Lock Sam Moir-Grace was one of the unsung heroes who helped the school record an historic 17-15 win against Otago Boys’ High School at Bishopscourt on Saturday.
The 18-year-old was part of a pack which shunted Otago Boys’ around at scrum time.
The lineout did not go so well, though, and Moir-Grace said the team would need to be a lot better in the Highlanders area final of the National First XV tournament against Southland Boys’ High School in Invercargill today.
"It was definitely a good feeling [beating Otago Boys’] but we’ve got to focus on this match and move on quickly," Moir-Grace said.
"If we bring the same sort of passion we had last week, I don’t see why we can’t tip them up. It will be a tough game. They are such a good rugby school and always have been."
McGlashan put in an enormous amount of work to match Otago Boys’ scrum and it paid dividends.
"One of our main goals was to hit them pretty hard in the scrums and get in their face, which helped quite a lot."
But Southland Boys’ also has a powerful scrum and Moir-Grace expects the home side will look to apply pressure up front.
"They have quite a forward-orientated game and, if it is wet, they will look to rumble the ball up, no doubt."
Moir-Grace, who hails from Roxburgh, is more concerned about the lineout.
"Our lineout was pretty shocking in the weekend, to be honest. We’ve made a few changes and introduced some new ideas.
"Hopefully, that should fix it up because we can’t afford to lose our own ball. We can’t be defending as much as we did in the weekend."
McGlashan spent a lot of time in its own half against Otago Boys’ and, for the most part, its defence held up.
A runaway try from first five-eighth Luke Jarvie shortly after halftime proved crucial for McGlashan.
The school was still buzzing from its first win against Otago Boys’ and the win has "definitely" bolstered the team’s confidence.
The team will also be well-supported in Invercargill with "three or four" bus loads of people making the trip south.
In the co-ed tournament, South Otago High School will host St Peter’s College.
National First XV
Highlanders area final
Invercargill, today, 1pm.
John McGlashan College: Ryan Neill, Charlie Baker, Jimmy Sinclair, Angus Simmers, George Russell, Luke Jarvie, Ethan Jane, Rory Ferguson (captain), Henry Bell, Leroy Ferguson, Woody Kirkwood, Sam Moir-Grace, Reon Lowery, Brett Kingsbury, Jackson Dempster. Reserves: Liam Hickman, Callum Struthers, Ben Morris, Morgan Jones, Tom Mee, Ness Scully, Hunter Cleland.
Southland Boys’ High School: Kaleb Talamahina, Ben Pope, Josh Mason, Logan Stirling, Allan Gillies, Mitchell Taylor, Jay Renton, Logan Jones, Josh Keenan, Curtis Williams, Ben Paulin, Harry Burgess, Rikirangi Kawe-Gage, Flynn Thomas, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Jacob Payne, Gregory Ward, George Gill, Sean Withy, Ethan Molley, Josh Cavanagh, Tom Doyle-Franklin.
