Katikati College and Waihī College win Invitational 10’s Rugby Tournament
Saturday 4th July saw the first ever Thames Valley Secondary Schools Invitational 10’s Tournament held at Paeroa Domain. Ten 1st XV teams, eight Under 15 teams and three Girls teams battled it out for the RDO Trophies.
At the end of pool play in the Under 15s, Mercury Bay Area School Blue & Mercury Bay Area School White ended up in one semi final and Waihī College took on Whangamatā Area School in the other.
Waihī College got through to the final, scoring nine tries to Whangamatā Area School’s none. In the battle of mate against mate, Mercury Bay Area School teams were all tied up at the end of normal time. Mercury Bay Blue were first to score in extra time to go through to the final. In the final under lights, Waihī College proved far too strong for Mercury Bay Area School Blue winning 29-7 to take the RDO Trophy.
Schools who entered the Under 15 grade were Waihī College, Mercury Bay Area School two teams, Paeroa College, Te Aroha College, Thames High School, Whangamatā Area School and Katikati College.
In the girls final, Mercury Bay Area School took on
Whangamatā Area School, the final was a good affair with Mercury Bay Area School getting over the line 22-17 and taking the Women’s RDO Trophy back to Whitianga. Earlier in the day Whangamatā Area School beat Hauraki Plains College, which Mercury Bay Area School also followed up in beating in the midday match.
The 1st XV semis saw two of the visiting teams play two local teams. In the first semi-final, Paeroa College beat Morrinsville College then Katikati College took on Hauraki Plains College White which saw Katikati College proving far too strong.
In final, which saw Paeroa College don the yellow and red Thames Valley jerseys as both teams had identical green jerseys, Katikati College got out of the blocks strongly and continued to keep the hold on Paeroa College. Paeroa got back in the game only for Katikati College to finish with a last minute try to take home the Senior Boys RDO Trophy 27-7.
Teams entered in the 1st XV grade were Katikati College, Paeroa College, Hauraki Plains College two teams, Morrinsville College, Whangamatā Area School, Mercury Bay Area School, Te Aroha College, Forest View High and Waihī College.
Marcus Howie is a senior rugby development official for Thames Valley Rugby Union.