College sport: Henry keen to catch semifinal showdown

All Blacks coach Graham Henry hopes to watch Auckland Grammar take on Kelston BHS. Photo / Brett Phibbs

All Blacks coach Graham Henry could be a surprise spectator with a foot in both camps at Auckland Grammar on Saturday when they play their sudden death 1A rugby semifinal against Kelston BHS.

As a former teacher and first XV coach at both schools, Henry is taking more than passing interest in the semifinal between the teams who finished second and third after 11 keenly contested championship rounds.

"I have been kept in touch by text throughout the season by Kelston coach Athens Henare who was a pupil at the school when I was there," said Henry. "I also ran into Pat Lam over the weekend and he was keen to tell me about St Peter's, as his son plays five-eighths for them and will play Mt Albert in the other semifinal on Saturday.

"I really enjoy watching rugby at this level when I get the chance. Secondary schools rugby is the backbone of the game in New Zealand. It brings out the best in our young players. I have been to St Peter's, Mt Albert Grammar, Auckland Grammar and Kelston this season.

"If I can, I would love to go to Grammar on Saturday. My Sky is a great thing as it will allow me to watch any Air NZ Cup games I miss before we head to Australia on Sunday."

Henry also keeps an eye on Christchurch BHS - the secondary school he attended before moving north - even if they are bowing to St Bede's College this winter.

St Peter's had no problems in confirming their place at the top of the 1A championship but their 91-3 romp over bottom-placed St Paul's was hardly the preparation they wanted heading into their battle with MAGS at the "cage".

From the time Matt Gandy strolled over for two early tries, the die was cast as they went on to take their season tally beyond 300 points.

MAGS had a better warm-up for their trip to Mountain Rd with a 22-6 win over Aorere in a game which decided the fourth qualifier.

Ahead 12-0 at halftime with two Milford Keresoma tries and an Albert Nikoro conversion, MAGS were always in control in restricting the home side to two penalties. Ngana Lu'au dotted down for a third try to ensure MAGS' place in the semifinals.

The win continued a strong rally by MAGS who lost to KBHS (14-0) and St Peter's (22-12) in the first and third rounds and AGS (22-0) in round eight.

AGS sealed a home semifinal with their hard-fought 18-17 home win over defending champions De La Salle.

Making the most of playing against 14-man De La Salle after a player was sin binned, AGS took a handy 10-0 halftime lead with Kurt Eklund scoring a try and Scott Bracey kicking a conversion and a penalty.

AGS continue to hold the lead with the visitors only closing the gap when they crossed for a try from the last move of the game.

KBHS rounded off their semifinal preparation with a 34-6 home win over Tamaki College.

The hosts stormed home for their ninth win of the season on the back of a strong second half after they had turned 6-6. Lolagi Visinia scored two tries. Solomona Paraki-Uitime and Ivan Penehe also crossed to ensure a bonus point.

In the 1B championship semifinals Onehunga will be at home to Macleans and Otahuhu make the short trip to play Papatoetoe.

The 1A and 1B finals will be played at Eden Park on August 22.

LACROSSE

A goal in the dying seconds was enough to get champions Avondale College home 4-3 in a thrilling division one final against Whangaparaoa College at the Auckland SS championships at the Avondale Racecourse on Friday.

The top two teams from the season-long competition won through to the final with convincing semifinal victories.

Avondale beat Diocesan and Whangaparaoa beat EGGS to set up the much-anticipated final.

Whangaparaoa began strongly and stunned their fancied opponents by taking a 3-0 lead before the defending champions fought back to level at 3-3 and then, with time almost up, clinching the narrowest of victories.

It was even closer in the division two final with Avondale's second team taken to extra time by Pinehurst before getting home with a golden goal.

NETBALL

Stung by their loss to EGGS in last year's final after dominating the premier round-robin competition, MAGS showed they are well-prepared to bounce back with an outstanding effort at last week's Combined Points tournament at the Auckland Netball Centre.

The premier team, led by Darrell Leota, scored encouraging wins over close rivals EGGS (14-8 in the semifinals) and AGGS (21-11 in the final) to claim the title.

Their year 9 team also went through unbeaten but were hard-pressed in their last two games as they beat EGGS 10-7 (semifinals) and visiting Cambridge High 11-9 (final).

The school's only loss came in the year 10 final when they went down 15-12 to Baradene after beating AGGS 17-14 in the semifinals.

MAGS won the overall combined points trophy.

Attention is now focused on the last two rounds of the premier and senior A championships.

The penultimate premier round, which features AGGS against St Cuthbert and EGGS against St Kentigern, will be played tonight with the last round scheduled for Saturday when AGGS will play St Kentigern and EGGS will play MAGS in the keenly-anticipated match-up.

The top two teams will progress to the winner-take-all grand final a week later.

RUGBY

NORTH HARBOUR

It was a case of too little, too late for defending champions Westlake BHS who beat front-runners Massey in the penultimate round of the 1A championship.

The 13-10 loss cost Massey the lead going into Saturday's last round as Rosmini overcame a difficult test to beat Orewa 34-7 picking up a bonus point in the process.

The top two teams are set to meet in the August 21 final at North Harbour Stadium with only bragging rights now at stake for the top team after round-robin play.

Rosmini lead Massey by a point but have a more difficult assignment this week meeting TGS away while Massey are also away to play Mahurangi.

Saturday's loss to WBHS capped a late run of disappointing results for Massey who had won 10 from 10 in the second term before losing to Rosmini and Westlake.

Level 7-7 at halftime after Sam Quinn had scored a good try for WBHS and Troy Stirling had replied - and kicked the conversion - Westlake got home by winning the second half drop kick duel with Dylan Ferreira and Sam Davidson scoring three-pointers for WBHS while halfback Lester Paipe replied in a like manner for Massey.

Rosmini had to battle long and hard before getting on top of a spirited Orewa XV.

Tries to Rodrigo Costa, James Siaki, Patrick Clarke, Jordan Ripia and Gareth Anscombe - and with Anscombe adding three conversions - proved enough for the home side who successfully defended the Woodhouse Trophy for the 11th successive occasion.

Orewa's points came from a Luke Waterman try and John McCarthy conversion.

TGS led Rangitoto 22-3 at halftime and cruised home to win 41-3 with flanker Tahu Whatuira scoring two of their seven tries.

Mahurangi shut Northcote out 31-0 with flanker Conor Lawson and winger Ata Riannaba both dotting down twice.

The 1B championship remains alive as teams chase the last spot in next week's semifinals.

Long Bay, despite losing 21-11 (their second loss of the season) to Hato Petera cannot be toppled from the top of the table but the other positions come under scrutiny on Saturday.

A win for Glenfield over Kingsway at the Silverdale Rugby Club would ensure Glenfield's home advantage in the semifinals.

Third-placed Kristin are also assured of a top-four finish but could be pushed back to fourth if they lose (at home to Long Bay) and Kaipara, away to Hato Petera, win.

Bonus points and differential may yet come into the equation.

SOCCER

MAGS could equal a long-standing record if results go their way in A1 matches on Saturday.

Chasing a sixth straight title, MAGS, away to St Peters at Waikaraka Park, can claim the title if they win and second-placed AGS fail to take maximum points in their difficult away assignment at WBHS.

The top three teams kept their hopes alive in 12th round action with MAGS winning 4-1 at Kings, AGS beating struggling Macleans 5-0 and WBHS overcoming Sacred Heart 4-1.

St Peters, with goals from Rory Kelly, Hugo Wulf and captain Ethan Galbraith, beat Rangitoto 3-0 with strong defensive efforts from Daniel Diaz and Andrew Twort.

MAGS won the first five senior championships, from 1927, and went one better winning six in a row from 1934 (sharing the 1933 title with AGS) to set a record which still stands.

The Kevin Fallon-coached team will have to do it the hard way however, as Fallon will not be allowed to take any role with the team for the remainder of the season including the national premier tournament in Nelson later this month.

A meeting of the Auckland SS Heads Association on Friday upheld the decision of ASB College Sport chief executive Manoj Daji to ban Fallon for the rest of the season following an incident involving referee Alan Marriott at a game last month.

"We can't stop people going to a game but he will not be able to coach the team," said ASSHA chairman Byron Bentley yesterday. "We have to look after officials, right or wrong, and support them."

MAGS headmaster Dale Burden, yet to be informed officially of the decision, said the school was unlikely to appeal to a commissioner.

"I didn't know what to expect when it went to appeal last week," said Burden. "But we have to accept their decision. You can't get a group of people with more integrity than a body of secondary school principals."

Of suggestions Fallon's future at the school might be under scrutiny, Burden dismissed that by saying Fallon is employed to coach the school's year 9 and year 10 academies with coaching the first X1 a byproduct of that.

Burden was not dwelling on the issue, preferring to look ahead to this weekend's on-field action as his school attempts to repeat their effort of two years ago when they won the top rugby, netball and soccer championships in an unprecedented clean sweep of the major winter codes.

SQUASH

Auckland Grammar's domination of the local championship continued until the last round of the season even if their top team had a hollow win - by default - as they successfully defended their title.

In beating St Kentigern 8-7, the AGS No 2 team clinched second place with St Kentigern third.

AGS now head to this week's national championships in Palmerston North where they will attempt to defend their title even if they have only been handed the second seeding.

EGGS, beaten by St Cuthberts for the girl's premier title, are third seeds for the national tournament.

* www.asbcollegesport.co.nz