Auckland Grammar and King's College continue to attract the most eyeballs in Auckland's 1A competition. Photo / Getty Images
St Kentigern’s whopping 79-13 victory over Dilworth School has propelled them to the top of Auckland’s First XV 1A rugby competition, ahead of a major showdown with similarly unbeaten Sacred Heart College on Saturday.
However it is the less well-performed Auckland Grammar and King’s College teams that continue to attract the most eyeballs, and their historical (but these days lower-table) rivalry drew thousands to Mountain Rd for a fifth-round clash.
Unlike St Kentigern’s and the slick Sacred Heart outfit, neither team is even close to being title material this year.
But that mattered little on an afternoon of guards of honour, chants, rabid applause and a tribal sense of belonging as Grammar secured their third win of the season on Saturday in beating King’s 40-23, after leading 21-13 at halftime.
It was an exciting enough contest, but more significantly, perhaps more than any other match, it neatly captured the contradictions of Auckland’s 1A competition, with the massive crowd in attendance.
This was the 213th match between the schools and a fixture that traditionally would have been broadcast to a huge pay TV audience - until the schools instituted their current media ban.
On the one hand, schools like Grammar cite an unhealthy level of scrutiny on their players (so no names here). On the other, they organise matchday pomp to rival the Changing of the Guards, erect huge grandstands to cater for thousands of spectators and splash the fact on social media. They want a following. But they also don’t.
So whereas once the focus was on the players, this year it is just as much on the autocratic whims of the headmasters.
Grammar have at least now reclaimed the Cooper-Greenbank Cup that they surrendered with a 15-3 loss to King’s last year.
Meanwhile, much higher up the table, St Kentigern’s differential of 175 points has put them marginally ahead of Sacred Heart’s tally of 169, as they chase their sixth Auckland title since 2011.
However they will need to be at the top of their game against a Sacred Heart team that is also sitting on 24 points and continues to impress with a mercurial ability to build big leads, carelessly blow them, but then effortlessly bounce back to win.
That was the case as Sacred Heart beat seventh-placed De La Salle away 43-25 on a surface mercifully less muddy than usual, which allowed the visitors to show off a few of their party pieces.
Classy fullback Cohen Norrie found a gap to score early in the corner before an exchange of penalties and then a further try in the corner gave Sacred Heart a 13-3 lead.
Hearts second five-eighths Alvin Chong-Nee then neatly stepped through to make it 18-3, though De La Salle replied with a try for an 18-8 halftime scoreline.
Fortunes changed in the second half as De La Salle grew in confidence and scored two tries, including one from an inspired long cut-out pass, to secure a 20-18 lead.
In reply, Sacred Heart were held up over the line but earned a penalty to establish a 21-20 lead, with play finely balanced. However De La Salle grafted their way over the line for a further try and a 25-21 lead - before the pivotal moment.
From a De La Salle kick over the top within their own 22, Norrie collected and sprinted to the corner, with Rico Simpson converting, with a further penalty establishing a 31-25 lead.
With De La Salle pinned down in their 22, Norrie pulled out the sidestep of the day to beat three defenders and score again. Then to cap the day, Simpson crossed the line unopposed.
Meanwhile this Saturday, Grammar will find it much tougher at home against Kelston Boys’ High, 47-3 winners over Tangaroa College.
Mt Albert Grammar managed a 22-17 win against improving Liston College to remain two points ahead of Auckland Grammar, while St Peter’s beat St Paul’s 37-12.
In the North Harbour competition, leaders Westlake Boys High School beat Whangārei Boys’ High School 41-12, after threatening to clock up an early triple-figure blowout.
Westlake led 29-0 after just 15 minutes, before the lads from the north woke up and began tackling and retaining more ball.
During the opening stanza, Westlake’s pacey inside and outside backs scythed through the opposition at will, with poor tackling enabling bursting gaps to open up.
But credit to the Whangārei forwards, who disrupted the normally secure Westlake scrum - earning multiple penalties in the process. Taking aside the first quarter of this “hard-to-watch” game, the match was tied up at 12-12 and was Westlake’s toughest challenge so far this year. That’s timely ahead of this weekend’s top-of-the-table clash against Massey, who beat Takapuna 43-7.
Rosmini College beat Ōrewa College 49-8, while Rangitoto College beat Manurewa 36-10.
Napier Boys’ High School edged out Hastings Boys’ High School 24-18 in their derby to maintain a five-point lead over Hamilton Boys’ High School in Super 8 first XV rugby, though Hamilton have a game in hand ahead of their Moascar Cup match at home against Rotorua Boys’ High School on Saturday.
Napier trailed 10-15 at halftime, with tries from first five-eighths Luke Thomas, and frontrowers Juan Ross, Richie Magele and Tasman Soanai-Oeti.
Hamilton enjoyed a 40-15 win away to Palmerston North Boys’ High School, thanks to tries from Mac Russ, Liam Sturm, Wyndham Patuawa, Ollie Geurin and Kurtis Hana.
Rotorua picked up their first win, 42-22 away to Gisborne Boys’ High School, where the feature was three tries to Rotorua centre Ngatanatafu Vake. Tauranga made it two from two with a 50-17 away win over New Plymouth Boys’ High School after leading 26-0 at halftime.
St Thomas of Canterbury College claimed the inaugural Supporters Cup when they beat Marlborough Boys’ College 31-10 on their club day, during the fifth round of the Miles Toyota Premiership.
The aroma of barbecue and cupcakes - decorated with the school crest - made a more welcoming environment than any abundance of suspicious security staff.
St Thomas kept the visitors scoreless in the second half. The turning point came about 10 minutes into the second spell when scores were tied 10-10 and the hosts had a defensive lineout five metres short of their line.
Marlborough were penalised for too many numbers, advice from a loud St Thomas forward possibly alerting the referee. St Thomas missed touch from the penalty clearance but gained 50m when the Marlborough fullback dropped the ball.
Not long after, hooker Jesse Floris crashed over for St Thomas to claim a lead that wasn’t relinquished. In fact, Marlborough hardly got inside the 22 again, brave efforts to foil a big and athletic back row eventually taking its toll.
St Thomas scored just one of their five tries through the backs. Fullback Meihana Pauling burst past a handful of defenders in a 40m run with only a few minutes to spare.
St Thomas lock Monty Tafili and loosies Tina Leuta, Korea Pepese and Jokini Rayalu were especially robust and eager with ball in hand but were sometimes guilty of an individualist approach or running away from their support. Much of the backline attack centred around second five Jason Salalilo.
Marlborough created inroads in the first half with commendable expanse and continuity. Their first try to fullback Leo Marfell was a cracker that traversed both touchlines and saw a perfect cut-out pass delivered by centre Carter Aitken. No 8 Jack Burdon played like a mini Tom Robinson.
Third-placed St Thomas have now won three of their first four games and will look to return to the semifinals, which they made for the first time in 2022 under the guidance of former All Black and old boy Mark Hammett.
Meanwhile, Nelson College beat Selwyn Schools Combined 45-17 to go eight points clear at the top of the table, while second-placed Christchurch Boys’ High School beat Shirley Boys’ High School 44-15.
In Wellington, St Patrick’s College Silverstream and Scots College appear on a crash course to meet in their fifth premiership final since 2014 judging by results in the opening month of competition. Both schools have averaged more than 50 points a game in four resounding victories each.
Wairarapa College also have four victories, which include stunning upsets of St Pats’ Town (20-19) and Wellington College (29-26).
Wairarapa had never previously beaten Town since joining the Premiership but pulled off an unlikely victory on May 27. Tries went to Conley Alexander, Cory Bracewell and John Paulo with a conversion kicked by Cohen Scott and a penalty added by Le’Sharn Paku. Wairarapa trailed at halftime but scored a last-minute try to win, sustained attack eventually creating an overlap for Bracewell.
On Saturday Wairarapa were down 5-19 at halftime to Wellington College. With five minutes remaining Charlie Carroll spot-tackled the visiting first five at their 22, stole the ball and dashed clear for the winner. Alexander, Murphy Henricksen, John Paulo and Paku joined Carroll on the scoresheet with three conversions added by Scott. Carroll, Scott, Paku, Cooper Thompson and Mitchell Shields all received caps for reaching 30 games for Wairarapa.
Wairarapa, now coached by Richard Etti, made the semifinals for the only time in 2016 when it was a quarter-final format and all eight teams qualified. In 2023 the top four of 10 teams qualify for the semis.
In Central North Island competition St John’s College (Hamilton) beat Feilding High School 39-26 to move ahead of Feilding on points differential in third place.
Feilding had two players sin-binned in the first half but still managed to score when a player down. However, St John’s made fewer errors and generally played at the right end of the field.
Second-placed St Paul’s Collegiate beat St John’s College (Hastings) 45-5 away, while leaders Whanganui Collegiate were due to play Lindisfarne College on Tuesday. St Peter’s Cambridge beat Francis Douglas Memorial College 31-17.
Otago Boys’ High School beat Wakatipu High School 21-5 to finish top as the first part of the Otago First XV competition concluded. Southland Boys’ High School were second after a 69-5 away win over Waitaki, while King’s High School beat John McGlashan College 33-22.
For the second phase of the season, Waitaki Boys’ High School have dropped down and been replaced by South Otago High School.
Saturday’s 1A draw (Saturday 2.30pm, home team first): St Kentigern’s v Sacred Heart; Liston College v St Paul’s; De La Salle v Dilworth; St Peter’s v Mt Albert Grammar; Auckland Grammar v Kelston; King’s College v Tangaroa. Points: St Kentigern 24, Sacred Heart 24, Kelston 21, St Peter’s 19, Mt Albert Grammar 17, Auckland Grammar 15, De La Salle 11, Liston 9, King’s College 5, Dilworth 1, Tangaroa 0, St Paul’s 0.
North Harbour draw, Saturday (All noon, home team first unless stated): Whangārei v Ōrewa, Friday 3.30pm; Manurewa v Rosmini; Takapuna v Rangitoto; Massey v Westlake. Points: Westlake 35; Massey 28, Takapuna Grammar 24; Rosmini 22; Whangārei 18; Rangitoto 9; Ōrewa 5; Manurewa 0.
Super 8 draw (home team first, all Saturday noon unless stated): Palmerston North BHS v New Plymouth BHS Thursday noon. Hamilton BHS v Rotorua BHS; Tauranga Boys’ College v Napier BHS; Hastings BHS v Gisborne BHS. Points: Napier 15, Hamilton 10, Tauranga 10, Palmerston North 9, Rotorua 6, Hastings 1, Gisborne 1, New Plymouth 0.
Central North Island draw (Saturday noon unless stated, home team first): Whanganui Collegiate v Wesley College; Lindisfarne College v Feilding High; Rathkeale College v St Peter’s Cambridge; St Paul’s Collegiate v Francis Douglas; St John’s Hamilton v St John’s Hastings. Points: Whanganui 15, St Paul’s 14, St John’s (Hamilton) 12, Feilding 11, Wesley 9, St Peter’s (Cambridge) 6, St John’s (Hastings) 5, Francis Douglas 4, Rathkeale 1, Lindisfarne 0.
Canterbury results: St Thomas of Canterbury College 29 Marlborough Boys College 10; Nelson College 45 Selwyn Schools Combined 17; Christ’s College 13 St Bede’s College 18; Christchurch BHS 44 Shirley BHS 15. Points: Nelson 29, Christchurch Boys 21, St Thomas 15, Christ’s College 14, St Andrews 12, St Bede’s 9, Selwyn 6, Shirley 6, Marlborough 5, Timaru 1.
Wellington Premiership results: Wairarapa College 29 Wellington College 26; St Bernard’s College 7 St Pat’s Town 17; Scots College 57 Rongotai College 19; St Pat’s Silverstream 48 Hutt International BS 0. Points: Silverstream 20, Scots 20, HIBS 13, Wairarapa 13, Wellington 11, St Bernards 6, St Pat’s Town 6, Rongotai 6, Tawa 0, Mana 0.
Otago Schools Championship, Part 1 final points: Otago 22, Southland 21, Kings’ 15, John McGlashan 10, Wakatipu 7, Waitaki 1.
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Kiwi schools have now won the tournament three years in a row.