Third title in a row for dominant OBHS
RUGBY Otago Premier Schools
OTAGO Boys’ High School exploded out of the blocks and ended up a convincing winner in the Otago Premier Schools final at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday.
Otago Boys’ won 3319 after it led 277 at halftime.
It was up 170 in as many minutes and then pulled away to be ahead 270 with just under five minutes left in the first half.
King’s bravely gave it a crack in the second half and halfway through the half was down 3019 and the comeback was on.
But it did not score again as Otago Boys’ stood strong.
It was the third consecutive title for the school since coming back into the competition.
Otago Boys’ High School coach Regan Turoa was immensely proud of his team to withstand a good King’s comeback.
“We played exactly to the game plan in that first half, to be honest. You are playing on a hard and fast track, so you have to play the right way,” he said.
“Play territory and keep control of the ball. We did that and got the rewards.”
Turoa said the side did not want to go into a defensive mindset and sit on its lead in the second half but King’s came out to play and did well. But the team had stuck to its guns and held out King’s.
The side had improved throughout the season and he paid tribute to the its leadership group who led the side as the season worked to a climax.
“We have got some special players who do go unnoticed but they do a lot of work for our team.”
King’s would have been disappointed by its first half effort as it failed to hang on to the ball and made numerous errors.
Otago Boys’ first fiveeighth Cameron Millar tallied 23 points in the match. He did not miss a shot at goal. He opened the scoring, picking up an intercept and running 30m to score under the bar.
Fullback Finn Hurley then scored for Otago Boys’, running a nice angle, while big blindside flanker Oliver Haig scored the third try for Otago Boys’ after making a run down the right and taking the return pass.
King’s improved in the second half and scored a couple of nice tries but it was far from polished.
Otago Boys’ No 8 Semisi Tupou Taeiloa carried the ball well all day, while Haig and Ronan Dynes completed a good loose forward trio.
Best for King’s was halfback Taine Hand, while flanker Jay Davis got round the field.
In the other games, John McGlashan College won the middle four, beating St Kevin's College 1812, while in the bottom four, Wakatipu High School beat South Otago High School 2926.