Rugby: Collegiate fire before key game

Joe Edwards (with ball) scored two tries against Cullinane on Tuesday and Collegiate will hope he is in similar form next week when they seek to avenge last year's defeat by Wanganui High School. Photo/File

Wanganui Collegiate School's dominant 58-8 win over Cullinane College at Cooks Gardens on Tuesday night highlighted the huge gap between two contrasting rugby competitions.

Cullinane are mid-table in the Manawatu division two competition, while Collegiate are fifth of eight in the far stronger Central North Island Secondary Schools league.

Collegiate used speed and skill to demolish a brave Cullinane in cool, frosty conditions on Tuesday, producing a scoreline in stark contrast to recent matches that have ended in single-digit scores.

Collegiate coach Denis Edwards said while his 1st XV were a tad rusty at times after the school-holiday break, he was pleased with the overall performance.

"I think we were just a little too fast for Cullinane and that probably shows the difference between the competitions each school is playing in this season," Edwards said yesterday.

"We deliberately sped the game up in the second spell and Cullinane couldn't cope - I think we scored about 28 points in the second half. But I will say Cullinane never gave up and several of their players showed a bit of class at times."

Edwards picked out Hurricanes development-squad players Brett Cameron (Cullinane 1st five eighth) and Te Atuarere Albert and Joe Edwards, Nick Cave, Charlie McCartin from Collegiate for special mention.

"These Hurricanes guys played very well and in particular Brett Cameron. He had an excellent game, I thought, but unfortunately didn't have the support around him on the day. Our Hurricanes guys also played very well and Joe, Nick and Charlie scored two tries each."

The dominance allowed Edwards to blood players.

"It was an ideal game to give some of our younger guys a run and they all performed well. Some of these guys are still Year 11, so have another three years at school. Overall, I was happy with the way the team executed many of the moves we have practised. They applied the processes we've been through and came out on top," Edwards said.

Meanwhile, Cullinane coach Hayden Hepburn conceded his team were "outgunned" by a superior side.

"We were pretty much outgunned in a lot of areas," Hepburn said.

"We have a relatively young side, with five Year-10 players, and the positive aspect for them was that they were exposed to a much higher level of rugby and they can learn from that. We only have 46 boys at the school that play rugby so it's a very limited pool to select from. But in saying that, they never gave up."

Collegiate play St Peter's School from Cambridge in the Central North Island competition this weekend, then next Wednesday will attempt to avenge last year's defeat by Wanganui High School. That game will decide which team represents the city in the Co-ed Cup. The game is at Wanganui High School, with a 2pm kick-off.