Southland Boys’ and John McGlashan remain at the top of the standings of the Southern Schools Rugby Championship.
They are both undefeated in the second round.
But King’s kept in touch with a gutsy win against Otago Boys’ at home on Saturday.
It was a good old-fashioned arm wrestle and the game remained in the balance throughout the contest.
King’s led 10-3 at the break. Prop Aisea Fakata barged over from a pick and go.
Otago Boys’ replied early in the second half with a try to impressive winger Manaia Lesa.
But King’s responded quickly. Blindside flanker Jacib Palmer
got on the shoulder of second five Henry Smale and scored under the posts.
King’s coach Dean Moeahu said it was a hard-fought contest.
"Right up until the last play of the game it still could have gone either way," he said.
"But we just managed to stick at it. You couldn’t say there were any defining moments, it was just a real ding-dong game."
Loosehead prop Henry Hunter shone in the scrum and got busy at the ruck.
"There were a couple of mauls were he got stuck in and managed to steal some ball. He was pretty inspirational.
"[Isaac] Kramers was very good as well."
The halfback’s box kicking and calm decision-making helped put King’s in the right areas.
Centre Niko Boylan put in a big effort on defence.
In the other division 1 games, Southland Boys’ beat South Otago 33-0 in Invercargill and Johnnies cruised to a 43-12 win against Wakatipu in Queenstown.
Southland (19 points) and Johnnies (18 points) will meet this weekend and the outcome will decide who clinches pole position for the playoffs.
In division 2, Southland Boys’ 2nds beat Waitaki Boys’ 35-0, Otago Boys’ 2nds beat King’s 2nds 29-14 and Dunstan was too strong for St Kevin’s, winning 54-10.
In division 3, Mt Aspiring beat John McGlashan 2nds 39-14, Central Southland edged Cromwell 19-17 and Māruawai-Menzies beat Taieri 5-3.
