The moment a Year 11 pupil will never forget
With first-choice goal-kicker Mika Muliaina having to leave the field with a knee injury it was over to Year 11 Jimmy Taylor to kick a sideline conversion to put Southland Boys’ in front.
Jimmy Taylor will do well finding another euphoric sporting moment than what played out on Saturday afternoon.
The Year 11 pupil - or fifth former for the older vintage - was handed the ball with the Southland Boys’ High School first XV trailing Christchurch Boys’ High School first XV 28-27.
There was less than 10 minutes to play, and the stakes were pretty high. A South Island title was up for grabs, as well as a trip to the national top-four finals.
The Les George Oval was packed - there’s arguably never been a bigger crowd at the venue for a game of rugby.
It was probably an unfair situation for such a young kid to be put in. But the young winger showed no signs that he wasn’t enjoying the moment.
With first-choice goal-kicker Mika Muliaina having to leave the field with a knee injury it was over to Year 11 Taylor to kick a sideline conversion to put Southland Boys’ in front.
The younger brother of Stags hooker Jack Taylor calmly lined up the kick, struck it perfectly before turning to the vocal Southland Boys’ supporters with a fist pump in a moment of pure emotion.
It put Southland Boys’ 29-28 up and left them with minutes to lock down the game and the win.
They did just that as Southland Boys’ claimed a South Island title and set up a date with the top school from the Hurricanes region in a national semifinal.
While the calmness of an obviously confident Taylor was a talking point after the game, there were heroes right across the park in a Southland Boys’ High School team that shows equal part grit and skill.
Replacement wing Cody Stevens was the man to score out wide to set up Taylor’s sideline conversion attempt.
Stevens also had a sporting weekend he will never forget. The night before that match-winning try, Stevens racked up 50 points playing in the Southland secondary schools’ basketball final.
During the first half it was wing Kiseki Fifita who did the damage for Southland Boys’ scoring three tries in quick succession as Christchurch Boys’ struggled to contain him.
Fifita’s performance was vital.
SBHS openside flanker and captain Gregor Rutledge simply reaffirmed his status as a hard-working nonsense player with a bright future.
The son of Stags legend Jason Rutledge, and grandson of former All Black Leicester Rutledge, got through plenty of work.
He was particularly strong carrying the ball late in the game to help get Southland Boys’ on the front foot.
To be fair, it’s probably unfair to leave any player without a mention given what unfolded on Saturday.
Some will go on to much bigger things in rugby, many others won’t.
But whatever unfolds from here, Saturday is an occasion the 2023 Southland Boys’ High School first XV can forever look back on fondly as South Island champions.
Southland was also well represented in the South Island girls’ final on Saturday in Christchurch, although unfortunately, Southland Girls’ High School couldn’t get the job done.
Southland Girls’ was beaten 27-12 by Christchurch Girls’ High School.