College Sports: St Peter's basking in Cup triumph

By JENNI RUTHERFORD

There were two big rugby games last weekend - the All Blacks were playing the Springboks, but almost as importantly to those involved, Moascar Cup holders Auckland Grammar had a showdown with their traditional rivals, St Peter's.

And Grammar came off the worse, losing 13-16.

The last time St Peter's held the trophy was 20 years ago, when they won it from St Paul's College.

Grammar's decision to defend the cup in every home game is one they will live to regret. When they won it from St Kentigern College at the start of the season, the side agreed to put it up for the eight games they played on home soil, instead of the required seven.

The match against St Peter's was the eighth.

"We decided that if we were good enough to win it we were good enough to hold on to it," said Auckland Grammar coach Grant Hansen.

St Peter's strong, unrelenting defence for most of the second half in their own territory paid dividends. Grammar, for all their phases of play, could not finish off. Two tries went begging in the second half and a penalty to equalise was skewed.

St Peter's are proud of their home-grown talent. Coach Eric Kohlhase does not agree with using recruited players as some other 1A rugby schools do.

"I don't believe in it. It doesn't create school spirit or team spirit," he said.

Thirteen members of the team were members of the North Island championship side who won the under-15 title three years ago, while four boys are also New Zealand secondary school champion softballers.

St Peter's defend the cup against Onehunga High School next week.

They are leaders on the points table, followed by Auckland Grammar and St Kentigern.

While the top of the table is mostly decided, a relegation battle is gearing up.

Tamaki College are destined to go back down to the 1B competition, but the 12th team may also find themselves in the B grade.

The winners of the 1B competition, who are likely to be Macleans College, can challenge the 12th-placed side for their spot in the top grade.

St Paul's, Avondale and De La Salle are all at risk. They have crucial games in the final two weeks, with Avondale meeting St Paul's this Saturday and De La Salle playing St Paul's the week after.

De La Salle, led by inspirational captain Sila Iona, will be able to breathe easy if St Paul's beat Avondale.

If not, the contest may go down to the wire.

HOCKEY

Unbeaten Auckland champions King's College are heading for a second straight title in the intercity boys competition.

King's are on top of the pool A table with nine points, while Auckland Grammar, leading pool B, are likely to meet them in the playoffs.

In the girls grade, Rangitoto College are proving a real force, conceding only one goal and scoring 16. They want to be outright winners this year after sharing the title with Epsom in 1999.

This week.-

Today: Intercity boys hockey; Auckland: 1A/B boys hockey, girls soccer.

Counties Manukau: netball, boys soccer. North Harbour: grades 1 and 2 boys hockey.

Tomorrow: Intercity girls hockey.

Auckland: grade 1A/B girls hockey.

North Harbour: grades 1 and 2 girls hockey.

Friday: Auckland: basketball, badminton, squash.

North Harbour: grades 3 and 4 girls hockey.

Saturday, Auckland: netball, rugby, soccer.

Counties Manukau: rugby.

North Harbour: rugby, netball.

Waitakere: netball.

Sunday, Auckland: cycling

Monday, Auckland: girls rugby, junior boys squash.

North Harbour: grade 3 boys hockey.