Rugby: Tough tussles in First XV clashes

King's High School forward Conor Kemp grabs the ball in the lineout in the Highlanders First XV...
King's High School forward Conor Kemp grabs the ball in the lineout in the Highlanders First XV rugby match against Southland Boys' High School in Dunedin yesterday. Supporting him are Jordan Stewart and Ben Johnson. Southland Boys' won 18-8. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Openside flanker Nick Hayes was a terrier and played a key role in Southland Boys' High School's 18-8 win over King's High School in Dunedin yesterday.

He hunted the ball all day, was dangerous with the ball in hand and his defence was accurate when King's looked dangerous.

The win has taken Southland Boys' to the top of the Highlanders First XV competition with 34 points. It is followed by Gore 31, King's 29, Waitaki Boys' 25 and Otago Boys' 24.

King's lost the game when it failed to use its chances with the strong easterly wind at its back in the first spell. Lock Conor Kemp made six clean takes to give King's a monopoly of ball but its backline could not exploit it.

The home side's only points in the first spell came from a long-range penalty goal by fullback Dan Fowler.

Southland Boys' capitalised on its limited chances with two well-taken tries late in the spell to give it a 12-3 lead at the break.

They were both superb individual efforts by midfield backs Keanan Kahukwa and Sven Penwarden.

The two other Southland players to stand out were No 8 Jordan Stewart and hooker and captain Ryan Carter.

King's changed its tactics in the second spell and kept the ball tight playing into the wind.

It paid dividends when openside flanker Ben Johnson scored after sustained forward pressure inside the Southland Boys' 22m.

The best King's players were halfback Caleb Gray and No 8 Petelo Faasee with his ability to break the advantage line.

Strong defence by the Otago Boys' High School loose trio of Troy Callender, Harry Schaumann and Brodie Hume shut down the Timaru Boys' backline when playing into the wind in the first spell.

It enabled the Otago Boys' pack to take control in the second spell to win the interschool game at Littlebourne 22-12 yesterday.

Prop Hagen Free spearheaded the strong Otago Boys' scrum and first five-eighth Sam Ellis kicked accurately for the corners to keep Timaru pinned inside its own 22m for most of the second spell.

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