College rugby: Whanganui Collegiate hammer St John's Hamilton

Collegiate's Hadleigh O'Leary, seen here in last year's home fixture against St Johns Hamilton, scored a hat trick against the same side on their own patch on Saturday.

Whanganui Collegiate 1st XV picked up their first win in the CNI competition after smashing St John's on their own Hamilton patch, 59-14 on Saturday.

Having lost in the final minute against Wesley College near Pukekohe the previous week, Collegiate's coaching staff asked the team to make a stronger start to this match, and they delivered in spades with three converted tries in the first ten minutes.

Left winger Hadleigh O'Leary cut through the middle off a planned move from the set piece move to open their account, before brother Shaun O'Leary, playing on the other wing, was on the end of a good team support try.

Hadleigh O'Leary then crossed again in his corner, with Te Atawhai Mason added another difficult conversion.

In his report, Collegiate head coach Steve Simpson said they scored twice more in the first half, starting with imposing No 8 Semi Vodosese, who ripped back possession from a St John's player and ran 75m to score in the corner.

Midfielder Sione Osamu then crossed, with Mason keeping a spotless kicking record, for 35-0 at halftime.

Osamu started the second half as he ended the first, scoring in the opening minute, before first-five Harry Godfrey added his name to the sheet after another period of sustained pressure.

St John's then got onto attack to score their first try at 45-7, but Collegiate quickly reasserted themselves as both Hadleigh O'Leary and Osamu raised their hat tricks, while after a couple of misses, Mason converted both those tries.

The home side then scored off an intercept in the last minute.

"Another good team effort with Hadleigh O'Leary and Osamu obviously prominent in attack, but lots of good work being done by their inside backs to create for them," said Simpson.

"In the forwards, captain Henry Kilmister is leading by example, with young Tom Pease continuing his fine form and locks Hunter Morrison and Joe Abernethy offering more each game."

Collegiate will now have a home game with Francis Douglas Memorial College, kickoff 12pm.