TRACK GRAB ALLEGED
THE St Kevin’s College First XV reclaimed the Leo O’Malley Trophy from Waitaki Boys’ High School in emphatic fashion yesterday with a record 5615 win.
In the 86th edition of the interschool fixture, St Kevin’s set records for its highest points tally and largest winning margin in an impressive display of running rugby at Whitestone Contracting Stadium.
Waitaki Boys’ started the brighter, hooker Kase Rawson capitalising on a nervous start by St Kevin’s to score from a lineout drive.
That was the bright point for it in the first half, though.
St Kevin’s burst into life. An Isaac Clunie penalty was followed by a try apiece to quick wingers Christian Bailee and Bailey Howell.
The St Kevin’s players were playing with freedom, every offload and pass seeming to go to hand, and further tries followed to Clunie, Watson Tuapati and Howell.
The nail in the coffin came just before halftime when St Kevin’s captain Henry Kay claimed a kickoff, beat two tacklers and ran 60m to score in the corner.
When Clunie drilled the conversion it looked like St Kevin’s could do no wrong, and it took a 375 lead into the break.
The young Waitaki Boys’ team found some rhythm in the second half, but longrange strikes for St Kevin’s by Howell, Clunie and Bailee put the result beyond doubt.
Waitaki Boys’ fought hard to the end, scoring tries to Johan Edzes and Siua Fonua.
In a complete team performance, the standouts for St Kevin’s were Clunie, flanker
Ben Kay and hooker Leonard Varu.
For Waitaki Boys’, captain Jack Dunshea tried hard and Sosaia Fonua made an impact from the bench.
St Kevin’s coach Justin Fowler was proud of the way his side stuck to the plan of playing with pace.
‘‘Continuity in our game is important to us. Schoolboy rugby is all about positive rugby. Credit to Waitaki with how they kept fighting to the end,’’ Fowler said.