College sport: EGGS unveils $3.5m first stage of centre

Mt Albert goal shoot Chiara Semple prepares to shoot as St Kentigern goal keep Maraea Tipene defends, in their first-round clash in the top-six secondary schools championships at the weekend. MAGS won the match 45-31. Photo / Richard Robins

Determined not to be left behind as boys and co-ed schools continue to enhance their sporting facilities, Epsom Girls Grammar School will today unveil the first stage of their multi-million-dollar sports centre.

Former student Lady Susan Satyanand, the wife of the Governor-General, will open the $3.5 million development.

The complex - made possible with Government and school funding - will feature netball/basketball courts, a fitness centre, a dance studio, a physical education classroom and offices, locker rooms and storage areas.

"We may still only be halfway there but we're very proud of the start we have made," said EGGS principal Madeline Gunn.

BASKETBALL

St Kentigern had high hopes for their game against AGS but, despite a solid first quarter, were never in it.

Reuben Te Rangi landed 21 points, while James Ashby (18), Josh Young (16), and Aart Fahrensohn (14) reigned supreme. By half time Auckland Grammar had a 56-29 lead.

HOCKEY

A runaway EGGS goal in the last minute was all that separated them and St Cuthbert's in the inter-city girls' game. EGGS won 1-0.

In boys' action, King's were too strong for Pukekohe in grade one, winning 5-1.

In grade two, AGS beat Kristin 3-1 after leading 2-0 at halftime. Seb Buddle (2) and James Belz scored for Auckland Grammar.

RUGBY

AUCKLAND

Saturday's round of the 1a rugby championship shapes as a season-defining time.

Sacred Heart take their perfect nine-from-nine record across to Mt Albert Grammar fully aware victory would take them a huge step closer to minor premiership honours.

A loss to the defending champions will allow MAGS to close the gap.

St Kentigern travel to Kelston BHS with the same seven-win, two-loss record as their hosts but are a point ahead.

King's, in second place but having played a game or two more than their rivals, are on the road to play Tamaki and should bag five points from the team who went down to Tangaroa last time out.

AGS and St Peters will not figure in the championship race this season but their battle at the "Cage" will have all the intensity of a neighbourly battle.

In girls' action, revenge was sweet for AGGS as they claimed the 1st XV final against Tamaki at Western Springs on Monday.

Beaten in two recent finals by Manurewa HS (2008) and Tamaki a year ago, AGGS made it third time lucky with their 24-17 triumph.

The win was special for co-coach Vienna James who has been involved with the team since 2008 when, as a player, she was concussed holding up a try, an act that earned AGGS their finals berth that year.

NORTH HARBOUR

With the country watching on courtesy of Sky's coverage of 1st XV rugby, Massey and Westlake BHS lined up at Massey for what has become a grudge match and one of the features of the Harbour competition.

After a fierce struggle Massey won 20-18.

Although Westlake took away just a bonus point, they will be heartened by their effort.

But Massey continued to prove themselves a strong contender for the final and consolidated their top two spot four points behind Rosmini who thumped Takapuna 55-13.

In the other 1A game, Mahurangi continued their push for the semifinals by defeating bottom-placed Rangitoto 45-11.

In the 1B second round, Glenfield beat Whangaparaoa 29-10, Kaipara upset Long Bay 24-12 and Orewa beat a flat Northcote 16-6.

In the 1C competition, the Massey 2nd XV thumped Birkenhead 56-6, Kristin edged Albany 15-11 and KingsWay beat Hato Petera 11-0. Toby Hurley

SOCCER

AGS shrugged off the disadvantage of an away game to beat Sacred Heart 3-1 in the premier match of the round - a result which allowed them to close to within two points of leaders MAGS who won 1-0 over KBHS.

It was a second win within four days for AGS who had beaten Rangitoto 3-2 midweek.

Enjoying home advantage, St Kentigern came from a goal down to beat Rangitoto 3-2 and retain their spot in the top three.

SQUASH

AGS reasserted their dominance in the premier boys' competition, beating MAGS 9-3 to finish the regular season top of the table.

The win over MAGS completed an unbeaten run for AGS, who won their five round-robin matches - a direct result of hard work and dedication, according to coach Simon Lassche.

"We've got no real superstars to be fair," says Lassche, "but just a whole lot of hard work and dedication. They started training all the way back in term one ... hats off to them, I think they've done really well."

Their attention now turns to beating Westlake in their straight final on Friday. Despite having beaten them already this year - both in the round-robin and the Auckland intercollegiate competition - Lassche is not taking them lightly.

Meanwhile, EGGS - who have successfully competed in the boys' premiership division this season - will square off against MAGS to determine third and fourth place.

MAGS will be wary of the Epsom side having already been "sassed" by them earlier in the season, according to one of their players. "They certainly deserve their place in there because they are a hell of a good side," says Lassche.

With just one match left in the Auckland SS competition, teams will now be looking ahead to the National SS competition which will be held in Auckland from August 12-14. Nathan Calis

SWIMMING

More than a year of training in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf bore fruit for six members of Auckland Grammar's long-distance swim team when they lined up to swim the English Channel at the weekend.

Pitted against English private school Wellington College, the AGS team of Freddie Bassett, 17, Callum Morrison, 17, Sam Benson, 17, Terry Kim, 15, Toby Harknett,14, and Toto Laurenson, 14, completed the 34km swim in 10h 5m to beat their rivals by more than three hours and become the first New Zealand school team to complete a successful relay crossing of the Channel.

Water temperatures varied from 14C to 15C - similar to the winter temperatures in the Hauraki Gulf.

In staying with the "no artificial aids" edict of Captain Matthew Webb when he made the first successful channel crossing in 1875 (in a little under 22h), no wetsuits are allowed.

The six AGS boys are part of an 11-strong touring team which will also contest races in the British Long Distance Swimming Association's championships at Lake Bala in Wales and two swims in the Republic of Ireland - a 6km ocean swim and a 2km river swim.