St. Pats Silverstream and Scots College to meet in First XV final

Above: Scots College centre Malo Tuitama about to break the line and score a try with his first touch of the ball this afternoon in his side's semi-final win over St Pat's Town.

Next Sunday's Wellington Premier 1 First XV final will be between St Pat's Silverstream and Scots College, who both won their semi-finals this afternoon in trying conditions.

St Pat's Silverstream beat Wellington College 8-0 and Scots defeated St Pat's Town 36-12.

In the two Plate semi-finals, Hutt International Boys' School beat Naenae College 13-0 and Rongotai overcame St Bernard's 36-10.

St Pat's Silverstream v Wellington College

St Pats Silverstream has qualified for a sixth consecutive Premier One final after edging Wellington College 8-0 in cold, blustery, wet conditions at Silverstream today.

Wellington started with greater passion than the hosts. They preserved the ball for a number of phases and challenged the Silverstream defence which held firm.

First-Five Piri Paraone was especially dangerous. Twice he slithered through the Silverstream defence, only to be caught by desperate cover.

Second-five Sharn Robinson was also denied a try after dribbling and chasing the ball for 50-meters into the in-goal area, Silverstream forced it first.

Halfback Kemara Hauiti-Parapara had the first chance to score with a penalty kick, but from 25-meters out he missed out to the left in the harsh breeze. Silverstream First-Five Nic Mannix missed an even closer range shot a short time later for Silverstream, who boomed the best chance to score a try in the first-half.

No. 8 Joe Apikotoa and lock Vern Sosefo combined to break down the short side. Together they advanced the play 40-meters before Sosefo passed infield to halfback Kaide McCashin who dropped the ball 10-metres out with a wide open goal line.

Mannix kicked the only points of the first-half with a penalty and it was 3-0 at the break.

The second-half was an even tussle with both sides having chances to score. Silverstream scored the only try of the match through about 10 minutes into the second-half. Captain Jack McCormack crashed over following a long series of pick and go assaults. McCormack's return from a shoulder injury has been timely for Silverstream. As a leader he has a strong presence and his workrate in both attack and defence is very good.

At 8-0, Wellington had a long period of attack and nearly scored twice. Prop Sitiveni Paongo was held up over the line and a deft kick by Paraone nearly resulted in a try for two Wellington chasers. During this period of pressure Wellington turned down a penalty kick in front of the posts five metres out.?

Silverstream generally controlled territory in the last ten minutes. A maul saw them held up over the line and seeking two scores Wellington was forced to play expansively which led to mistakes.

Wellington has failed to make the final for the first time since 2010 and for only the second time since 1997. However they can hold their heads high after a gutsy performance today. Props Paongo and Tristan Fuli were outstanding especially with their aggression around the breakdown. Openside Lennox McMahon and Paraone were livewires as well.

For Silverstream hooker Ivan Fepeuali was immense carrying powerfully and hurting on defence. Sosfeo, McCormick and Apikotoa also played strong games.

Scores: St. Pats Silverstream: 8 (Jack McCormack try; Nic Mannix 1 pen) Wellington College: 0

Scots College v St Pat's Town

Scots College booked their place in next week's Premier 1 semi-final with an audacious display of bad-weather rugby. Scots trounced St Pat's Town 36-12 in front of a bumper home crowd this afternoon.

In blustery wind and driving rain, conditions generally called for a cautious approach. Play the percentages and the chances will come.

But Scots College, with a set of mobile forwards and a dashing backline featuring centre Malo Tuitama - a star of the future in senior rugby - were dancing to a different script.

Defying the conditions, they attacked the advantage line with gusto, off loaded in the tackle to the support player with regularity and ripped it wide and counter-attacked at any opportunity as if it was a hot sunny day.

St Pat's Town, whose accuracy and composure from many of their earlier games was also missing, simply couldn't contain them.

Malo was the star, scoring Scots' first and last tries and setting up the try that won them the semi-final just a few minutes into the second half with a piercing run and hand-off to first five-eighth TJ Va'a.

As well as Malo and Va'a', second five eighth Thomas Umaga-Jenson had a strong game in the Scots backline while tighthead prop Alex Fidow impressed throughout the 70 minutes in the impressive all-round display.

Va'a converted his own try to extend the halftime lead to 24-5, after the St Pat's Town's forwards had threatened to get their team back into the game early in the second half.

Capitalising on a knock-on from the kick-off, St Pat's were able to pin Scots in the far corner and attacked through a series of 5-metre scrums. But each time, an error was made and the chance was lost.

Instead Scots ran it from almost under their own posts, ultimately leading to Va'a's try after Malo put himself in the clear with the line open.

Further tries to Thomas Umaga-Jenson (his second of the match) and Malo (his second) off a grubber into the in-goal by fullback Peter Umaga-Jenson gave Scots an unassailable 36-5 lead in now sheeting rain.

Having no choice but to run it from anywhere, St Pat's made in-roads over the final 10 minutes and were rewarded with a neat consolation try to fullback Siosaia?Paese?

Earlier, it took Scots all of several minutes to feed their backline for the first time and all of one raid to score their first try.

Malo made a half break from 40 metres out, skipped through his would-be tacklers and motored to score in the corner. Va'a converted from the sideline to put Scots up 7-0.

Another break by the Scots backs led to a penalty for Va'a, extending their lead to 10-0.

St Pat's got themselves into the game and lock Oliver Kertslip crashed over, and it was game on at 10-5 after about 25 minutes.

But not for long, with Scots immediately putting St Pat's under pressure in their own 22, winning a turnover from a scrum and Va'a sending a flying Thomas Umaga-Jensen in under the bar to put them ahead 17-5 at halftime.

The nature of the win for Scots will give them no end of confidence for a tilt at the Premier 1 title in next Sunday's final against Silverstream, particularly on a dry afternoon.

For St Pat's Town, it's a disappointing end to what has been a much improved season and a return to the top four for the start of next year. Town won 16 out of 20 games.

Scores:

Scots College 36 (Malo Tuitama 2, Thomas Umaga-Jenson 2, TJ Va'a tries; Va'a pen, 4 con) St Pat's Town 12 (Oliver Kertslip, Siosaia?Paese?tries; Zac Donaldson conversion). HT: 17-5.

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