First XV competition semi-finals this Saturday

www.collegerugby.co.nz | 10 August 2017 | Adam Julian & Steven White

Above: Both Wellington College and St Pat's Town are challenging for away victories in Saturday's WelTec Premiership semi-finals. Photo by Andy McArthur.

The WelTec First XV Premiership enters the finals stage this Saturday and the four combatants are familiar and fierce rivals.

In Strathmore, Scots College hosts Wellington College while in Upper Hutt the two St. Patrick’s College’s clash for the second time in a month.

Silverstream have been the pacesetters all season, but pole position has been a poisoned chalice in the recent past with only Wellington College in 2016 winning the championship from first place in the last seven years.

Silverstream beat St. Pats Town 42-5 in their round-robin clash. Town was probably better than that scoreline suggested, but lapses in concentration were punished ruthlessly by the prolific scoring Stream.

Where can Town target Silverstream? Silverstream’s lineout has been fragile on occasions this season as has the distribution from halfback. If Town can slow the game down and get busy and brutal in the forwards they might unsettle Silverstream.

Town’s forwards are their strength. Loosies Xavier English and Keelan Whiteman have had strong seasons and both props hold their own in the scrum and carry effectively.

However Silverstream has more balance across the park and should expect and be able to counter disruptive tactics. Luke Mannix is back at prop and adds energy. Luke Chisholm has impressed on the opposite side of the scrum, restricting the minutes of skipper Stanley Paese.

The Silverstream back row is powerful and mobile and the chain of Harrison Boyle, Kienan Higgins and Albert Polu which runs from 10-13 is more experienced and creative than the visitors. It would be a massive surprise if Silverstream lost.

Heading into Saturday’s top four fixture, Silverstream have won nine from nine and have scored 550 points and conceded 50, while St Pat’s Town have won six from nine and have scored 375 points and let in 198.

Separating Scots and Wellington appears to be a much tougher task. Their last meeting in June was won 14-13 in a quagmire by Scots. Both sides scored two tries each, but Wellington missed four shots at goal which proved costly.

Scots will take heart from their second-half revival against Silverstream. Down 35-8 at the interval, Scots pegged the final margin back to 35-22. Scots prefer to play expansively and in Malo Manuao, Tai Neli and Jack Gray have the ammunition out wide to open up any defence.

Scots forwards are honest, but Wellington won’t be overawed. Prop Moala Katoa and flanker Tommy Prescott need back games to restrain a Wellington side that should look to play territory and dominate through their lineout.

Locks Taine Plumtree and Naitoa Ah Kuoi were starters for the Hurricanes Under-18’s and caused hassles in their previous encounter with Scots.

Wellington first-five Oliver Paotonu needs to play with authority and precision and if he can do that, Wellington’s forwards maybe able to stifle Scots. This will be a mighty battle. Scots are favourites, especially if things open up, but Wellington will be smarting from June. They should have won last time, but blew it.

Scots College have won eight from nine round-robin games going into this playoff, scoring 384 points and conceding 122. Wellington College have won seven and lost two, scoring 302 points and letting in 97.

Home ground advantage could prove the difference. Both Silverstream and Scots have won all four of their competition matches at home this year, Silverstream by a combined score of 285-23 and have let in just three tries at home.

However, both of Saturday’s host semi-finalists tripped up last year when they hosted knockout matches. In quarter-finals last season, third placed qualifier from the round-robin Scots College lost to sixth placed finished Wairarapa College 3-7 and fourth placed Silverstream were beaten 13-20 by fifth placed Rongotai College.

Wellington College are the defending champions, having beaten St Pat’s Town 12-9 in last year’s WelTec Premiership final.

Unfortunately, 23 out of 45 matches have been decided by 25 points or more in this season’s competition. The vast number of lopsided matches is a concern that isn’t easily addressed but needs to be.

In another match on Saturday, Rongotai College hosts Kapiti College at 1.00pm in a fifth versus sixth encounter.