Southland Boys' High come up just short in a first XV thriller
Played in wet conditions both teams threw plenty at each other in a game that was decided by the last act of the day.
Southland Boys’ High School has come up just short in its thrilling first XV rugby showdown with Otago Boys’ High School in Invercargill on Wednesday.
Played in wet conditions both teams threw plenty at each other in a game that was decided by the last act of the day. Otago Boys’ took out the contest 21-19.
Southland Boys’ started best when second-five-eighth Jerome Buckley-Fa’atoia produced a nice slicing run to score to put his team 7-0 up.
With the home team dominating at scrum time, it initially looked like it could have been a tough day in store for Otago Boys’ - but, boy did the momentum swing.
Otago Boys’ got itself some field position and hammered away at the Southland Boys’ line to score from close range after about 15min.
It then scored a similar try on the stroke of halftime to go up 14-7 at the break.
When it scored a third straight try in the second half Otago Boys’ went up 21-7 and for a moment Southland Boys’ looked a little rattled.
Although for much of the final quarter Southland Boys’ mounted wave after wave of attack, and to credit Otago Boys’ credit they absorbed a lot of it close to their own line.
However, hooker Hoani Nikora-Wilson eventually scored from a lineout drive and first five-eighth Mika Muliaina landed the conversion from out wide to close the scoreline to 21-14.
Southland Boys’ then found itself back on the attack with time almost up in its attempt to score to level it up.
It then produced one of the more impressive attacking movements of the day which led to replacement outside back Cody Stevens scoring.
With the score at 21-19, it left first five-eighth Mika Muliaina with the last act of the day in an attempt to lock in a 21-21 draw with the conversion.
Unfortunately for the home team, and much to the delight of the visitors, he hooked it.
It was cruel given Muliaina’s boot, particularly through his general kicking game, actually kept Southland Boys in the contest for large periods.
The first XV rugby team’s 21-19 win capped off Otago Boys’ 5-0 interschool clean sweep of Southland Boys.
Otago Boys’ also won the first V basketball showdown 90-72, the first XI hockey 2-1, and U15 hockey 6-1, as well as the football 3-1.
