College grind out UC semi win
Superior fitness got the Nelson College 1st XV home in the mud on Saturday, but will they keep another Christchurch raid at bay as they chase UC Championship glory this weekend?
The top qualifiers in the Crusaders zone schools rugby competition will have home advantage for the second week running after seeing off a strongfinishing Christ’s College 16-10 in their UC Championship semifinal.
As well as the team’s laundry attendant, Nelson College’s front field will have barely recovered from the muddy encounter before it hosts this Saturday’s competition decider against Christchurch Boys’ High School, who beat St Bede’s 32-42 in the other playoff.
Following a penalty from Niko Barton and tries from wing Ben Fainga’anuku and centre Ollie Inch, Nelson led 13-3 at halftime in wet conditions. But they were made to work hard in the second half as a try to Max Goulter, converted by Shun Miyake, brought the visitors within striking distance.
With the season hanging in the balance, Nelson head coach Jono Phillips said the halftime message was simple: keep attacking.
‘‘We’d only played two games in six weeks, so we were a bit rusty in the first half and really tried to get them on the edges – we had five scoring opportunities on those edges and only took two, which isn’t really acceptable.’’
Phillips said a focus on fitness conditioning over the last few weeks, overseen by team trainer Nick Bingle, had been a key factor in making the final.
‘‘That just gave the boys so much confidence, and when they had to defend, they did so incredibly well.’’
Whether Nelson College wins its first UC Championship title since 2007, for about 16 of the current squad, Saturday’s final will be their last for the 1st XV on the front field.
‘‘The ground has a lot of meaning,’’ Phillips said. ‘‘They’re very proud of their college, and playing a final on that ground is incredibly special to the boys.’’
One player unlucky to miss the match will be Nelson’s workhorse flanker Fergus Hughes, who suffered a season-ending head knock against Christ’s, just shy of his 50th cap.
‘‘We’re just hoping it’s something he recovers from, and he’ll be in our thoughts as we run out on Saturday,’’ Phillips said.
In his first season as head coach, Phillips said he was pleased with how the squad had gone about learning the game and their tactical approach to develop a style of rugby that had averaged six tries a game.
‘‘There’s been new structures, new patterns and a lot to learn, but the team has consistently worked at perfecting our game.
‘‘They’ve been such a good group of young rugby students, and lapped up everything that’s been given to them.
‘‘We just focus on ourselves and trying to be the best that we can be – the results just seem to take care of themselves.’’
SKY TV’s Land Rover 1st XV Rugby show will broadcast the match, which kicks off at 12.40pm.
‘‘Playing a final on that ground is incredibly special to the boys.’’ Nelson College head coach Jono Phillips