Otago Boys' High School fired its best shot but could not match a talented and confident St Kentigern College in the national schools semifinal in Rotorua on Saturday.
Otago Boys' was beaten 277 but can be proud of its achievement of making the first XV top four for the second year in a row.
Last year, it went all the way to the final before losing to St Kentigern, and it was again the Auckland school which killed off its hopes.
Otago Boys' was facing a mammoth task, having to beat a team with an unbeaten record of more than 50 games that is also the world schools champion.
But it did not die wondering, and gave as good as it got in the match. Otago Boys' used its strong front row to keep hitting the ball up, and No 8 Tui Katoa saw plenty of action. For long periods, the Dunedin school had the ball but met a wall of defence.
Otago Boys' coach Ryan Martin said he was proud of his side's effort, and thought a win was not out of the question if it had taken all its opportunities.
‘‘We blew a couple of tries in the first half and also missed a couple of penalties and at this level you can't afford to do that,'' he said.
‘‘They are the sort of side where you have to make every tackle and you can't give them any room. They are a very physically intimidating team. We made some really good plays but just didn't finish off and that is vital at this level.''
Martin said he blooded some young players in the game, and that was promising for the future.
‘‘Some of those young guys played more than half of the game and the encouraging thing was there was no raising of the white flag.''
Otago Boys' made an encouraging start, but second five-eighth Sio Tomkinson could not find the goalposts with his chances in the first half.
Big Fijian winger Suliasi Vunivalu scored a try in the first half for St Kentigern College and the Auckland-based team turned 13-0 up.
Otago Boys' pressed early in the second half but could not score, although it went close. The Auckland side then grabbed a turnover and swept down the field to score, and that was more or less game over. Katoa scored the try for Otago Boys' but it came too late.
A standout for Otago Boys' was young fullback Reece Mau'u, while prop Jermaine Ainsley made big metres with his runs.
In the other semifinal, Hamilton Boys' beat Wellington College 2816. Hamilton Boys' will host St Kentigern in the final this Saturday.
