“We had a goal to get the threepeat this year. We’re excited about it, hopefully not too excited and we don’t lose our composure really. “The last three years we’ve knocked Varsity out in the playoffs. There’s not going to be a team that wants it more. Hopefully that doesn’t trump our threepeat.” He said Feilding had a strong team with good culture. “[Varsity are] a good side and we know it s going to be a nail-biter. We know it’s going to come down to moments and both teams are experienced in those moments. Hopefully it goes our way.”
COB, through their offloading, piled on five more tries to be 36-0 up and a cricket score beckoned in the second spell. One try was a beauty from a restart when Andre Taylor ran from his own line, Johnny Galloway crosskicked and Andrew McDougall scored 100 metres upfield. Instead, Freyberg won the second half 19-5 after they reconfigured their backline and rumbled on the oldest club player in Manawatū, 42-year-old lock Karl Stewart. COB began conceding penalties and injuries hit badly including serious ones to lock Jared Goodson (ribs) and wing Awatere Kiwara (knee).
WARWICK SMITH/Stuff
College Old Boys first five-eighth Stewart Cruden, right, tries to push off Freyberg fullback Beau Hourigan.
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.