WelTec Premiership final on Sunday

Slightly more than a week after playing host to the showcase day of the club season, Porirua Park will again be in the spotlight with the playing of the College Sport Wellington WelTec Premiership final between Scots College and St Patrick’s College, Wellington.
 
While many tipped Scots College to beat Wellington College in one semi-final (which they did by 41-13), few thought that St Pat’s Town would overturn their 15-30 loss in the Traditional to Silverstream from 10 days earlier, but they did with a 23-20 victory.
 
This final is the first for many years not to feature either Wellington College or Silverstream. Town haven’t reached this stage since 2010 when they lost to Silverstream, nor won this title since 1995. Scots are the defending champions having beaten Silverstream 21-18 last year through TJ Va’a’s last minute penalty, en route to claiming a share of the national title in the drawn final with Hamilton Boys High.
 
Scots’ style is to attack from anywhere, even their own in-goal, and that is unlikely to change even with the forecast cold conditions for Sunday. The Umaga-Jensen twins, fullback and captain Peter and midfielder Thomas are central to that, and along with the imposing 140kg figure of ball-playing tighthead prop Alex Fidow are considered amongst the top two-dozen schoolboy players in the country. All three were New Zealand Schools selections last year (though the twins subsequently withdrew for academic reasons) and seem certainties to be so again this year.
 
While Scots have made their name on their expansive play their forward pack, led by Fidow and featuring fellow Year 13’s in hooker Nu’u Haueia, locks Jarimar Schuster and Henry Mexted, ably supported by Year 12 loose forwards Jack Loader and Ezra Dunlop, have set the platform for their backs to operate from and are more than capable of keeping it in tight and creating their own tries. Out wide Scots have real speed in Year 12 winger Connor Garden-Bachop and Year 11 utility Malo Manuao.
 
St Pat’s are likely to play to a more conservative and traditional game-plan. Hannon Brighouse, named at No. 8, had solid performances in both outings against Silverstream and along with openside and captain Jack Nelson-Murray will lead the forward effort in the loose while their tight five, anchored by Xavier Numia and Penieli Poasa with Peteli Poasa and Meinrad Fitisemanu coming off the bench, will look to provide the go-forward up front.
 
Behind them Luke Georgeson and Zac Donaldson, who has only recently returned from a broken ankle suffered in the annual preseason match with Christchurch’s St Bede’s, will direct play from the halves, though usual first-five and vice-captain Paul Bickle will miss out after breaking his collar bone in the semi-final win. Out wide Year 12 fullback Siosaia Paese and centre Billy Proctor provide the attacking options.
 
Scots go into the game as favourites, but there is something of a curse over being the top qualifier as in each of the last five years the top ranked side going into the final hasn’t won and suffered a bitter end to their season. Added to that is that the last four finals have all been decided three points or less, with the 2010 decider only ending up an eight-point margin when Silverstream’s Ope Peleseuma kicked a drop-goal on fulltime.
 
Historically, the two schools first met in 1920 as part of the newly created Moascar Cup, a cup that won't be at stake on Sunday. St Patrick’s College won all three matches in that era (which occurred prior to the 1931 establishment of Silverstream), but following those matches the two did not meet again until 1979, where Scots recorded their first win by 8-6. 
 
Town then won each meeting from 1980 to 1988, before returning to playing in the WRFU Under 19 grade in 1989. It wasn’t until 2010, after Scots qualified for Premier 1, that they faced each other again with St Patrick’s winning that encounter by 73-0. However, Scots have won the last six meetings, the most recent being the 37-32 win in the opening round of this year’s championship.
 
Irrespective of the result both sides will progress into the Hurricanes regional stage of the National Top 4 series, owing to changes made over the summer. Sunday’s loser will face Wanganui High School next Saturday with the winner of that game travelling to play Gisborne BHS on the 22nd. The winner on Sunday will host Hastings BHS that same day, with the winners of those two matches meeting in Palmerston North the following week. 

2015 WelTec Premiership results

Scots College
bt St Pats Town 37-32
bt Rongotai 41-12
bt Silverstream 16-12
bt Wairarapa 51-3
bt Wellington College 34-3
bt Tawa 72-0
bt Hutt International 75-0
bt Wellington College 41-13 (SF)
 
St Patrick’s College
lost Scots 32-37
bt Wellington College 15-11
lost Rongotai 19-22
bt Tawa 81-8
bt Wairarapa 50-12
bt Hutt International 83-0
lost Silverstream 15-30
bt Wairarapa 76-0 (QF)
bt Silverstream 23-20 (SF) 

Match Details

What: 2015 WelTec Premiership final between Scots College and St Pat’s Town

Where and when: Porirua Park, Sunday 9 August at 2.15pm

Teams: To be confirmed on match-day

Coverage: Live radio commentary coverage on 1161AM and web-cast onwww.irirangi.net (click on the listen on-line button), or onwww.tunein.com (enter Te Upoko O Te Ika in the search bar). Match report, photos and video highlights following on Club Rugby.