Rugby: Raukura warriors win

Raukura under-15 showed their Anzac fighting spirit to battle back and win 20-14 over Australian school St Aloysius under-16 side yesterday.

The Rotorua Boys' High School side that trailed for most of the match to overcome a team that had spent the last three days training at the Rugby Academy and members of which were bigger in size than them.

However, the younger Rotorua side showed they weren't going to be intimidated by the Aussies starting with a rousing haka to challenge their counterparts at Neil Hunt Park.

In fact, the match turned into a real Anzac test, with both teams prepared to smash into one another with little fear.

Raukura coach Richard Francis said his side drew inspiration from the historic day - the side attending the Anzac dawn service before the match.

However, it was the Aussies who had the early running, with Nick Cramp scoring in the first eight minutes of the match.

Raukura were guilty of not protecting possession with the home side often turning ball over at critical times.

The visitors used their size to advantage in the first half, sucking in Raukura's defence and giving the Aussies opportunities out wide that led to Cramp's try. First-five Alex Diamond was unsuccessful with the conversion but soon had his side up by eight points after referee Amon Rimene adjudged the home side to be offside at the ruck directly in front of the post - with the wind at his back Diamond had little difficulty nailing the 22-metre kick.

The home side appeared rattled but settled down to put some pressure on the visitors and soon found themselves with a try courtesy of openside flanker Mitch Regan who worked hard the entire match.

Penalties were the bane of Raukura's progress with the side constantly being pinged for infringements at the breakdown and soon Diamond had two more penalties to have his side go into the break 14-5 up.

Francis said he told his players to remember what the day was about and to lift their game if they wanted to win the match.

"I just said to them they weren't really playing for the sacrifice of Anzac Day because they weren't really playing up to what Anzac meant to us and that's why they came out firing in the second half."

The side appeared to be a different team in the second half with halfback Te Ra Whata showing his warrior spirit, making piercing runs at the opposition defensive line. His hard work was rewarded when he scored his side's second try.

Although first-five Uru Hohepa was unsuccessful with the conversion, he was successful with the next one in almost the same spot several minutes later when his side piled over to score their third and final try.

The youngster rounded off his side's points with a penalty near fulltime to round the match off 20-14.