If the Ben Werthmuller and Matene Ruawai road show keeps on trucking, don't rule out Old Boys-Marist from the Hankins Shield semifinals as they set out to run down Te Kawau.
David Unwin/Stuff
College Old Boys hooker Cory Purton, centre, goes up the guts against Te Kawau at the Arena on Thursday night.
RUGBY: When Jubilee Cup winners Feilding soared to 17-0 as if on a training gallop, Varsity coach Scott Lewis might have sent out a mayday call at Johnston Park on Saturday. But after 80 minutes it ended only 27-20 to the Jubilee Cup champions Yellows who also regained the Stuart Freebairn Cup after the students had dominated for long periods even without 12 on the injured list including eight starting players. So come the heart of the second round, if the Varsity wounded can be repaired and they can unearth some attacking flair in the backs, they could re-emerge as threats.
Johnny Galloway passes from the scrum. He had a strong game on his return from injury. They foraged voraciously at breakdowns in the second half even when Varsity commanded most of the ball and ground away with their hefty scrum. Varsity s backline had only wing Korie Winters lively on attack and their defence, badly missing injured midfielder Hamish Northcott, was breached too easily by Turbos Stewart Cruden, James Tofa and Andre Taylor to set up two early tries. COB s only failing was average line kicking. COB coach Bryan Matenga said when he heard there had been a falling out at Feilding, where Taylor had been coaching, he invited him back to his old club, as a player.
He says they have been competitive, now he would like to start getting wins. “I think all of that will come, we’ve just got to be patient and bring these young fellas through with the help of the senior fellas . I do believe with the players in the group they are capable of being a top-four team. “We just need to get everyone on the paddock.” Freys are without a win after five games, but the days of copping big losses every week are long gone. This year they have a senior A squad of about 30 and even with 13 players unavailable for their 35-14 loss to Kia Toa last week, they still have a full team.
There were also yellow cards for Dane Whale (COB), Ben Stephens (COB) and Chase Jordan (Freyberg) for infringing at the breakdown. Freyberg were up for it in parts and put COB under pressure, with standout No 8 Jekope Kitou making big runs up the middle and getting Freys on the front foot. College held the ball for longer periods, taking advantage of any Freyberg mistake, with first five-eighth Stewart Cruden finding gaps. Their scrum was a weapon and won them a penalty try. Loose forwards Jared Goodson, who was a regular lineout target, and Elyjah Crosswell got stuck into everything. Pacey Freyberg wing Varcon King showed a clean pair of heels again and scored two tries, while midfielder Josh Maoate and hard-working openside flanker Michael Halutuituia had strong games.