PNBHS NEWS

1st XV v New Plymouth Boys’ High School Match Report - Thursday 20 June

 
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1st XV v New Plymouth Boys’ High School Match Report - Thursday 20 June
by Ella Mitchell - Friday, 21 June 2019, 12:57 PM
 

1st XV v New Plymouth Boys’ High School Match Report - Thursday 20 June


The 1st XV played their second home game of their season against the always hearty New Plymouth Boys’ High School.  The team was excited to be playing on front of their school mates and given the weather and field conditions a good tussle was on the cards as both teams battled it out for the Barnes Cup.

The score line would suggest that this game was a tight affair and both teams certainly conspired to keep it close.  We enjoyed the majority of possession and territory and opened the scoring with a well worked try.  We spurned further opportunities to keep the scoreboard ticking over as we took set piece options, turning down a number of kickable penalties.  This meant we maintained a fair amount of pressure on the opposition but New Plymouth were equal to the task defensively.  We also struggled to make the most of overlaps and good attacking options we were creating.  Indeed after absorbing a lot of pressure, New Plymouth turned the attacking blow torch on us and scored a try with their first visit to the 22.  7-7 at the half.

The theme continued in the second half.  We were the dominant team in all facets but struggled to finish the opposition off.  We scored a further penalty and try to get out to a 17-7 lead.  Once again we gifted the opposition with a second try with an intercept.  With ten minutes to go the score line closed up to 17-14 and what should have been a comfortable victory became a fairly tense affair.  Our kicking game stepped up another level and we pinned New Plymouth in the 22 and our defence gave them no easy outs.  The final whistle blew with the score line the same and the Barnes Cup remained in our hands for another year. 

Given the results of the last two games against Hastings and Hamilton, this was a good win and one built on positive effort and intent.  Our skill execution remains inconsistent but we are showing that when we put everything together, we can be a side that can play good code.

Points Scorers:

Tries:    Tamati Ruawai; Jayden Keelan

Conversions: Curtis Heaphy x 2

Penalties: Curtis Heaphy