Collegiate brave in defeat

Fullback Cody Hemi's (pictured) conversion and Beau Hourigan's try were Wanganui Collegiate's only points in a determined effort against New Plymouth Boys High School. Photo/ Stuart Munro

A solid display up front kept the Wanganui Collegiate 1st XV in the hunt against New Plymouth Boys High School on Tuesday before the home side pulled away to win 39-7.

Playing the Gully Ground in New Plymouth, NPBHS capitalised on two Collegiate errors to run in two first half tries but a Beau Hourigan try and Cody Hemi conversion kept the visitors in touch and down just 12-7 at the break.

Collegiate Director of Sport Barry Touzel said it was good effort from a Collegiate side who were missing five regular players and up against a strong NPBHS side.

"It was not too bad," he said. "Just in the last 15 minutes they blew it out."

The match came just six days after Collegiate's opening match of the season when they beat Hato Paora 52-0 in Whanganui.

Touzel was pleased with Collegiate's defensive work against bigger opposition and said the set piece - barring the line-out - was fantastic.

"For most of the first half they had the majority of the ball but we defended really well," Touzel said.

"But then [NPBHS] bring on the bench and they replace big with bigger. Physically it was always going to be testing for our guys. They just wore us down. We realise that was always going to happen."

Touzel hoped Tuesday's effort against one of the stronger sides in the country boded well for the season.

Collegiate's next outing is against St Peter's Cambridge in the first Central North Island 1st XV competition match next week.

Meanwhile, Collegiate's hockey side went down 7-0 to NPBHS. Touzel said Collegiate had a "very talented" but young side and the match would have been good experience for them.

The 1st XI football side went down 8-1 in what Touzel said was a tough ask for the visitors.

"New Plymouth is a very good soccer side. They were superb."