Dominant scrum key to victory for Dunstan
DUNSTAN High School built on a dominant scrum and survived a gutsy comeback from Taieri College to open the Otago Schools Rugby Championship with a 3622 win in Mosgiel on Saturday.
Dunstan jumped to a 195 lead at halftime as both sides made plenty of mistakes on a slippery field.
Blindside flanker Cam Lord scored a nice try for Taieri as the home team cribbed it back to 1917, before Dunstan pulled away again.
Josh McLellan scored two tries for Dunstan, while Xavier Liddell looked dangerous at fullback and Sam Chapman ran strongly from No 8.
Halfback Luke Evans had an excellent allround game for Taieri, which was marking its first game back in the competition under the school name.
In the other division two games, South Otago High School beat the Otago Boys’ High School Second XV 3626, and Mount Aspiring College beat Wakatipu High School 4818 in the Lakes derby.
Just one game in division one was played, as theMcGl ash anSouthland Boys’ inter school was played midweek, and the WaitakiOtago Boys’ clash was postponed due to illness.
King’s High School beat St Kevin’s College 480 in Oamaru.
King’s showed plenty of enterprise, and fullback Sam NemecVial crossed for two tries to give the Dunedin school a 240 lead at halftime.
The big men then took over, and prop Fergus Hepburn grabbed his own brace to seal a comfortable win.
Both Otago Boys’ (against Southland Boys’) and Waitaki (against King’s) had this weekend off, as they play interschools on Wednesday, so their game can be easily accommodated.