SCHOOLBOY LEAGUE
Dargaville High 26 Bay of Islands College 36: Bay College notched up its first win in the South Zone of the Adam Blair Trophy campaign away at Dargaville following the previous week's 20-16 home loss to defending champions, Whangarei Boys High.
The side now prepares to host the undefeated Kamo tomorrow, needing a win to secure a berth in the semifinals of the secondary school competition.
Other results from week 2 of the Northland secondary schoolboy league tournament, the NorthTec Adam Blair Trophy were as follows.
Okaihau College 18 Kaitaia College 40: Kaitaia taking its second win in two games played; Northland College 32 Niwa Saints 10: The combined side - made up of students from Abundant Life/ Te Rangi Aniwania - losing in Kaikohe; and Kamo High 30 WBHS 12: The defending champions tipped over in the upset of the round.
RLN general manager Alex Smits noted the competition had got under way with an electric start when the first round was played at the end of February.
"All first-round games demonstrated a great level of league for the first game of the season. There's an exciting vibe and buzz this year with the competition and it's good to see the games were well supported," Smits said, adding that there was opportunity for the college players to make a tournament invitational team to play the Warriors Development Squad, on March 30 at Lindvart Park, Kaikohe.
He said players will be looking to impress the Adam Blair XIII coaches of Joe Henare, Peter Gray (Kamo High School coaches) and Benson Selwyn (Kaikohe Lions premier coach) before the selection trial match this Saturday at Bay of Islands College in Kawakawa.
The draw for the third and final round of the Adam Blair tomorrow - to compete the round-robin stage of the competition before teams head into the quarter-finals - was, Kaitaia College vs Northland College, Niwa Saints vs Okaihau College in Kaitaia; south: Bay of Islands College vs Kamo High, WBHS v Dargaville High.
All games scheduled to kick off at 4.30pm. Note, the Saints v Okaihau match in Kaitaia will possibly be played on Thursday afternoon.
Renes onboardIn other news, RLN welcomed Jon Renes as NorthTec's new academy coach. Alex Smits said the new arrival held very high credentials.
"[He has] worked as strength and conditioning coach for a range of high-profile New Zealand teams and individuals such as the Vodafone Warriors, NZ Black Sticks (women's squad), NZ Black Ferns, Silver Ferns, Northern Knights, Sam Warriner, Bevan Docherty, Debbie Tanner and Hamish Carter," said Smits, adding that Renes' career has also seen him take on the roles of trainer for the Northern Swords premiers, Junior Kiwis, NZ Residents, Amerika Samoa, Central Sharks, Te Atatu Roosters, Hibiscus Coast Raiders, NZ Black Ferns and Auckland Storm. Smits noted that this year's intake of 15 students to the academy have the opportunity to tie their professional training to their tertiary study.