Whanganui Metro takes the lead in Manawatu colts division rugby competition

Desmond Tyrell's boot made all the difference in Metro's 6-0 win over Massey White in Palmerston North last Friday.

St Johns Club Whanganui Metro have one hand on the Evans Cup as the Friday night competition of the Manawatu Colts division championship winds down to a close.

Metro tops the table ahead of old nemesis Massey White after beating them 6-0 last Friday night.

Manawatu's colts club rugby competition took on a new look this season to include matches on Friday nights in the hope of reinvigorating the grade.

The outcome of a review, which involved much consultation with the players themselves, was the Friday night concept as a lead-in to the Saturday championship round for the Gordon Brown Memorial Trophy.

There is one match left to play in the Friday competition this Friday, when Metro take on College Old Boys, who have yet to win a game.

The defeat of Massey White last week was significant given the university side is unbeaten in the Colts championship since its inception. Metro finished a close second last year and third the year before in its debut season.

Metro co-coach Darryl Malcolm, who prepares the side alongside Carl Gibson, said last week's game was hard-fought, with no tries scored and kicks deciding the contest.

"We had a near full strength side and we needed to," Malcolm said. "We started well, playing mostly in Massey White territory, with young Desmond Tyrell producing the only points with a long range penalty in the first half."

Malcolm said charging runs from David Mariner and Caius Weber, and captain Hamish Broadhead's accurate lineout throws were worthy of mention.

"As expected, Massey came out firing in the second spell, but couldn't break through our much-prided defence."

Play was directed to the backline, with winger Adain Hunter carving off crucial metres. Midway through the second spell, Tyrell again scored from a penalty to win the game.

"We produced defence that any coach would be proud of and finished the game hard on defence, with a terrific turnover from Mairangi Tamahana ending a pulsating game," Malcolm said.

Meanwhile, the annual traditional rugby clash between Wanganui Collegiate and Te Aute in Whanganui on Saturday finished 20 minutes early after one of the visiting players took a knock to the head.

Collegiate director of sport Barry Touzel said the player recovered and escaped serious injury, but the damage had already been done on the field.

"We were 52-0 up at the time, so nothing more to achieve in the game," Touzel said.

The match also marked the start of the Central North Island Secondary Schools competition.