College sport: AGS to learn fate over technical win

Cartoon / Rod Emmerson

Auckland rugby's technical committee meets tonight to decide whether Auckland Grammar will retain the points they claimed after beating Sacred Heart 17-10 in their 1st XV clash on May 9.

The game started with only the Sacred Heart team on the field as the AGS players were late from the dressing shed. The referee blew time on, Sacred Heart scored and the conversion gave them a 7-0 lead.

The game finished 17-17 but the referee later amended the score to give AGS the victory. Sacred Heart protested and the matter has been referred to tonight's meeting.

ATHLETICS

Young and quick was not a winning combination for Alana Lythe at yesterday's annual Auckland SS cross-country championships at St Kentigern College. Quick enough to comfortably be first home in the 3km junior girls' race, but not old enough to take the under-14 title.

The rules - as pointed out by a parent of one of the girls beaten home by the 12-year-old from Marist College - stipulate the race is only open to competitors in Year 9 and up and at the ages of 13 or 14 years.

CYCLING

Shrugging off a chilly, early start on Sunday for the second round of the Avanti Plus time trials, the 100-plus teams turned in some close racing on the 16km trip from Teal Park to St Heliers.

In the senior girls' race less than 2s separated winners Diocesan and St Cuthberts. Third-placed St Kentigern were less than 20s back. St Cuthberts did have success in the junior girls with a 43s win over Diocesan with Rangitoto in third.

Honours were also shared in the boys with AGS taking the juniors by a wide margin and St Kentigern taking senior honours by less than 4s.

RUGBY

AUCKLAND

In two matches since their unlucky Sanex Cup foray in Japan, the Auckland and co-national champions De La Salle are near the bottom of the 1st XV table with just two bonus points.

Buoyed by huge local support, De La Salle opened the scoring with an early penalty. The visitors clawed their way back and when Milford Keresoma converted Thomas Shilton's try in the corner, MAGS took the lead.

A well-rehearsed scrum move paved the way for Mathew Matich to dive under the posts and the conversion handed MAGS a 14-3 halftime lead. When Keresome converted his own try the gap was out to 21-3.

The home side hit back with a penalty and try. MAGS added second tries from Matich and Shilton to claim a bonus point in winning 33-11.

In beating KBHS 13-10, Aorere stretched their unbeaten run beyond 20 matches. Visiting Kelston stung the home crowd with a quick try but Aorere hit back strongly and slotted two penalties and crossed for a try and a 13-5 halftime lead. A second try for flanker Matt Howling closed the gap to three points with 30 minutes to play but Aorere hung on to win 13-10.

All teams have this weekend off.

Making light work of the trip to Tamaki College, AGS dominated the first half with Omar Slaimankhel scoring in the corner to open the scoring. Ali Hitchcock landed a difficult conversion. A Scott Bracey penalty edged AGS to a 10-0 halftime lead.

A strong start to the second half produced tries for Slaimankhel, lock Heath Colthurst, who galloped 30m to score under the posts, and Konileti Hurrell. But they lost focus, allowing the home side to score a deserved try. A late Hurrell try got AGS home 34-5.

King's beat St Kentigern 53-12 after leading 31-0 at the break. Led by a hat-trick of tries from Ngataua Hukatai and with two from Dylan Collier, the home side were always in control.

Other tries came from Fasiu Fuata'l, Simon Healy, Luke Graham and Sonny Henare with Graham (3) and Healy adding the conversions.

St Kentigern hit back with second-half tries from Albert Vete and Oliver Johnson on the back of hard work by their forwards. Jordyn Walters added a conversion.

Sacred Heart scored 17 points in each half to beat St Pauls 34-12.

The home side led 17-7 at halftime. Singe Kautai, Haydn Roberts, Siate Tokolahi, Tino Nemani and Salesi Manako scored tries with Jack Halpin adding three conversions and a penalty for the winners.

St Peters, too, had to work hard before beating Tangaroa 32-9 after leading just 12-6 at halftime with tries from Petelo Tuipulotu and Ben Lam.

Tangaroa closed the gap to 12-9 before tries from Francis Saili and Matthew Gandy ensured the win and a bonus point. Zac Moi Moi scored his second try in as many weeks to complete the victory.

After scoring three tries in the opening 10 minutes, Dilworth went on to topple Howick College 55-6 in their 1B match, scoring nine tries, of which five were converted. Dilworth led 38-3 at halftime with Howick's points from a drop goal and a penalty.

NORTH HARBOUR

Massey were too big and too strong for Rosmini in the top of the table clash and in drubbing Rosmini 22-9, Massey ended the round as the only unbeaten team.

Massey's Troy Stirling kicked an early penalty and then converted Sam Aolele's try for a 10-0 lead after 13 minutes.

Rosmini's Gareth Anscombe muffed three penalty attempts but kicked two in the second half to bring the gap back to 10-6 and was threatening to close it further when play broke down and Massey scored to lead 15-6.

Anscombe nailed a 46m penalty for 15-9 with 12 minutes to play before reserve prop Sifa Tuungafasi sealed the win.

TGS needed all their composure to hold off a spirited Orewa side 8-3 after Orewa had three tries disallowed. Nick Turley scored the only try with Ben Blucher adding a penalty for TGS. Orewa had to be content with an Andrew Fluker penalty.

WBHS led the young Northcote side 29-0 at halftime and scored eight tries in winning 46-6. Prop Ben Taukiuvea and fullback Dylan Ferreira scored two each but only three tries were converted.

David Halaufia kicked two penalties for Northcote. Like TGS, Rangitoto got home 8-3 in their clash with Mahurangi.

Apart from Long Bay's 35-5 win over Kingsway, the 1B matches were close. Glenfield picked up a four-try bonus in beating Whangaparaoa 31-17 but the losers were denied a fourth try.

A Nicholas Poutama conversion was the difference as Hato Petera edged Birkenhead 7-5 while Kaipara scored two tries to none in beating Kristin 14-9.

VOLLEYBALL

Rangitoto College's Johann Trimmer is the only player named in the New Zealand under-19 indoor and beach volleyball teams. Trimmer has been joined by Junior Sefo (De La Salle) as the two Aucklanders named in the national side.

* www.asbcollegesport.co.nz