Wanganui within whisker of title

The Wanganui High School mixed touch rugby team was: back, Kalib Houltham (left), Sam Malcolm, Jesse Taupa'u Rogan, Harerangi Meihana, Vilimoni Koroi, Mitchell Miller, Karihi Potaka Osborne Whanarere and Blair Osborne. Front, Taniko Tamehana (left), Roimata Blackburn, Tanisha Houltham, De-Ann Tyrell, Ruhia Tamati and Jordi Kotuhi Brown.

The Wanganui High School touch rugby team exceeded expectations when coming within a whisker of taking the National Secondary Schools title in Auckland at the weekend.

Coach and former New Zealand touch captain Sean Brown said his side had gone into the tournament at Bruce Pulman Park in Takanini aiming for a top four spot, so were ecstatic to come away with second place after going down by one point to home town hope Alfriston College in the final on Sunday.

"Alfriston beat us 8-7 after a real see-saw match. We were 7-all until the final minutes of the match when Alfriston scored again," Brown said yesterday.

"A few calls didn't go our way, but hey ..."

The tournament was held over three days and WHS went through day one unbeaten, although first-day jitters held them to a 5-5 draw with Massey. WHS then began to gain confidence after claiming the scalps of St Andrews from Christchurch 6-2 and Morrinsville 8-5.

On day two, WHS met Alfriston for the first time with the wet conditions affecting WHS' running game, the scoreline 5-3 to the home side.

The River City guys and girls bounced back to dish out 9-5 and 7-1 wins over Mangere and pre-post favourites Lincoln High School respectively.

"By this time the New Zealand selectors were starting to take notice and our last game of day two against Te Awamutu which we won 8-4, the selectors were saying it was the match of the tournament," Brown said.

"There were 20 teams at the tournament and we were happy if we finished in the top four, but to beat Opotiki 8-5 in the semifinal on Sunday and make the final against Alfriston was brilliant. We were elated to finish so close, although it was tinged with a bit of disappointment not to have put them away too - it was tit for tat all the way through.

"When we arrived, I'm sure many of these big name schools didn't worry much about us, but we sure opened their eyes and there was massive applause from spectators as we began to beat stronger sides on paper. The beauty of it is that we'll probably only lose two players when they leave school next year. Most of our side are younger Year 11 students who will play for us over the next two or three years."

Brown said while the team did not claim outright tournament victory, the selectors named four of the WHS side in the national secondary school squad.

WHS co-captains Sam Malcolm and Tanisha Houltham (who will both leave school next year), Roimata Blackburn and Vilimoni Koroi gained national recognition.

Brown, who played in three World Cups for New Zealand, including 2007 when the Kiwis won in South Africa, was also a youth national representative and captain of the national open team in 2011.

He also gave credit to his assistant coach Danny Tamehana for helping the side.