The powerful Otago Boys' High School pack paved the way for a 35-7 win over King's High School in the First XV clash at Littlebourne yesterday.
All five Otago Boys' tries were scored by the forwards in moves that started inside the King's 22m. Two of the tries came from drives after lineouts, two from scrums and one from second-phase ball.
Towering 118kg No 8 Tui Katoa epitomised the strength of the Otago Boys' pack with his two tries from barging runs.
Powerful lock Brendan Murdoch was hard to stop in sight of the line and brushed off tackles to score two tries.
The other powerhouse forwards in the Otago Boys' pack were tighthead prop Jermaine Ainsley, who scored the first try from a lineout, and hard-working hooker Sekonaia Pole.
Lock George Latta made five clean lineout takes and openside flanker Riley McDowall stopped King's in its tracks with tackles around the fringes.
It was not a day for back play and Otago Boys' attempts to attack wide out came to grief. But inside the 22m, the home team suffocated King's.
Second five-eighth Sio Tomkinson brought common sense into the game by kicking for the corners to keep the pressure on King's. He was on target with his boot and landed five conversions from the five tries.
The smaller, younger King's team displayed character and guts, and none provided more than hooker Joe Cairns-Thomson and openside flanker Jayden Willcock.
First five-eighth Hamish McCallion was able to cut through the Otago Boys' close-in defence with his quick footwork and was the only back to score a try with his deceptive 15m run 10 minutes into the second spell.
Robert Peseta was a solid defender in the midfield and fullback Luke Maker showed courage despite having an injured AC joint.
First XV
The scores
Otago Boys' High School 35
Brendan Murdoch 2, Tui Katoa 2, Jermaine Ainsley tries; Sio Tomkinson 5 con
King's High School 7
Hamish McCallion try; Robert Peseta con
Halftime: Otago Boys' 14-0.
