Wanganui classy in eight-try romp

JUST CAUGHT: Karihi Potaka-Osborne covered fullback for Wanganui Metro and like his teammates, just could not get away from the Old Boys Marist Dolphins. PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

THE Wanganui High School 1st XV have moved to the top of the table in the Manawatu Colts competition after extending their unbeaten streak with a 48-10 dismissal of Old Boys Marist Fitzherbert Rowe on Saturday.

Playing in heavy, wet conditions at Ongley Park in Palmerston North, WHS scored eight tries and converted four of them to take their fifth win on the trot as the 11-team Colts competition approaches the halfway point of the round robin stage.

On a horrible Saturday for rugby, whoever could handle the wet would prevail and unfortunately for frontrunners St John's Club Wanganui Metro, it was the aptly named Dolphins of the Old Boys Marist club who prospered at City College.

The Dolphins, coming into the game with a 2-3 record, scored two quick tries in the first quarter and - painfully for Metro - barged their way over for tries right on both the halftime and fulltime whistles for a 22-10 victory, knocking their opponents off the top of the table.

Rainfall intensified throughout the match with the Dolphins holding on to a 17-5 lead, as Metro would often beat first-up tackles, but then the bar of soap which was the ball would slip from the hand or be thrown away with risky passes in contact.

They switched to more grinding tactics - keeping the ball in tight around the ruck - during the second half, but the Dolphins' defence was up to the task right until the final 10 minutes when both teams scored in the far corners and Metro were at least denied their bonus point.

"We got a lesson in wet weather rugby and handling let us down," said Metro coach Carl Gibson. "Just pushing passes early so that was the call at halftime - not push passes and carry better."

The Dolphins' back three showed good composure, securing three of their team's four tries by handling the key passes when they counted.

For Metro, flanker Corbin Warren was very busy although he did suffer referee Noah Viliamu's ire when coming through the ruck, while tryscoring hooker Harry Black and prop Keanu Puki-Kaa refused to quit.

Halfback Riley Culver did his best while unfortunately, star fullback Te Rangatira Waitokia could only come on at halftime, as Metro were trying to protect his niggling injury.

The home side scored first shortly after the forwards pushed the Dolphins off their scrum ball to win the feed, with the ball spread wide for Black to force his way over.

However, mistakes and penalties by Metro in their own half let the Dolphins strike back immediately with two tries to the outside backs, creating overlaps in the far college building corner for 10-5.

They went on to bag another try in the opposite corner from a backline spread right on halftime, with the near sideline conversion hurting for 17-5.

The scores would be locked there as the rain stayed heavy in the second half, with Metro twice grinding their way to the line, only to lose the ball or play it off their feet for penalties in the face of solid defence.

The Dolphins finally cracked with five minutes to go as Metro reserve winger Owen Clay swept up a loose pass and dove over in the corner for 17-10. But with the rain finally stopping, Dolphins showed composure and worked their way to Metro's far corner, where after more than 10 phases right on the chalk, they finally snuck across to grab a bonus-point try.