Wanganui Collegiate 1st XV is now right in the hunt for top honours in the Central North Island 1st XV rugby competition after backing up from the weekend to crush Feilding High 24-10 in Feilding yesterday.
The victory, hard on the heels of a 23-19 upset against St Peter's Schoolfrom Cambridge on Saturday, gained Collegiate a bonus point after scoring four tries. That win made it eight from 10 matches during term two, and six on the trot.
Coach Guy Lennox had nothing but admiration for a young side that had played just three home games of the 10 in term two and many of the matches coincided with other rugby commitments meaning the team had been forced to play Wednesdays and Saturdays in the same week.
"That was a gutsy effort to back up from St Peter's on Saturday and with the bonus point today it puts right in the Central North Island competition up to our boots," Lennox said yesterday.
"It was a hard slog on a sodden ground with a strong breeze blowing. we were 12-0 up at half time and then managed to score two more tries into the breeze in the second spell.
"Our forwards dominated completely. We came into this competition as underdogs and now we've won 80 per cent of our games, including against the likes of St Peter's and Feilding who are very strong sides traditionally."
Tries were scored by Joe Edwards, Steve Perofeta, Cam Neilson and and Nick cave, while Perofeta kicked two conversions.
The Collegiate lads have now earned their trips to Australian next week where they are scheduled to play three matches over two weeks.
