Southland Boys' retain historic Moascar Cup
The Cup dates back to the end of World War I, when British, New Zealand and Australian soldiers camped at Moascar in Ismaila, Egypt and formed the Ismaila Rugby Union as they waited for ships.
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Southland Boys’ High School has notched up its first successful defence of the Moascar Cup with a 17-13 victory over Kings’ High School from Dunedin on Wednesday.
The Moascar Cup is the oldest and most prestigious nationwide trophy in First XV rugby in New Zealand.
Southland Boys’ claimed it last year when it won the Top 4 national schools title.
The Cup dates back to the end of World War One, when British, New Zealand and Australian soldiers camped at Moascar in Ismaila, Egypt and formed the Ismaila Rugby Union as they waited for ships to take them home.
They then organised a cup, which they mounted on a piece of wooden propeller from a shot down German aircraft.
Over 100 years on from the end of the war it is still played for.
The holders of Moascar Cup at the start of any calendar year have to schedule a minimum of seven challenge matches for that year. All home games must be Moascar Cup challenges.
Ther prized trophy was up for grabs when Kings visited on Wednesday for the traditional interschool fixture and the Dunedin school mounted a strong challenge.
It made all the play early in the game and was eventually rewarded with a penalty to go up 3-0.
After doing plenty of defending Southland Boys’ High School did score the first try through centre Crenshaw Conroy. First five-eighth Mika Muliaina landed the extras to make it 7-3.
However, Kings then regained the lead with a try of their own to go up 10-7 before a late Muliana penalty evened up the scores at 10-10 at halftime.
The second half developed into an arm-wrestle with both teams throwing plenty at the opposition with both defensive outfits generally holding up well.
Kings kicked up a penalty to go up 13-10 before replacement hooker Luka Salesa scored from close range for Southland Boys’ and Muliaina converted.
The visitors launched wave after wave of attack late in the game, but the Southland Boys’ defence worked hard to hold on to the 17-13 win and the Moascar Cup.
Prop Thomas Jennings got through plenty of work for Southland Boys’ while his frontrow partner Salesa also stepped up after first choice hooker Jake Evans left the field in the first half with an ankle injury.