TAS First XV schoolboy rugby round 2 latest
TAS First XV schoolboy rugby union: Who won the Logan local derby? And how did the competition’s heavyweights fare? Story here
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At John Paul College, a firing Kingbenjamin Swirling was ever so close to being the home side’s saviour in an early Game of the Year calibre clash against Canterbury College.
But, inspiring No.8 leader Jack Henry led a second-half surge for Canterbury, who swarmed home in an enthralling 21-14 victory.
Canterbury College claimed a local derby victory over John Paul College - more on that below - while St Columban’s College burst to the finish line for the second successive week to snare maxiumum points against CHAC.
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And Ormiston College blew out some cobwebs before getting home 49-nil over St Paul’s College.
At Cannon Hill, St Columban’s College won 56-nil over CHAC, but Saints rugby co-ordinator Riley Brown praised the CHAC rugby program after the Saints’ were challenged from Year 7 through the grades.
“They (pointing at the CHAC jersey) have improved. The competition is on the way up,’’ Brown praised.
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On the field CHAC dominated early after a flood of penalties aided them, only for St Columban’s to gather themselves and established a 27-nil halftime lead.
Hooker Alby Lyons, flanker Devlyn Nel and both Sam Alberton and Lathaniel Timaloa, who both scored two tries, lead the way up front.
Out wide inside centre Caleb Ritchie was strong with his running and decisive with his passing, while breakaway Bailey Atkins running game developed.
Early on there was plenty of substance in CHAC’s defence of its try line.
When St Columban’s fullback Eli Ortiz put his winger Sebastian Booth up Tye sideline, CHAC five eight Angus McConville lined him up in cover defence and cut him down.
A left field backline movement then finished in the hands of Saints winger Diesel Hadlow, but his opponent Max Miner put his body on the line to halt him.
The CHAC eight then engineered a tight head on St Columban’s attack ball.
But could it last? No.
After a flood of penalties against them early, then defensive resolve by CHAC, St Columban’s found its groove.
St Columban’s ran in tries through its wingers Booth and Hadlow, then flanker Devlyn Nel took a quick tap penalty to drive over.
And it was 22-nil when hulking No.8 Lathaniel Timaloa ploughed over from close range.
Booth, a rangy character, had a busy flurry of of action before one of his raw runs hurt himself - and his opponent.
Then after Nel had won a penalty at the breakdown, St Columban’s hooker Alby Lyons burst over. It was 27-nil at halftime.
The second half started like the first with some rousing CHAC defence, but there was no stopping Tomaloa who got low and drove over from 10m.
Inside Caleb Ritchie then got on the try scoring sheet and Saints were up and running again.
Some nice pick and drive play then presented a chance for lock Sam Albertson who dived over.
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OUR TAS FIRST XV 2022 TEAM OF THE SEASON
Prop Heath Harms then got into the action with a conversion and things
had gone to plan for St Columban’s.
Replacement winger Will Toombs then ran in a try.
CHAC were well served by second rower Oliver Gardner and flanker Alex Coldham-Fussell.
At Ormiston College, the premiers got home against St Paul’s 49-nil with winger Michael Harrmannsen whizzing through to score three tries.
He was one of four year 11 students who shone for Ormiston - the others were No.8 Angus Melville, fullback Sam West and No.10 Oliver Sheil. Melville, a lock last year, was enormous at the back of the scrum.
“It was not a perfect game from us, but we stuck to the task and built the score. We had a better second half than the first half,’’ said coach Kris Peterson, whose team was playing their first match of the season after a round 1 bye.
“I’d like to work on our discipline, not giving away as many penalties and being more clinical with the ball. Executing more.’’
St Paul’s coach Andrew Thomas said flanker Callum Campbell, No.8 Tanner Baker and centre Billy Jackson were his team’s best in another patchy defensive performance.
Thomas said tackling errors lead to opportunities for the opposition, and he also rued costly errors.
At JPC, Canterbury College were 24-14 giant killers thanks to forward leader Jack Henry and goal kicker Bailey Murphy, who edged out his rivals when sniping four-from-four.
JPC won the first half and Canterbury the second, before a nail biting final 20 where the scores were level at 14 apiece.
After push-and-shove from both sides, Henry wrestled his way over and slammed the ball down to take a 21-14 lead with Murphy’s sideline brilliance adding the extras.
And on the final play of the game, Murphy mastered a penalty goal from 15 in and over 30 out to put an exclamation mark on a thrilling 10 point triumph.
“Canterbury head coach Josh Afu said he loved the grit and character shown from his side after a chat at half-time about coming out stronger.
“I just loved the grit. We talked about character and what we see ourselves as this season- fighting back. “So to get up at the end was really nice,” Afu said amid on-field celebrations.
“We just want to fight. And if we’re going to lose we’re going to go down fighting.
“ I thought our forwards in our set piece were outstanding.
“Very happy. We work a lot on spreading the ball. “We spend a lot of time on decision making catch-pass, the basics.
“We saw that today. It was good that we got on the front foot thanks to the forwards. And the long balls which were tries in the corner were executed very well,” Afu said.
JPC had the edge at the break when leading 14-7 courtesy of a first half double from Swirling, who relished the move from the forwards to the backs.
He had more ball and with it tucked safely under his arm, he was able to score his teams two tries.
In the No.10 jersey, the battering ram bruised the shoulders of his rivals as he rumbled up the field.
But, Canterbury were tough as nails and defended their backsides off in an opening 35 minutes where the referee showed no mercy.
At the forefront was No.8 captain Jack Henry, and rallying behind him was a band of boys willing to put their body on the line.
The efforts were endless and after standing tall in the first, they were able to build on momentum and capitalise on possession in the second.
+ Canterbury open side flanker Joshua Noble was a fearless tackler who used perfect technique to wrap up JPC’s dangermen.
+ Canterbury front rowers Tymothy Palupe and Dylan You we’re going at full throttle. Palupe’s footwork was quick and deceptive and his lineout throws on the money. Meanwhile, You tackled like he was three times his size.
Swirling brushed past the defence for try No.1 and for No.2 he beat half a dozen defenders in a 35 metre massacre which saw him storm from a stand-still to the try line, with an emphatic finish giving JPC supporters something to cheer about.
DJ Gray made a couple crucial cover tackles for the home side, while proving a menace when returning the ball. His opposite number Charlie Rowe, offered the same for Canterbury with trysaving cover tackles, hushing the JPC crowd.
In the second half, Henry found his winger Joshua Williams for a five-pointer before securing himself a double late in the piece to move ahead and secure the result.
Lock Nate Levitt was sharp again for JPC, as was Michael Kendall who was all energy even when on the sideline with an agonising calf cramp.
And St John’s were able to field a team this week, and despite going down 50-nil to WestMAC it was great seeing them on the paddock.
WestMAC coach Ben O’Connell liked the way his team built up as the game progressed.
“We had to grind out a few tries midway through the first half and work for it all.
Then we started keeping the ball in hand and playing better.
Mason Kayler in the second row and Ryan Sharp at prop did well for WestMAC, with Kayler in his first season of First XV.
tas first
CHAC v Canterbury
Ormiston v JPC
St Paul’s v WestMAC
St Columban’s v St John’s
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