Rongotai College defeat St Pat's Silverstream

Rongotai College has beaten St. Patrick's College, Silverstream for the first time since 2010, erasing a 14-6 halftime deficit to prevail 20-14 in Upper Hutt today.

It's the fourth time this year Silverstream has surrendered a halftime lead to lose.

Rongotai had a considerably bigger pack and in the early stages attempted to keep the ball in tight and punch holes close to the ruck. First-five Matiu Samuel punished Silverstream's indiscipline by slotting two penalties.

Silverstream scored the first try, somewhat against the run of play, when livewire winger Lucas Dutton broke through some flimsy defence and released fellow winger Todd Svenson. Halfback Callum Harkin converted from touch and it was 7-6. Silverstream expanded the lead when Svenson muscled through the midfield and linked with hooker Fred Sunia on the wing. Sunia stepped past three defenders in an impressive display of agility and dotted down. Harkin converted to make it 14-6.

Silverstream pressured Rongotai's line early in the second-spell, but a fumble was swooped upon by Sen Chut who outpaced the cover defence over 80 metres. The conversion reduced the deficit to a solitary point.

The Rongotai midfield of Norman Fatialofa and Denny To'o repeatedly tested Silverstream's defence and wing Jason Tuitama was electric at times. Rongotai took the lead when To'o barged over from close range. Rongotai's Jarome Pole was yellow carded for deliberate offside, but Silverstream was unable to crack the Rongotai chalk.

Stream lock Iona Apineru dramatically made a try saving tackle while Rongotai was a man short too. Pole then saw another yellow card for a tip-tackle. Embarrassingly the red card wasn't presented on the field. Pole headed to the reserves bench only to be recalled and officially sanctioned. Pole was predictability and mercilessly heckled by Silverstream's supporters. It was an unfortunate episode in a game that was played in fine spiirits.

For three years Rongotai failed to score a point in this fixture. They toughed it out to the end with Tuitama making a missile like tackle on Dutton to prevent the later from scoring.

The WelTec Premiership continues this coming Saturday, with Scots College hosting Wellington College in the feature game, Bishop Viard College hosting St Pat’s Town and Wairarapa College entertaining St Bernard’s College in Masterton.

View the results and standings here