Rugby: English school too good

Kaikorai Valley College halfback Jason Fitiao sends out a bullet pass in the interschool match against St Albans (England) at Montecillo yesterday. St Albans won 46-5. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Kaikorai Valley College halfback Jason Fitiao sends out a bullet pass in the interschool match against St Albans (England) at Montecillo yesterday. St Albans won 46-5. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
The touring St Albans English schoolboy rugby squad played sparkling rugby to score two big wins over Dunedin-based schools at Montecillo yesterday.

The St Albans B side scored eight tries to beat Kaikorai Valley College 46-5 and then its first team made no race of it against Taieri College, winning 78-0.

St Albans scored four tries to lead 24-0 at the break against Kaikorai Valley College, and added four more tries in the second spell.

But Kaikorai Valley College, wearing its new jersey designed by former first XV member Dave Burke, came back strongly at the end, when midfield back Tyron Pelasio scored in the corner.

Players to impress for Kaikorai Valley College were Pelasio, prop Mike Bennett, halfback Jaron Fitiao and fullback Alex Bunyon.

St Albans school, from just north of London, was unbeaten when it last toured New Zealand four years ago, and has yet to lose a game on this tour.

The squad of 44 boys, divided into two teams, had a 22-3 win and a 10-all draw in the Cook Islands, a 24-5 win against St Bedes and 23-0 win against the Hornby Rugby Club in Christchurch.

The three week tour ends with games against Nelson College and Tawa College, in Wellington, and games in Fiji.

The St Albans A side scored 12 tries to beat Taieri College 78-0, with Victor Stairmand scoring 28 points.

The scorers were: St Albans B 46 (Ben Carey, Ben Wilkin, Ross Lessons, Harry Avent, Ange Williams, Oliver Leigh, Lorenzo Brusini, Andrew Harris tries; Bradley Hudson 3 conversions), Kaikorai Valley College 5 (Tyron Pelasio try). Half-time: St Albans 24-0. Referee: Geoff Simons.

St Albans A 78 (George Irwin, George Kelly 2, Charlie Reed 3, James Land, Jay Johnson-Crooks, Feilding Colfer, Victor Stairmand 2, Ben Wilkin tries; Stairmand 9 conversions), Taieri College 0. Half-time: St Albans 50-0.