Ellis said they needed to be accurate and execute, but knew Yellows, who beat Old Boys-Marist 25-7 last week, would have a point to prove as well. He said it was the first derby game, but he knew they would meet again in the second round later in the season too. “I’ve been in this situation before too, so we’ve got to keep out feet on the ground. It’s a long season and we’re still building and trying to figure out combinations.” He said they were heading in the right direction, but had to play for 80 minutes, not 60, as they did in their 21-17 win over Kia Toa last week.
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.