Sevens: Whanganui Collegiate named for Sir Gordon Tietjens tournament

Ben Strang

The first Whanganui Collegiate rugby team for 2019 has been chosen as they enter the Sir Gordon Tietjens Sevens this weekend at Palmerston North's Central Energy Trust Arena.

Hosted by Palmerston North Boys' High, this is the sixth edition of the school sevens tournament, which has grown from 23 teams to close to 40.

The divisions are Open Boys, Open Girls, Under 15 Boys and Intermediate Mixed.

The tournament also acts as the Condors Sevens qualifier for the Manawatu and Horowhenua Kapiti regions, although schools from Northland, Taranaki, Gisborne and even Motueka in the Tasman region are attending.

Collegiate's tournament starts at 12pm on Saturday against hosts PNBHS.

At 1.40pm they face Hato Paora, followed by Northland College at 3.40pm, then rounding out the day against Manukura at 5.40pm.

Collegiate's last pool match will be on Sunday morning against Feilding High at 9.30am, which will be livestreamed on the tournament's Facebook page.

If they qualify for the Top 4, the semifinals will be held at 10.50am, with the playoff for third at 12.50pm and the championship game at 1.50pm.

Collegiate will be coached by Steve Simpson, with Te Atawhai Mason named captain.

The Collegiate team is
1. Ben Strang; 2. Jack Gay; 3. Tawhiwhi Karaitiana; 4. Semi Vodosese; 5. Max Crowley; 6. Te Atawhai Mason (c); 7. Dillon Adrole; 8. Logan Henry; 9. Sione Osamu; 10. Kenny Flintoff; 11. Mason Park; 12. Ben Sherratt.
Coach: Steve Simpson; Assistant coach: Matt Griffiths; Manager: Tom Dryden.

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Meanwhile, local adult sevens specialists Ngamatapouri won the Shannon invitational sevens tournament on Sunday.

Reinforced by a couple of guest players from other Whanganui clubs, Ngamatapouri beat Martinborough 24-5, Levin's College Old Boys 36-0, and home team Shannon 36-12 in pool play.

They played Rahui, the second qualifier from Pool B, in the semifinal and won 14-12, before facing Palmerston North's College Old Boys in the final, after they defeated Shannon 31-12.

Ngamatapouri picked up a 17-12 win to lift the title.