Reuben Mama wraps up the game of the round in Auckland First XV rugby, and provides all the results from around the country from this weekend's fixtures.
Nothing has been able to separate two of the heavyweights of Auckland's 1A First XV competition as the log continues to be jammedafter four rounds of matches.
Sacred Heart College and St Kentigern College have played out a 17-all draw, with both schools now sitting third and fourth on the ladder tied on 13 competition points.
Sacred Heart had a chance to snatch an important win late in the match; however coach Gus Leger says discipline let them down in too many key moments.
"We started to battle with a few athletes struggling with attrition, so we had to think on our feet at the back end there and those guys who got a chance to come on and replace the starters did a reasonably good job," said Leger.
"We had to scramble a bit and towards the back end there we had a chance to secure the victory, but execution and accuracy stopped that opportunity happening. There was a penalty to finish the game because of a double movement right on the line, but we definitely gave ourselves a chance."
Allan Craig. Photo / Photosport
Liam Brady. Photo / Photosport
St Peter's College are also on 13 competition points, after notching up their third win of the campaign by toppling Mount Albert Grammar School 29-6. St Peter's are fifth on the ladder, with MAGS down in ninth with just one win to their name.
Defending champions King's College asserted their dominance with a big 74-0 triumph over Tangaroa College to remain at the top of the ladder on 16 points. King's remain the only unbeaten side with three wins and a draw.
Auckland Grammar School are just one point behind King's in second place, after holding on to overcome Kelston Boys' High School 23-17 and pick up a third win of the campaign.
Aorere College have recorded a second win of the season, outlasting the winless Liston College 12-6.
De La Salle College have kept within touching distance of the top four, after beating Dilworth School 22-10. They now have two wins, a draw and one loss to be in sixth place, but are well in the hunt just four points adrift of King's College.
De La Salle coach David Faalili is relieved to add another win to their tally.
"I'm definitely happy to come away with the result. It was a frustrating game, as I feel like the referee was a bit inconsistent and the boys couldn't build any momentum during the game and we gave away a lot of penalties at the ruck, but great to come away with the five points and win.
"This competition's really tough and you can't take anything for granted. Dilworth really gave it to us today and we didn't expect anything less and it's an important win in the context of us staying in the hunt for a top four spot with no finals this year, we need to win as many games as we can."
De La Salle College and Sacred Heart College will meet next weekend and Leger expects a clearer picture to be painted of who the main contenders are in the coming weeks.
"You also have to look forward to who still has to play who. Our current tally is two wins, one draw and one loss. We just need to be smart about how we go about our business with the remainder of the games coming up. I guess the big one is next week with Auckland Grammar School playing King's College, unless they have a draw someone won't walk away with the spoils. That will start to create some interesting reading on the table."
AUCKLAND 1A Dilworth 10 v De La Salle 22 Mount Albert Grammar 6 v St Peter's College 29 Sacred Heart 17 v St Kentigern College 17 Kelston 17 v Auckland Grammar 23 Tangaroa 0 v Kings College 74 Aorere 12 v Liston 6
CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND (CNI) St Peter's Cambridge 34 v Francis Douglas Memorial College 5 St John's Hamilton 14 v Wesley College 24
FUJI XEROX NORTH HARBOUR 1A Whangarei Boys 75 v Kaipara College 8 Westlake Boys 43 v Mahurangi 11 Takapuna Grammar 8 v Massey 25 Rangitoto 12 v Manurewa 22 Rosmini 48 v Orewa 5
SUPER 8 Hamilton Boys 17 v Palmerston North Boys 10 Tauranga Boys 11 v New Plymouth Boys 15 Rotorua Boys 20 v Gisborne Boys 19 Hastings Boys 10 v Napier Boys 15 (Napier win Moascar)
WELLINGTON 1ST XV PREMIERSHIP St Patrick's Silverstream 45 v Wellington College 26 Wairarapa 12 v Rongotai College 26 Aotea College 3 v Scots College 58 St Bernard's 33 v Mana College 18 St Patrick's College Town 38 v Tawa College 7
UC CHAMPIONSHIP Roncalli Aoraki 20 v Timaru Boys 50 Nelson College 13 v Christchurch Boys 25 Waimea Combined 17 v Rangiora 22 Marlborough Boys 17 v Christ's College 14 St Thomas 70 v Mid Canterbury Combined 3 St Bede's College 68 v Lincoln combined 7 St Andrews College 29 v Shirley Boys 13
OTAGO PREMIER SCHOOLS Otago Boys High 2nd XV 17 v Southland Boys 20 Kings High 48 v Dunstan High 0 St Kevin's 10 v Otago Boys 1st XV 70 John McGlashan 55 v Waitaki Boys 0 Otago Combined coed 8 v Mt Aspiring 43 South Otago High 17 v Wakatipu 29
