College Sport: Grammar fight back to beat Tamaki scare

Auckland Girls Grammar's Fa Tohi (L) and Diocesan's Harriet Benson go head to head. Photo / Steven McNicholl

An abbreviated split round accommodating rugby games brought forward provided interesting results and another scare for Auckland Grammar as they looked to bounce back from their mauling by Mt Albert Grammar.

In the end AGS got home 24-19 over Tamaki College but needed two late get-out-jail cards, their never-say-die attitude getting them across the line.

Auckland Grammar started slowly, barely getting a touch of the ball in the opening 15 minutes during which time they fell 0-7 behind. Gradually they played their way back into the game and late first-half tries to Lachlan Collier and then Sione Napa'a got them ahead 12-7 at the break.

The bad habits returned in the second half as AGS struggled at the lineout. Much hard-won possession was frittered away with silly passes and aimless kicking which led to two good Tamaki tries - one a length-of-the-field counter-attack - and a handy 19-12 lead which they maintained until the last three minutes.

With time running out AGS' Simi Kata muscled through to score and Noah Taio's conversion levelled the scores. The visitors swung the ball wide to the left before swinging back to free up Josh Minhinnick, who finished brilliantly in the right-hand corner to snatch an unlikely victory.

Auckland Grammar are away this week to play Onehunga High before returning home on June 18 for the televised battle with Kings.

In a game brought forward, Kings, playing at home, strung together another encouraging performance to beat De La Salle 16-6.

The visitors took first use of the driving rain and gale-force winds and were quickly 6-0 ahead as first-five Foma'i Ah-Ki booted two penalties. Kings struck back with a Simon Hickey penalty before wing Ngataua Hukatai crossed for a try and a halftime 8-6 lead.

With 15 minutes to play Kings' replacement halfback Mickey Bateman showed superb speed and individual brilliance to dart away down the blind and run 30m to score.

However as De La Salle's ill-discipline crept in Kings were awarded a series of penalties, one of which Hickey kicked to complete the scoring.

Encouraged by another sound defensive effort, Kings are ready for another home game this week when they entertain St Peters.

Promoted Onehunga High gave plenty of cheek before succumbing 35-12 to visiting KBHS in another game played in wet, blustery conditions.

Understandably, running rugby was not in either team's game plan as they saw territory and ball retention as their priorities.

Kelston were soon rewarded when try-scoring prop Danny Pahulu crossed for his third in five games. Tayler Adams converted to have the visitors 7-0 ahead after just four minutes.

Onehunga replied with a penalty to quickly close the gap.

Kelston scored another converted try after a bustling Malgene Ilaua run. Again, Onehunga replied with a penalty. A third penalty closed the gap to 14-9 but before the end of the half the visitors were in again with fullback Lolagi Visinia dotting down.

Onehunga kicked a fourth penalty early in the second half but that was their lot as Kelston notched two more converted tries. One, another spectacular effort by Visinia, who beat five or six would-be defenders as he used his speed and guile to run 40m to score.

Vice-captain Chris Neri's added a fifth try to complete victory. Tayler Adams kicked five-from-five conversions.

It was Kelston's first bonus point win of the season, leaving them in contention for the top four.

At the "Cage," St Peters overcame a determined Tangaroa for an encouraging 18-5 win. St Peters played excellent, controlled rugby in the early stages despite atrocious conditions, scoring two well-executed tries from wing Josh Cocker-Valu and lock Isaac Isaako in the first 15 minutes.

Tenacious Tangaroa defence prevented St Peters crossing the line again as the visitors clawed their way back and were rewarded just before halftime with an unconverted try.

In the second half, first-five Nathanial Bearman kicked two penalties to extend the lead 18-5.

Spurred on by live-wire halfback Jon Ika, Tangaroa played some of their best rugby but were unable to break St Peters defence. For the home team, captain Patrick Tuipolotu was again a tower of strength and continues to press claims for higher honours. Young midfielder Junior Lolohea was dangerous on attack while St Peters prop Danial Patu was awarded player of the day.

NORTH HARBOUR

A try in each half was enough for Rosmini to claim the points in a tense 10-3 win over Massey High in the top of the table clash. Top spot was up for grabs at Massey, as the only two unbeaten teams in the competition went head to head.

Persistent wind and rain led to a dour battle in the forwards, with Rosmini showing more aggression and cohesion than their bigger counterparts as they dominated with rolling mauls and ruck clear-outs.

The visitors did, however, make the first breakthrough when, following a good line-out win, hooker Nat Larmer drove over for the try.

Massey kept themselves in contention with a late Jordan Jacobs' penalty and a 5-3 halftime scoreline.

The second half was dominated by the Rosmini forward pack, with their rolling mauls gaining up to 30m at a time. Rosmini halfback Nico Costa took the advantage, scoring unopposed from a sniping run from the base of an attacking scrum. This was the final scoring act with the seven-point advantage not reflective of the game, with Rosmini completely dominant.

Massey were disjointed for most of the game and unable to combine and work in unison. They will need to work on their set-piece.

Rosmini have impressed with their intensity and team play and deserve to be at the top of the 1A ladder, remaining the only unbeaten team.

In the other 1A fixtures, Orewa chalked up their first win over Glenfield 21-3 and Mahurangi jumped into the top four with an upset win over TGS 22-7 at home. Rangitoto and WBHS meet this afternoon in the remaining fixture.

With one round to go the bottom three teams, Rangitoto, Orewa and Glenfield are battling to avoid relegation to 1B for the second round. Rangitoto and Glenfield play off and the winner will secure a place in 1A. Orewa face the first-round leader Rosmini and need an unlikely win to stay in 1A.

In the 1B fixtures, table topping Whangaparaoa slumped to their first loss to improving Kristin 7-15, Birkenhead surprised Kaipara 15-8, and Long Bay comfortably defeated Hato Petera 28-0. Northcote will play Kingsway 15 June to complete this round. With two rounds to go it is becoming congested at the top to qualify for the 1B second round, or be relegated to 1C division. Northcote has the easier finish, with Whangaparaoa and Long Bay having more difficult fixtures, and Kristin might be the surprise package.

- Toby Hurley

SOCCER

Led by a classy hat-trick from striker Alex Risdale, MAGS took advantage of playing their round-five match early to extend their lead at the top of the premier table with a comfortable 4-1 home win over bottom-placed WBHS.

Westlake pressured the MAGS defence and had an early chance when Warren Pinto got a shot on goal which goalkeeper Patrick George gathered safely.

After weathering that early storm, the home team went ahead in the 25th minute when Joseph Dan-Tyrell had a run at the Westlake defence and fired a shot which rebounded to Monty Patterson. He beat his marker before squaring the ball to Ridsdale who made no mistake from close range.

Somewhat against the run of play WBHS were awarded a freekick for handball. Pinto fired his effort at the MAGS defensive wall from where it rebounded to hit the post and settle in the goal for 1-1 after 41 minutes.

The visitors gave as good as they got until the 65th minute when from a sweeping movement Dan Tyrell broke on the left before pulling his cross to the far post from where Monty Patterson made no mistake.

Joshua Moody made his first team debut in the 75th minute quickly making his mark. Nathan Atherton found Moody out wide from where he played a wall pass with Martin Pavic on the edge of the Westlake penalty area.

Moody progressed to the by-line and cut a perfect cross back to the near post where Ridsdale headed MAGS into a 3-1 lead.

In the 82nd minute Patterson, on a caution, was replaced by another debutante Ji Wei Ho who was instantly in the game, winning a terrific challenge but then spoiling the good work by giving the ball away.

Westlake continued their attempts to get back into the game and forced George to save well from a flicked-on header.

It was all action as Ridsdale hit the post in the 86th minute. Two minutes later, from a flicked-on Martin Pavic header, Ridsdale out-sped centre-back Jack Caunter, drew his brother Louie in the Westlake goal and slotted his third.

UNDERWATER HOCKEY

Long-time junior open rivals MAGS and Glendowie College produced the most exciting final at the Northern zone championships at the West Wave Aquatic Centre.

Egged on by a large crowd of supporters, the teams traded alternate goals to finish locked at 4-4.

Extra time was needed to find a winner and after a tense few minutes of exhausting play, Glendowie showed their determination in scoring the winning goal.

Thirty-six teams from as far afield as Whakatane (Trident College) and Mahurangi College in the north joined teams from Auckland secondary schools to compete for northern honours and the 16 places available to play at the national championships in Rotorua during August's tournament week.

In girl's action, teams from Diocesan took top honours in both senior and junior grades, convincingly defeating last year's national champions Tauranga GC, 3-1.

The junior Diocesan team can also look to a promising future at national level with their convincing 9-1 win over EGGS in the final.

The Central underwater hockey tournament will be held next weekend in Wellington.

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