McGlashan’s fine season stymied by Southland Boys’

John Kyle.
John Kyle.
John McGlashan College’s unbeaten season came to a halt against Southland Boys’ High School in the Highlanders regional First XV final in Invercargill on the weekend.

The Otago champions lost the fixture 31-17 but there was a feeling the school might have played its final a week earlier when it beat Otago Boys’ High School for the first time.

McGlashan coach John Kyle certainly felt his side had  emptied the tank in the historic 17-15 win.

"The boys were definitely up for it but it was tough," Kyle said.

"We spent a lot of energy last weekend."

That said, McGlashan started about as well as it could have hoped.

Lock Sam Moir-Grace charged down a kick, which stuck in his hands, and he stormed down the sideline to score.

But the half belonged to the home side. Southland Boys’ talented backline was quickly into action.

First five-eighth Mitchell Taylor controlled the game beautifully and dangerous fullback Kaleb Talamahina was threatening whenever he carried the ball.

"It is a very classy backline they’ve got. There are some potential superstars in that backline," Kyle said.

"[Talamahina] is one of the better secondary school players I’ve seen for a long time. He is fast, he has a great step and he is very elusive."

Southland scored two converted tries to take a 14-5 lead into the break.McGlashan earned the referee’s ire at the breakdown and struggled to get its game going in the second spell.

"Our game is all about building phases and we’d get through two or three phases and get pinged. It didn’t matter what we did to adapt, the penalties just kept [coming].

"The boys came back in the middle stages and scored two sensational tries. That phase of the match was brilliant from our guys. We managed to get a bit of continuity going."

Kyle said McGlashan  had put together 18 consecutive wins  this season before coming unstuck against Southland Boys’, so it was hard to feel too disappointed.

Southland Boys’ will play Christchurch Boys’ High School in the South Island final this weekend.

In the co-ed tournament, South Otago High School clobbered St Peter’s College 64-11 and will host Burnside High School this weekend.

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