College Sport: Laws of the game: Cops back kids rugby

Jack Halpin (Sacred Heart) runs for the line in the game against MAGS. Photo / Steven McNicholl

It is no surprise Auckland's top secondary school rugby players and their supporters are on their best behaviour.

Playing in competitions sponsored by the New Zealand Police, the 1A and 1B grades have been trouble-free this season despite the huge numbers seen on sidelines every Saturday.

"The support from the Police, now in its third year, has been fantastic," said Jim Lonergan, chairman of the Auckland SS Rugby Union's executive.

"It is actually the Police's recruitment agency who are giving their support. They see it as money well spent.

"They estimate their sponsorship - which gives every player [about 900] in the 1A and 1B a warm-up top, provides player of the day awards for every match and hosts a pre-season dinner for all 1st XV captains and the end-of-the-season prizegiving - is equal to the cost of one television advertisement.

"They say it is money very well spent as they have a readymade market with a number of these players looking to a future in the force."

The local association has rules aimed at maintaining order. The coaches and reserve players are not allowed on the sideline.

They must watch the games from behind their defensive goal-line with any substitutions made from there.

There are no plans in Auckland to follow the lead of their southern counterparts who introduced breath-testing to ensure no alcohol-fuelled spectators watched the recent game between Christ's College and Christchurch BHS.

BASKETBALL

WBHS slumped to their first loss of the season, going down 66-60 to a fired up Onehunga High who pushed Westlake the whole way.

They traded points throughout with Onehunga leading by one point going into the final quarter. Onehunga then seemed to find another gear and lit it up in the last quarter, hitting the important three-pointers when they counted and finally nudging ahead by six with Taleni Sui leading the way with 20 points.

WBHS had their lead over AGS trimmed to four points.HOCKEYEGGS held on to claim the girls' open A title - but only just.

A 1-0 win over mid-table St Kentigern was enough to get EGGS home and retain their season-long unbeaten record. They at least had the advantage of going into their last game aware that a draw would have been enough to take the honours.

That could have been a different story had the clash between fierce rivals Diocesan and St Cuthbert's - played a couple of hours earlier - been won by Diocesan, who would have taken a handy two-point lead over EGGS before they hit off against St Kentigern.

In the end the fiercely contested affair at St Cuthbert's ended 2-2.

Playing with a cast after breaking her arm earlier in the week could not stop Arabella Nelson giving Diocesan the lead.

The home side stepped up, dominated possession and eventually got back to 1-1 before halftime when Paige Paterson slotted the ball. St Cuthbert's took the lead five minutes into the second half when, from their fourth penalty corner, Garby Smith scored.

Diocesan were soon back on terms as Nelson scored her second.

Attention for the leading boys' and girls' teams now turns to the keenly contested inter-city competition with Diocesan's clash with North Harbour champions Rangitoto the likely match of the round.

NETBALL

Responding to pressure of being in a must-win situation as they chased a place in the top six of the Auckland SS premier championship, Baradene rose to the challenge to run out 36-25 winners over Macleans.

Coming off a great win over section leaders EGGS in their previous outing, Macleans went into the game with some confidence.

From the outset the teams traded goal for goal but in the second quarter Baradene increased their intensity.

Goal shooters Kathleen Solia and Jessica Milicich converted well-earned turnovers by their defence pairing of Jade Whitley and Annabelle Ringwood to go to the halftime break seven points ahead. Baradene maintained the pressure, retained their composure and with mid-courters LaChey Meredith and Anna Klaassen forcing valuable turnovers and Maxine Paese delivering quality ball to the shooters, they edged away to win by 11 goals.

EGGS bounced back from their loss to Macleans to retain top spot in section two with a 33-30 win over St Cuthbert's. It was not all one way, however, with EGGS forced to battle all the way.

Old foes AGGS and MAGS fought out top spot in section one. MAGS went into the decider after enjoying the better results in these traditional encounters over the past few years.

Evenly matched across the court, it was a close game from start to finish with neither team able to pull away. MAGS held their nerve for a well-earned 34-31 victory.

RUGBY

Auckland: A 34-8 win at Sacred Heart continued MAGS' amazing run in the 1A championship.

In all nine games this season, the Charlie McAlister-coached team have won with a bonus point (for scoring four or more tries) and have stretched their lead, with two rounds to play, to a huge 14 points.

King's, 36-12 winners over Tamaki in a game which was closer than the score might suggest, moved into second place and ensured themselves of a semifinal spot.

Somewhat luckily 17-7 ahead at the break, King's ground out the win against a gallant Tamaki XV.

St Peter's joined KBHS in third place - a point behind King's - on the back of their biggest winning margin over neighbours AGS. Their 29-7 win was four points better than their previous best - the 25-7 win in 1996.

Despite having the lion's share of possession, AGS failed to turn that into points.

North Harbour:

Rosmini came under unexpected pressure out west before emerging 7-5 winners over a plucky Massey High.

Rosmini were the first to touch down when Ryan Thompson scored following a charge down within metres of the try line. Rob McConnochie converted to complete their scoring.

Rosmini continued to defend well in the first half with Joseph Tuitopou pulling off some monstrous tackles.

Both teams made good ground with the rolling maul but unfortunately could not turn their advances into points as the visitors went to the break with their 7-0 lead.

After applying plenty of pressure, Albert Matagi eventually rewarded the home faithful when he crossed out wide.

The conversion attempt was unsuccessful, as were a couple of late efforts from the Massey players.

In other 1A games, WBHS bounced back from their loss to Orewa to trounce Mahurangi 69-0, and Orewa took hungry TGS too lightly and drew 9-9.

Glenfield scored another 5-pointer, beating Long Bay 25-7 in 1B action after being held 10-7 at halftime.

Northcote powered away to account for Kaipara 32-7 and also pick up five points and demoted Rangitoto had a close encounter with improving Birkenhead and just came away with a win, 10-8.

In the 1C grade Kristin thumped Albany 52-3 and Whangaparaoa beat Hato Petera 15-5.

This week's match of the day will be the Orewa v Rosmini clash and a third defence of the Woodhouse Shield.

Thames Valley: Hauraki Plains completed the second of three rounds in super impressive style scoring 12 unanswered tries in trouncing Paeroa College 64-0.

Hauraki Plains now narrowly lead the championship round from Mercury Bay Area School at the halfway stage.

In the only other match played, Thames High School scored four tries in beating Waihi College 28-12, with goalkicker Brendan Scott successful with all four conversion attempts.

Waikato: National champions Hamilton BHS had to work hard to overcome Rotorua BHS in their Super 8 encounter in Rotorua.

The visitors trailed the home side 10-19 heading into the last 10 minutes before loose forwards Hugh Blake and Bruce Jones scored late tries, which were converted by Josh Smith who also kicked a penalty goal, to get Hamilton home by 27-19.

Fifteen HBHS players have been selected to attend next week's Chiefs Under-18 training camp.

On the local 1st XV scene, Forest View had the better of a tight match against Fraser, winning 27-21 and Morrinsville College won well 37-15 against HBHS 3rd XV.

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