College sport: Big boys feature of 1A competition

The big boys come out to play this Saturday with the start of the 1st XV season.

It may be the first week but that doesn't stop some key match-ups in Auckland's 12-team 1A competition.

The potentially tightest match of the round has Kelston Boys against King's College.

Kelston claim they aren't as big as in the past but that may be a little bit of foxing on the part of coach Brent Semmons, who then admits that he has a player weighing in at just under 130kg and 1.91m tall.

His name is Paea Fa'anunu and he's just 16.

Fa'anunu will be at tighthead prop in what is a "solid" front row.

"He's a walking building," says Semmons. "He's like Carl Hayman ... but more solid."

A couple of the other props are 18-year-old Fraser Viliamu, who is 110kg, and 16-year-old Andrew Huch, 105kg.

"We've got a relatively small team. We have a few boys from the Auckland under-16s but otherwise we're not that big," says Semmons, who believes Kings will be tough to beat.

Kelston's captain is John Akavi, 17, a midfield back and also a New Zealand secondary schools, under-19 and open touch team member.

Kelston were semifinalists last year and finalists the previous year but pre-season results have been a little mixed.

They beat Massey, Westlake and Hastings but lost to Napier and Hamilton Boys.

Semmons believes the build-up hasn't been too bad and that his side is ready for the competition to start. He rates his team as a top-four contender.

Auckland Grammar host Tangaroa College to start the defence of the title they won last year.

Tangaroa have Grammar old boy and former All Black Charlie Riechelmann plus Waisake Sotutu, who was involved in Wesley College last year, as their coaches.

Grammar coach Richard Skelly rates Tangaroa as a team to watch, especially with the experience of their coaches.

"They will be a challenge. They gave us a bit of a hurry up last year.

"We have a lot of last year's forward pack back but a completely new backline."

Last season's runners-up Mt Albert Grammar travel to Ponsonby for an away game against St Paul's College.

The other 2004 semifinalist, De la Salle, host St Peter's.

Tamaki College are back in the top grade after winning the 2004 1B Championship, replacing Onehunga College.

Tamaki are away to Macleans College, who had a strong showing in their first 1A season last year.

The other match of the round has Otahuhu College travelling to Sacred Heart.

In the Waikato premier 1st XV competition, there's a strange clash to start the grade.

Defending champions Hamilton Boys 1st XV play their second XV in round one. The players will be challenging the early morning frosts with a 9am start, meaning a chance to get away and keep an eye on their rivals later in the day.

Last weekend, the Hamilton 1st XV played a warm-up against Kelston, winning 17-15.

Hamilton have a mainly new side from last season and will therefore have to rely on enthusiasm rather than experience.

Captain is blindside flanker Adam Cathcart who will lead a team that features a number of players who spent time at the New Zealand under-17 camp at the Institute of Rugby in Palmerston North during the holidays. The team is coached by Nigel Hotham, with Josh Hay in charge of the forwards.

The other first round matches include Church College hosting St John's, and St Peter's at home against St Paul's.

Yachting

Kerikeri High have once again won the national secondary school teams racing nationals - and they did it in style, winning all 26 races they sailed off Kohimarama.

Kerikeri are Reuben Corbett, Bradley Farrand, Kevin Hooper, Hanlon Clarke, Andy Maloney, Jo Foster, Jimmy Maloney and Rosemary Simm and are coached by Robi Quilter.

The remaining three finalists had a tight battle for the remaining medals.

Auckland Grammar were second, Mahurangi College third and Westlake Boys fourth.

* Results

YACHTING

SECONDARY SCHOOLS TEAMS RACING
(Kohimarama)

Finals: Kerikeri High 1, (9 wins 0 Losses), Auckland Grammar 2, (4/5), Mahurangi College 3 (3/6), Westlake BHS 4, (2/7).

Qualifying round robin: Kerikeri High 17/0, Mahurangi College 16/1, Auckland Grammar 15/2, Westlake BHS 13/4, Tauranga BC 12/5, Lindisfarne College 11/6, Queen Charlotte College 10/7, St Cuthbert's College 10/7, Wellington College 10/7, St Kentigern College 8/9, New Plymouth BHS 7/10, Waikato Thames Combined 6/11, Christchurch Boys High 6/11, Nelson College 5/12 Francis Douglas Memorial 4/13, New Plymouth GHS 2/15, Paraparaumu Kapiti Combined 1/16, Christchurch GHS 17/0.

* This week

Friday: Premier boys and girls basketball, various venues.

Saturday: North Harbour first XV (home team first, 1pm start), Kaipara v Massey, Orewa v Takapuna, Massey (2) v Birkenhead, Westlake (2) v Rosmini, Mahurangi v Rangitoto, Glenfield v Westlake.

Auckland 1A (home team listed first, 2.30 start) Macleans v Tamaki, Kelston Boys v King's, Sacred Heart v Otahuhu, St Paul's v Mt Albert, St Peter's v De La Salle, Tangaroa v Auckland Grammar.