Otago Boys' lock Fabian Eschenmoser is tackled by Southland Boys' halfback Charlie Walker and No 8 Ben Cairns at Littlebourne earlier this month. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH The Southern Schools Rugby Championship moves into the competition rounds today. The big dogs — Southland Boys’, Otago Boys’ and King’s — have returned from the breakaway South Island Boys’ Schools Rugby Championship (SIBS) and the level will go up several notches. They go straight into division1, where they will be joined by John McGlashan, South Otago and St Kevin’s, who secured their spots through the qualifying phase of the competition. Southland Boys’ are leading the SIBS competition standings and shape as the team to beat in the Southern Schools Rugby Championship (SSRC) again. They beat Otago Boys’ 33-10 at Littlebourne earlier in the month. That fixture doubled as an SSRC fixture, so they already have five competition points. St Kevin’s will host King’s in Oamaru and John McGlashan are at home to South Otago. Waitaki Boys, Wakatipu, Central Southland and Dunstan have qualified for division3 and will be joined by Otago Boys’ 2nds and Southland Boys’ 2nds. King’s 2nds and Timaru Boys’ 2nds will join Taieri, Mt Aspiring, Cromwell and Hokonui in the third division. All 18 teams will play a full round-robin in their respective division in the hope of qualifying for the playoffs. The winner of the SSRC will play the winner of the Crusaders’ regional final in the South Island final on August 22. The South Island champion will punch their ticket to the national finals later in the year. adrian.seconi@odt.co.nz
