Tawa College retain Beard Trophy in opening series match, Hastings beat Town

There were two First XV matches in Wellington on Wednesday afternoon, and two clear-cut margins of victory for the winners.

At Evans Bay Park, visitors Hastings Boys’ High School defeated St Pat’s Town 52-26, after leading 31-7 at halftime.

At Porirua Park, Tawa College opened their 2025 Beard Trophy defence with a 39-12 win over first challengers for the year, Aotea College.

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On a moonlit night, Tawa scored from the opening sequence and would score twice more inside the first 15 minutes to take a 19-5 lead.

Co-Captain and second-five Malachai Osman scores from the penalty and lineout in the corner. 

Early cheer for Aotea College, from the tap penalty. 

Tawa very nearly ran back the next re-start but were reeled in, ahead of a mostly scrappy period of play right up to halftime before Tawa ran in a nice try from 50 metres and with second five and captain Malachi Osman offloading to hooker Jah Ikenasaio-Brown to score. Tawa led 24-5 at the turnaround.

In increasingly slippery surface conditions, Tawa scored twice more in the first five minutes of the second half. Tries to openside flanker Josh Kleyne and centre Izayer Ikenasio-Brown to seal a double for the family also took them out to a 34-5 lead.

Tawa’s flanker and vice-captain Josh Klenye goes over early in the second spell.

Like the first half, most of the rest of the match was often messy as Aotea attempted in vain to get back into the game. Tawa scored their seventh try and final points of the night  with almost 20 minutes still to play.

Aotea finally broke through to score their second try, but this was the last act of the match.

The remaining three Beard Trophy matches coming up are: Tawa College v Bishop Viard College on 28 May, Holder v Porirua College on 25 June and Holder v Mana College on 23 July.

There was also the annual fixture in New Plymouth between NPBHS and Francis Douglas Memorial College.

This proved a tight affair, with a last minute converted try by Francis Douglas winning the game 10-8 and the John George-Max Carroll Trophy.

Further afield, last year’s Super 8 champions Tauranga Boys’ College beat Westlake Boys’ High School 31-29.

Wellington College challenge for the Moascar Cup on Saturday when they take on Hamilton Boys’ High School.