Another exciting week of the schools inter-association competition has come to a close, presenting a number of tight encounters across the board.
Oakhill College vs St Joseph’s 3rd XV (by Oscar Nowak Allcorn)
On a brilliant, sunny autumn day in the hills of North-Western Sydney, Oakhill College 1st XV played host to St Joseph’s 3rd XV. Today’s game was the last round of trials ahead of the ISA and GPS competition.
The Oakhill team were pumped for the game after being handed their jerseys by old boy and Australian 7’s team star player, Lachlan Anderson.
Joeys’ No 12 Wilson McKelvey commenced the game just after 3.15pm, kicking into Oakhill’s half. Joey’s soon regained possession and after 6 determined phases, they put the first points on the board with a try on the wing. The try was successfully converted by No 14, Oli Duffy.
Oakhill returned fire in the 4th minute with a great try by No 8 George Crawley, however, No 11 Thomas Watson was unfortunately unsuccessful with his conversion attempt.
Oakhill showed great spirit and determination in the first half but Joeys were able to take advantage of some penalties with tries by visiting winger Oli Duffy and fullback Lewi Parfitt, Duffy only making the second conversion.
After some great play, Oakhill closed the gap with a try by No 14 Aldo Galluzzo, which was converted by the accurate boot of No 10 Lachlan Brooke.
One minute into the second half, Joeys’ winger Dom Moretti crossed the line to score his first try for the game. The conversion by No 14 Oli Duffy took the score to 26 - 17 Joeys way.
Dom Moretti and Oil Duffy teamed up nine minutes later with a converted try.
Oakhill hit back with a try by No 11 Thomas Watson, but the conversion attempt by Lachlan Brooke was waved aside.
Discipline from both teams went walkabout in the second half with St Joseph’s No 5 Marc Rimac being yellow carded for the team’s continued infringements. Joeys’ outside centre Tom Creighton was yellow carded for up-ending an Oakhill player. Late in the second half, Joeys’ were given a second yellow card.
Oakhill fought hard to get back on top but unfortunately, time ran out and the team was beaten 33 to 22.
Oakhill 22
Tries: Brooke, Crawley, Galluzzo, Watson.
Conversions: Brooke
St Joseph’s College 3rd XV 33
Tries: Moretti (2), Duffy, Parfitt, Unknown.
Conversions: Duffy (4)
REST OF THE ROUND
Cranbrook 46 defeated Sydney Grammar School 11
Barker College 29 defeated St Joseph’s College 1st XV 28
Newington College 29 defeated by Waverley College 57
St Ignatius’ College 48 defeated Knox Grammar 7
The Scots College 21 defeated by St Augustine’s College 22
Shore 26 defeated by Trinity 29
St Gregory’s College 39 defeated The Armidale School 24
The Kings School 26 defeated St Stanislaus’ College 0
Oakhill College 22 defeated by St Joseph’s College 3rd XV 33
St Aloysius’ College vs St Patrick’s College
Unfamiliar with the inter-association competition?
The re-formatted competition features teams from 22 schools that compete in weekly fixtures over five rounds, scheduled to finish on 2 June.The inter-school associations competition was started to ensure that teams of commensurate ability play each other in a safe environment.
The competition also matches like-sized schools either against each other or together to play another school to ensure a full complement of matches for all teams at an appropriate level of ability.
For instance, Sydney Grammar (GPS), who can field 13 teams, will be paired against a team like St Aloysius’ College (CAS), who can field 11 teams. An example of two smaller schools combining to play a larger one is Waverley College and Sydney Boys High forming 30 teams to play St Ignatius’ College’s 33.
The competition provides a standardised set of rules, which is a change to the rules that govern each individual schools association. Such rules include squad size, number of substitutions and mercy rules to name a few.
NSW Rugby and NSW Waratahs CEO, Andrew Hore, says this format of schools rugby is the way forward.
“NSW Rugby supports this initiative and we see this competition as the future of schools rugby. We are working together with each of the school sports associations for the collective good of the game and to ensure that all participants gain a positive experience from the competitions they compete in,” he said.
