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Wellington College right wing Shea Boshier attacks the line in the lead-up to the opening try and only try of the first half.
- By Adam Julian
- Photos by Andy McArthur
Wellington College has opened the Premiership with a gritty 18-13 victory over St Patrick’s College, Wellington.
An arm-wrestle was expected at a sun-drenched Evans Bay Park after pre-season campaigns that only yielded a single success for each school.
It was Town that started with more vigour. Robust and direct carries from the forwards created momentum, and first-five Decodah Silva kicked a 35-metre penalty.
The lineouts were a lottery while Town reigned supreme in the scrums, even snaffling a rare tighthead.
Town, however, lacked discipline and was too ambitious inside its territory. Penalties mounted, and Wellington’s first try was scored when winger Shea Bosher cut through from a deft Archie Sims pass at a scrum from close range.
Desperate cover prevented Bosher from reaching out. A trailing Lorenz Markel Strickland-Rere wouldn’t be denied. The burly second five was instrumental with his punch on both attack and defence.
The start of the second half was a calamity for Town. A bridge pass gone wrong inside the in-goal area gifted Wellington a five-metre scrum.
Retention and resilience followed from the visitors, and Seb Hopkins muscled through traffic to the chalk. The hooker was Wellington’s leading try scorer in 2024.
Sims expanded Wellington’s lead to 15-3, as Town lost a player to the sinbin.
With Sims’ left boot and a strengthening set-piece, Wellington could have taken a cautious route to the finish. Instead, sprightly halfback Rio Korsaka hobbled off injured with Sims shifting into nine. Wellington lost direction while Town, spurred on by a full-throated crowd, rallied.
In a sweeping 60-metre movement, an old-fashioned centring kick by left wing Zack Kimmins almost created a try for fullback Charlie Carter.
A more delicate kick would prize open Wellington. Carter toed a grubber through for regional sprint champion Kimmins.
Wellington enjoyed ascendancy in the breakdown joust. Openside Jack Robinson toiled gamely while becoming a reliable lineout target. Lazarus Webster and Julis Toimata were similarly effective in the jackal from the bench. A regulation Sims penalty made it 18-8 with eight minutes remaining.
Kick pressure caused Wellington to panic in their 22. Fluid attack from a scrum saw replacement outside back Gia Johnson, fly in with three minutes to spare.
A Mission Impossible finish wasn’t to be; Wellington’s Entity held its nerve, even with Town’s prop Ioane Aukusitino still rampaging in the 70th minute. Captain and openside Ethan Lepou was another Braveheart. In a less suffocating environment, Kimmins will raise opposition alarm bells.
St Pat’s Town – Wellington college last six Traditional First XV meetings
- 2020: St Pat’s Town 39-19 (last win)
- 2021: Wellington College 31-18
- 2022: Wellington College 29-21
- 2023: Wellington College 16-14
- 2024: Wellington College 43-10
- 2025: Wellington College 18-13
Head-to-head:
- Played 140
- Wellington College wins: 85
- St Pat’s Town wins: 47
- Draws: 8
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In Strathmore earlier in the day, Scots College’s wretched start to 2025 continued when they were hammered 97-7 by Napier Boys’ High School. Scots have conceded 344 points in their last four games.
Napier scored 15 tries, 11 conversions, and led 54-0 at halftime. Centre Harvey O’Rourke bagged a hat-trick on his birthday. Fullback Angus Lovatt pulled off two try-saving tackles and scored two of his own. Openside Carlo Mienie is one to watch and scored two tries too. Scots is distinctly smaller than 2024. The second half featured uncontested scrum. Scots’ best player Bryaden Lo scored their solitary try.
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Both rugby matches were part of wider sports exchanges, and there was better fortunes for the home teams in the First XI football matches. Scots came back from a 4-1 halftime deficit to draw 5-5 with Napier BHS and St Pat’s Town beat Wellington College 2-1, through a Charlie Hale strike and an own goal.
Read the First XV competition preview below:
St Pat’s Silverstream and Wellington College the teams to beat in First XV Premiership
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Match highlights below:
