Never Break the Chain: Boyle and Higgins determined to keep Stream on top

Above: St Pat's Silverstream inside back combination Harrison Boyle (left) and Kienan Higgins in action in last Saturday's semi-final win over St Pat's Town. Photos by Andy McArthur. 

“The whole culture is different, especially off the field. Last year we had pretty much the same team, but a couple of players were stood down for disciplinary breaches. This year our actions on and off the field have been really positive and that’s reflected in our results.,” Harrison Boyle explains when asked to address the revival of the St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream First XV.

In 2016, Silverstream missed the semi-finals of the WelTec Premiership for the first time since 2007. On Sunday, Silverstream will contest the final against Wellington College as the top qualifier and are warm favourites to capture their fourth Premier I championship.

Second-five Kienan Higgins is in his third season and has enjoyed the greater freedom to express himself permitted by coaches Tim Mannix and Nigel Bingham.

“I like to play what’s in front of me. When the coaches changed two years ago, I got a lot more freedom which has built my confidence,” he says.

The trio of first-five Boyle, Higgins and centre Albert Polou (all Hurricanes Under-18 selections) have been a key chain in an imperious backline. Silverstream has scored a whopping 589 points in 10 WelTec Premiership games and won traditional fixtures against New Plymouth Boys’ High School, 46-17, St. Bede’s College, 56-0 and Palmerston North Boys’ High School, 71-0.

“We have six traditionals annually and it’s the goal of every First XV to win each game,” says Boyle. “We did that for the first time since 1988 this year. That’s a special achievement, but despite some of the scores it wasn’t easy. We have put in a lot of hard work to achieve those results and were not getting ahead of ourselves.”

In June, Wellington College was beaten 26-3 in the Ken Gray Memorial trophy match. Higgins scored two tries for Silverstream who pulled clear from a slender 5-3 halftime advantage to accomplish their biggest win over Wellington since 1986. Higgins is still wary of the Wellington challenge.

“Wellington are great rivals and have a big forward pack. Their locks Taine Plumtree and Naitoa Ah Koi were starters for the Hurricanes Under-18’s. We expect a huge challenge from their forwards,” he predicts.

Boyle is not dismissive of Wellington's backs, despite Silverstream scoring 260 more points in the WelTec Premiership.

“I played a lot of rugby with their halfback Thomas Bramley and second-five Oliver Paotonu. They went to Wellesley College with me and are really good players. We can’t underestimate them,” Boyle stresses.

Silverstream blew ten halftime leads between 2015 and 2016. The blue and white hoops have good reason to stress about finals. They have been involved in a series of heart breaking defeats, losing five times at Sunday's venue Jerry Collins Stadium in 2002, 2004, 2009, 2013 and 2014.

The leader after the round robin has failed to win six of the last seven finals. Boyle is not phased by the burden of the past.

“I don’t think about the past. I wasn’t there so I had no influence on it. We have to turn up on the day and play our best to win,” Boyle retorts.

Higgins’ emotions are different.

“There’s definitely a lot of pressure, but a lot of that comes from us. We want to do the school and ourselves proud.”

Higgins was born in Palmerston North and spent a brief period in Christchurch. He has certainly done his late father proud. A sudden and tragic passing three years ago has driven Higgins to greater heights.

“Dad was my biggest critic and supporter. I always think of dad when I play. He was always encouraging me to be better,” Higgins acclaims.

Boyle is deputy head boy and First XI cricket captain. His father Brendan was on the board of Otago Rugby for several years. Harrison is keen to play for the Dunedin club next year.  

The immediate priority for both boys however is the WelTec Premiership final which kicks off on Sunday at 2:30pm. The game is being broadcast on live radio via the o Te Upoko O Te Ika website.

Silverstream’s Premier One Final heartbreakers

2002: Beaten 24-23 by Wellington College. Despite two inspirational tries by captain Ben Wilderink, Wellington scored two tries when future Scottish international Blair Cowan was yellow-carded. Wellington second-five Seminar Manu (later a Southland rep) was permitted to retake a conversion he had initially missed. In 2004, Silverstream had a player red-carded in the opening minutes against Wellington College and was soundly beaten 30-12, snapping a 12-game win streak.

2011: Beaten 20-18 by Wellington College at the Petone Rec. Big Wellington winger TeDee Sami scored a controversial late try to win the game for Wellington who had finished second in the round-robin. Silverstream’s inaccurate goal-kicking cost them nine potential points.

2013: Future Wellington Lion Pakai Turia landed seven penalty goals and Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm) scored a try as Wellington pipped Silverstream 25-22 at Jerry Collins Stadium. Silverstream fullback Josh Robertson-Weepu (Bay of Plenty) scored 17 points and had been faultless with his goal kicking until his last two shots missed.

2014: Beaten 21-18 by Scots College. Future Wellington Lion TJ Va’a kicked a last-play penalty as Scots beat Silverstream for the first time ever. Silverstream had rallied from an 18-3 deficit early in the second-half to level the scores. A draw at fulltime would have been sufficient for Silverstream to win the title. Ominously Daniel Mangin who officiated this game has been appointed referee on Sunday. Centre Losi Filipo’s first-half sin-binning cost Silverstream eight points.