WHS rugby runners-up again

RUNNERS-UP: For the second row on end the Whanganui High School 1st XV have finished runners-up to Massey White in the Manawatu Colts division after narrowly beaten again in Saturday's final.

The Whanganui High School 1st XV had victory snatched from their grasp in the final of the Manawatu McDonalds Rugby Colts competition in Palmerston North on Saturday.

After leading 17-5 at half time, WHS went down 19-17 to unbeaten Massey White after an agonising final 10 minutes on an extremely heavy Manawatu track.

WHS manager Richard Bennett said while the end result was hugely disappointing the coaching team and school were proud of their lads for making back-to-back finals in the colts division.

"The game on Saturday was played in very heavy underfoot conditions and Massey's forwards were huge," Bennett said yesterday.

In the second spell Massey rallied and took the score to within five points with just over 10 minutes to play.

"Their forwards threw everything at us in the final part of the game. They kept hammering our line and I guess something had to give. We defended well, but Dylan Bowater (skipper and loose forward) was sinbinned. Something had to give and Dylan was the scapegoat," Bennett said.

With WHS down to 14 men Massey pressed the issue and scored with the subsequent conversion taking the score to 19-17.

At one point WHS received a penalty out in front, but elected to tap and run. During that sequence of play a Massey player knocked the ball forward with an outstretched arm, but rather than be penalised, or even perhaps a penalty try being awarded, the referee signalled a knock on.

"When Dylan came back we had just two minutes left on the clock and we went straight on attack. We got real close to breaking their line, but just couldn't get across. We were really proud of our guys. It was a complete team effort and very difficult to single any player out."

Bennett said while he was not involved with the WHS team last year, he believed victory was also snatched from the side late in the piece during last year's final.

Massey White were warm favourites to take the title again this season. They have not been beaten in colts division for the past fours year.