Feilding HS advance to co-ed final
Feilding High School’s bid to defend their national co-ed 1st XV title lives on after a comprehensive 46-3 win over Rangitoto College yesterday.
Playing in blustery conditions on the first day of the Barbarians National 1st XV Championship at the Sport and Rugby Institute in Palmerston North, Feilding turned on a tidy performance.
They will face a familiar foe in the form of fellow Central North Island side St Peters Cambridge, who were also decisive in the 48-15 win over St Andrews College.
Feilding lost their match to St Peters by a late penalty 21-18 earlier this year in Cambridge. Feilding went on to just miss out on the CNI title, losing to Wesley College in the final.
But there were promising signs for Feilding in the way they dispatched Rangitoto.
Feilding, who were playing without star prop Ethan Mcquinlan who had a shoulder injury, won the breakdown battle and were more clinical with ball which helped them grab plenty of points.
They were playing into a strong wind in the first half and were guilty of kicking too much ball into the stiff breeze.
Drew Wild opened the scoring with a dive in the right corner and it was the fullback who made the break to set up halfback Griffin Culver for the team’s second try.
Rangitoto made a couple of big breaks, but were cut down by the cover defence. Caleb Foster gave Feilding plenty of issues.
But Feilding kept winning the ball back through penalties and ruck turnovers.
Second five-eighth Ethan Hodgson set up Feilding’s third try with an interception, which was finished off by a jinking run from Josiah Maraku.
Culver scored his double just before halftime as Feilding took a 24-3 lead into the break.
With the wind behind them, Feilding were getting plenty of distance from their kicks and they were rewarded for their kick chasing when wing Layton Manuel dove on a ball that looked destined for the dead ball line to
score.
Prop Leo Wiki and locks TK Howden and James Bolton had standout matches with the ball in hand and on defence.
After grabbing a comfortable lead, Feilding rolled on its substitutes and the bench continued to dominate the play.
Three reserves - Javier Wharerau, Mark Coogan and Frank Prodger - scored late tries as the score ballooned.
Importantly, Feilding picked up no injuries in the match and Mcquinlan is expected to be available for the final.