Careful planning went into Dunstan High School's upset 9-8 win over Otago Boys' High School in Alexandra on Saturday.
It was Dunstan's first win against the Dunedin school and only its second win in the Highlanders First XV competition this year.
Dunstan's win pushed previously unbeaten Otago Boys' back into third spot, behind King's High School and Southland Boys' High School, after six rounds.
Dunstan coaches Larry Dougherty and Jamie Clarke studied the video of the top-of-the-table clash between Otago Boys' and Southland Boys' the previous weekend and worked out winning tactics.
It was based on aggressive defence and the strength of the country boys, who got up quickly and knocked over the Otago Boys' backs before they could get any momentum.
Dunstan's defence won it the game and forced the fleet-footed Otago Boys' backline to lose its composure.
The heroes for Dunstan were the hard-tackling midfield combination of Sean Conner and Sam Cant, who kept knocking over the Otago Boys' attackers and forced them into errors.
They were backed by lively loose forwards Keelan Baird and Michael Harvey, who dominated the breakdown and prevented clean ball going out to the lethal Otago Boys' back three.
The Otago Boys' backline was put under constant pressure and lost its composure in the second spell and sent out wild passes.
Strongly-built prop Whare Morell gave Dunstan a solid scrum and lock Willie Miller secured ball at No 2 in the lineout.
Halfback Tom Dougherty kicked three second-half penalty goals. The winning goal came just two minutes from the end.
Fullback Liam Edwards scored all Otago Boys' points with a try and penalty goal. Otago Boys' led 5-0 at the break.
Kings scored four tries to get a bonus point win over Verdon College, 26-3, in Invercargill.
No 8 Junior Faavae broke the advantage line at will and dominated the game.
He scored the first of the three first-half tries that gave Kings a 21-3 lead at the break.
The other key players were halfback Caleb Gray, with his accurate passing and ability to snipe around the edges, and strong-scrummaging prop Hayden Fleury.
Southland Boys' won the other game played on Saturday, scoring nine tries to beat Kavanagh College 55-0 in Invercargill.
Kavanagh tried hard, with loose forward James Tomkinson tackling ferociously, hooker Joe Weatherall lively in the tight-loose and first five-eighth Ian Willemsen showing potential in the backs.
The games scheduled to be played in coastal Otago were postponed because of the atrocious conditions.
The Dunedin teams travelling to Invercargill and Alexandra had to take detours on the homeward journey because of the floods.
• Points after six rounds: Kings 27, Southland Boys 26, Otago Boys 23, Gore 20, Waitaki Boys 14, John McGlashan 13, Dunstan 11, Verdon 10, St Kevin's 4, Kavanagh College 9, St Kevins 4, South Otago 3, Central Southland College 0.
