40 ST PETER’S WIN TOP FOUR
The Auckland catholic school did not start the season as anyone’s favourite to be national champions.
They didn’t start as even Auckland 1A favourites. Even when they reached the semi-final of the 1A, they were still without any backers.
That’s because they were playing the real favourites – St Kentigern College. St Kent’s had owned the 1A up until the play-os and were full of big, well-coached, good players.
The semi-final was close, but was going to plan with two minutes left. St Kentigern were six points ahead and just about home, until they had a massive brain explosion.
They won a penalty under their own posts, but rather than kick it out, they chose to scrum. They lost the ball in the set-piece somehow and before anyone knew what was happening, St Peter’s had scored under the posts and kicked the conversion to win.
Come the final, again St Peter’s relied on a small miracle. A thrilling game saw them one point ahead in the last minute when King’s College broke upfield.
They looked certain to score, only for one of their players to knock on over the line. Title won, St. Peter’s scraped past Westlake Boys’ by a point in the Blues play-o and then by tight margins against Napier Boys’ and Christ’s College.