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Silverstream see off Rongotai with ease in midweek traditional 

  • By Steven White and Adam Julian
  • Photos by Mike Lewis Pictures

St Patrick’s College, Silverstream eased to a 73-0 win over Rongotai College in their midweek First XV traditional and round five First XV Premiership fixture on their home grounds this afternoon.

Elsewhere, St Bernard’s College beat Hato Paora 46-22 in their traditional today.

Taita College’s First XV defeated Makoura College’s First XV  24-19 In Masterton. This match was the inaugural traditional match between these two small coeds for the Fuller Cup , named after former Taita College DP and now Makoura Principal Simon Fuller.

Silverstream bounced back in style from their loss to Wellington College same time, same place last week, while for Rongotai this was a day to forget.

Live First XV points table following this match on Wednesday afternoon.

Ten different try-scorers scored 11 tries for Silverstream, while first five Thompson Tukapua scored two tries and kicked 9 conversions for 28 points.

Silverstream punished Rongotai for turnovers and penalties at the breakdowns. Rongotai were in the game for long periods of the first half and only trailed 14-0 just before halftime and 21-0 after a try right on the bell, but Silverstream ran through their flagging defence in the second half and scored another eight tries.

Following a set of stirring, powerful hakas, Silverstream showed early intent with a big early bust up the middle of the field from 22 to 22, but the turnover was made by Rongotai.

Another clean break through the midfield led to an attacking scrum under Rongotai’s posts, from which they peeled left, and fullback Liam Slight scored near the embankment corner. First five Tukapua converted for a 7-0 lead inside as many minutes.

Rongotai got themselves into the game by holding on to their possession and building phases, their first clear chance being an attacking lineout at the far end of play following This, however, was turned over and Silverstream cleared.

Once more the visitors looked good stringing passes together. They chose to tap and go from another penalty inside Silverstream’s 22, but after almost two minutes in possession, lock Tom De Vanzo was swarmed by defenders and held up.

Silverstream regrouped and in the 25th minute launched from a scrum 25 metres out, 15 metres in from the lefthand touch. They spun it wide to right wing William Davis on a penalty advantage for a high tackle and the speedy ring crossed in front of the scoreboard. Tukapua nailed the conversion to double their score.

Rongotai did well to hold off any further advances by Silverstream – until right on the stroke on halftime. Silverstream were awarded a ruck penalty 10 metres out and under the posts. Instead of taking the points, lock Sam Thomson tapped and went and scored the try under the bar to put them up 21 -0 at the break.

Their fourth and bonus point try wasn’t long in coming. Silverstream kicked off  for the second half and won the ball back and crashed up inside Rongotai’s 22.  Second five Preston Maraku wriggled his way close to the tryline. More phase play and another penalty advantage soon saw prop Heath Tuifao break through to score. The conversion was good, and it was now 28-0.

It went from bad to worse for Rongotai with a player in front of the kicker at the re-start. Silverstream packed down a scrum on halfway and soon the other lock, Preston Moananu, scored. At 33-0 down Rongotai would struggle to come back from here.

They tried, enjoying another foray inside the 22, but once more they turned the ball over and Silverstream cleared back to halfway, and subsequently back up into the attacking zone. Yet another turnover saw Silverstream make several thrusts at the line before first five Tukapua sliced through for a try that he also converted.

The floodgates were opening now and when openside flanker Drew Berg-McLean sailed through a hole into clear space and offloaded to second five Maraku to score to make it 47-0 it was all over.

The half century was soon raised via a 65-metre counterattack up the far side and a kick and regather by left wing Ashton Steere.  Tukapua’s conversion saw the points scoring maintain pace exactly a point a minute.

Rongotai calmed the farm over the next 6 minutes, once more holding on to possession through multiple phases, but this proved unfruitful.

Silverstream then scored a great individual try through first five Tukapua, as they counterattacked from 70 metres out and Tukapua pinned his ears back to run through to score his second try. He converted for a 61-0 lead.

The 10th try was scored in the far corner by replacement prop Tamati Payne and went unconverted, and the 11th by halfback Kian O’Connell, which was converted.

Silverstream’s 73 point margin of victory is their largest against Rongotai and only a point short of the 74 they scored against Rongotai in a 74-6 slaughter in 1988.

At that time tries were only worth four points and Silverstream scored 15 tries with future Scottish international John Lesile scoring six tries and future All Black Simon Mannix contributing 22 points from two tries and seven conversions.

Silverstream won 67-0 in 2018 with Warriors centre Rocco Berry scoring three tries.

Silverstream and Rongotai have played a traditional fixture since 1957. In that time there have been 61 matches. Silverstream has won 40, Rongotai 18. The last of three draws was in 1976

Below: The First XV Premiership fifth round draw.

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