first of seven regulation defences for the season. St Paul's last held the mounted aircraft propeller aloft in 1977, but their elation was short-lived, losing it a week later, ironically to St Peter's.

Albert Wolfgramm, a lock in the triumphant team 24 years ago, relayed the euphoria of winning the Moascar Cup at an assembly yesterday, before borrowing the cup to party with.

"I'm going to make some surprise calls to members of the St Peter's side who beat us and show it to them, then I'm going to call some of the guys from my team to come over," he said.

It will be the second time Wolfgramm will drink champagne from its lip, though no doubt it will be more than the sip he had as a seventh former after they beat an Auckland Grammar side who included future All Blacks Gary and Alan Whetton.

St Paul's snatched two of the St Peter's four trophies, including the Hibernian Shield, which Catholic schools contend for, with the win.

It is a major achievement for St Paul's, who finished 11th of 13 teams in last year's championship.

At this stage they are undecided who they will defend the trophy against.

Under New Zealand Rugby Union rulings, the Moascar Cup must be contested seven times a year, leaving six games yet to be played. So Kings College may get a crack this Saturday in what will be their first match of the competition.

St Paul's coach Mark Rice says winning the trophies will boost the side's self-belief, but is adamant that they still aim to avoid relegation into the 1B grade by winning two games this season.

St Peter's cup loss rules out a Mt Albert Grammar challenge booked for this Saturday. St Peter's had decided at the beginning of the season to defend the cup at all their home games and traditional fixtures.

In other round two matches in the 1A competition, Kelston Boys' High School remained unbeaten, beating Onehunga High School 34-17, St Kentigern College thrashed Avondale 65-8, Auckland Grammar downed De La Salle 26-17, and Mt Albert Grammar held out Otahuhu College 20-17.

CYCLING

A record number of teams turned out for the first of nine races in the teams time trials series along Tamaki Drive.

Auckland Grammar were comfortable victors over Pakuranga College, by over 90s in the senior boys race, gaining the 10 points for winning to lead the series.

Epsom Girls Grammar are looking a formidable side with multisport athletes Jade Gilbertson and Julia Scopes in the team, as well as talented mountain bike rider Jemma Makgill.

RUGBY LEAGUE

Traditional titans St Paul's College are expected to successfully defend their Auckland title this season.

As in past years there is a huge void between them and the other five sides in the University Shield competition.

St Paul's highlighted their dominance, blitzing Tangaroa College 64-0 in their warm-up match.

Mt Albert Grammar and Otahuhu fought a close encounter, Mt Albert narrowly beating the home side 20-16.

Meanwhile, Kelston Boys' High School were awarded an automatic 30 points after Mangere College defaulted.

THIS WEEK

* Today: Auckland: west zone cross country, premier boys hockey, girls soccer, rugby league. Counties Manukau: netball.

* Tomorrow: Auckland: premier girls hockey. Counties Manukau: cross country. North Harbour: cross country.

* Friday: Auckland: premier girls and boys basketball, squash.

* Saturday: Auckland: rugby, netball, soccer. Counties Manukau: rugby. North Harbour: rugby, netball. Waitakere: netball.

* Monday: Auckland: premier basketball, golf strokeplay championships, Huapai Golf Club, squash, girls rugby.

* Tuesday: Auckland: orienteering.