Silverstream hold off St Pat?s Town to qualify top for college playoffs

St Pat's Silverstream have beaten St Pat's Town 20-18 to qualify top for the Wellington First XV Premier playoffs this weekend.

Silverstream held off a tenacious St Pat's Town, surviving a late scare with livewire St Pat's Town halfback and goal kicker Zac Donaldson missing an ambitious penalty attempt from halfway with the final play of the match.

Top qualifiers Silverstream and second placed Scots College both now have this Saturday's opening round of Premier 1 playoff matches off, while St Pat's Town, already guaranteed third before this match, play sixth placed St Bernard's College

Silverstream, who dominated the set-piece exchanges, particularly at lineout time, but for the most part failed to capitalise on a glut of possession, won the match midway through the second half when they broke through from close range after stealing a St Pat's Town defensive lineout.

The try had come after their captain and flanker Jack McCormack instigated a telling break that very nearly led to a try in the corner to wing Jarrod Rampage Adams. St Pat's Town right wing Daniel Buttar made an excellent cover tackle, but his forwards couldn't secure the ball and McCormack followed up his previous run by charging at the line and setting up a try under the posts through the midfield.

First five-eighth Nick Mannix's conversion put them ahead 17-11 at that point.

Another raid up-field led to a penalty and Mannix extended their lead to 20-11.

But St Pat's Town refused to lie down, coming back at Silverstream with a concerted period of play at the other end and hardworking No.8 Hannan Brighouse crashing over and halfback Donaldson converting from out wide in a tricky wind.

Both teams fought hard to the end, and despite a yellow card to a back on each side, neither could crack the other's defences again.

The first half had been a stop-start affair, dominated by St Pat's Town's set-piece woes and some crashing hits from Silverstream's bigger forwards.

Both sides kicked penalties and it was 3-3 after 20 minutes.

Silverstream were guilty of being too predictable with their forward-focused short side attacks, but they finally broke through when power-prop Joel Hintz took a quick tap penalty and darted at the line. He came up short, but from the next ruck converted prop turned No. 8 Joe Apikotoa crashed through.

?Mannix nailed the conversion to put Silverstream ahead 10-3.

But, out of nothing, St Pat's Town right wing Danial Buttar kicked through what appeared to be an innocuous kick and chase that caught Silverstream's cover defence napping and he re-gathered possession and scored in the corner to make it 10-8 at halftime.

St Pat's Town briefly hit the lead after the break, early Silverstream mistakes leading to two Donaldson penalties and he kicked the second of these to make it 11-10.

But Silverstream's McCormack made a sensational captain's run up into open territory, Silverstream preyed on their opponents' lineout and they came up with proved to be the winning play.

While Silverstream and Scots College have this Saturday off, Premier 1 rugby resumes for other teams on Saturday with the first weekend of championship play.

The three matches see third placed St Pat's Town hosting St Bernard's College, fourth placed Wellington College hosting fifth placed Hutt International Boys' School and seventh placed Rongotai and eighth placed Naenae College meeting.

The Wellington College - HIBS encounter is a replay of their round-robin game that HIBS won 6-5 back in the opening weekend of the competition.?

St Bernard's and Rongotai both finished the round-robin on nine points, with two wins and five losses each, but St Bernard's have qualified one spot higher by virtue of their 10-8 victory, also in the opening round at the end of May.

The teams then progress to the Premier 1 Plate and Championship semi-finals next weekend, ahead of the grand final on Sunday 10 August.

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