St Pat’s Silverstream win well, Porirua College retain Beard Trophy

St Pat’s Silverstream and Porirua College both enjoyed good wins at home this after in two First XV clashes in the Wellington region this afternoon.

Silverstream beat Super 8 side Palmerston North Boys’ High School 71-0 and Porirua College toppled Mana College 41-5. 

Elsewhere, Tawa College beat Naenae College 52-22. 

St Pat’s Silverstream (71) v Palmerston North Boys’ High School (0)

St. Pats Silverstream are on course to achieve a rare “Grand Slam” of traditional victories after winning the fourth of their six annual matches by a record 71-0 over Palmerston North Boys’ High School this afternoon. Silverstream’s win more than doubled their previous biggest win in the fixture which was 30-3 in 1985, a year Silverstream won all six games and coach Tim Mannix was in the team.

The first 15 minutes was entirely forgettable with both teams lacking cohesion. Gradually the hosts forwards gained the ascendancy and the floodgates soon opened. Silverstream led 21-0 at halftime and scored 11 tries in the romp. Wing Chris Aumua opened Silverstream’s account when he looped around a scrum and dashed 40-metres. Fullback Todd Svenson and rampant openside Josh Southall completed the first-half scoring.

The second-half was akin to a training run for Silverstream. Palmerston North struggled to attain the ball and when they did it was invariably on the backfoot. Silverstream’s tries in the second spell were scored by Aumua, Southall, Harrison Boyle (2), Te Tana Wright, Iona Apineru, Riley Forbes and Teagan Harawira. Boyle and Forbes each kicked four conversions.

There were several highlights for Silverstream. Apineru’s try where he busted four tackles and stormed 30-meters was an outstanding individual effort. Wright gassed his marker to complete a sweeping team movement and Boyle run down a kick after Silverstream broke out from their 22.

Silverstream are on a serious roll. They have won their last eight games and scored 500 points while only conceding 32. Silverstream have won three of their four traditional games by a record score. By contrast Palmerston North have suffered three record defeats this season. They were beaten 100-0 by Hastings BHS and 76-7 by Hamilton BHS.

It was a fine all-round day for Silverstream. The Second XV won 48-21 while Silverstream won both football fixtures as well. The First XI prevailed 2-1 and the Colts 3-1.

Porirua College (41) v Mana College (5)

Porirua College retained the Beard Trophy and won their second round Co-ed Cup fixture with this win over Mana College in front of a vocal group of supporters from both schools.

Porirua College are a WelTec Premiership school and Mana College are in Premier 3, so it was always going to be a tough task for the boys in green.

The home side started off with a hiss and a roar, breaking away to score the game’s first try up the right-hand touchline after the opening exchanges. Porirua flashed in for two more tries and led 17-0. A Fourth try midway through the first half and it was game over as far as Mana’s challenge was concerned. Porirua scored their fifth try just before the interval and led 29-0 at the turnaround.

The second half saw a much more even contest, as Mana College contested the breakdowns well and made their one on one tackles, holding Porirua College scoreless for all but the final few minutes of the match. Mana scored first in the second half, their wing racing up and intercepting a pass and racing away to score a popular try to close the gap to 29-5.

Mana continued to put pressure on Porirua College and went close to scoring at least twice more.Porirua only scored again five minutes before the end when hard running No. 8 Jamie Soapi made a big break from a scrum on his own side of halfway and set up a try to left wing Mau Tealei. First five-eighth and captain Eli Moata’a danced through to set up the last try of the game on fulltime.

Porirua’s tries were scored my openside flanker Miti Miti (2 tries) and blindside flanker Zekiel Ioane, second five-eighth Junior Time Taotua, left wing Mau Tealei and replacements Ethan Moafanua and Ontreal Arai Panapa.

Porirua College’s next big match is next Wedesday when they host Tawa College for the Beard Trophy and in round six of the WelTec Premiership.