29 May - NSW Schools Report Card

Tue, Jun 1, 2021, 4:19 AM
NSW Rugby
by NSW Rugby

Results

Waverley 38-14 Knox
Oakhill 44-14 St Augustine's
King's 40-5 Newington
Barker 54-42 Cranbrook
Sydney Grammar 14-12 Riverview 3rds
Trinity 22-5 St Aloysius
Scots 31-17 Shore
Riverview 45-38 St Joseph's
St Joseph's 3rds 30-14

 

 


Oakhill College 1st XV v St. Augustine College 1st XV
44 - 14


By Oscar Nowak Allcorn, Oakhill Y10 Student & Waratah’s Junior Reporter
Photos courtesy of Michael Remaili from Action Sport Photos 
29 May 2021


Schoolboy rugby couldn’t get any better when played on Oakhill's Annual Gala Day - the school’s biggest day of the year accompanied by stalls, music and entertainment, rides, raffles and showcasing Oakhill sport with games starting as early as 7:30 all the way to the biggest game of the day, Oakhill's 1st XV against St. Augustine College 1st XV. 

A very strong form kept the score close until half time although Oakhill dominated the second half scoring 6 tries with a final score of 44-14 in the first round of the ISA season. 

Oakhill College and St. Augustine College have been great ISA rivals with St. Augustine’s winning against Oakhill in the 1st XV fixtures in the last 5 years.

Oakhill’s pre-season games were very good, playing the top teams in the GPS and CAS competitions and winning 2 out of the 5 games played. Those wins were against Knox Grammar and The Shore School. 

St. Augustines started the game off well but Oakhill kicked off with intensity rushing through their veins after just running through a tunnel formed by Oakhill students so long, it went to the opposite sideline then curved back towards the center of the field. 

Throughout Oakhill’s pre-season, one of their key issues was their discipline. Discipline was still the prevailing issue today with Oakhill conceding 7 penalties to St. Augustines - 3 in the first half. St. Augustines turned this to their advantage when up close to the tryline. In the opening 2 minutes Oakhill conceded a penalty on their 5 meter line, St. Augustines taped the ball and went for the tryline but after 4 phases, the referee called a penalty to Oakhill for running around the player. 

St. Augustines’ intensity didn’t stop . They used Oakhill’s conceded penalties to get some early points, electing to kick for goal when in range, number 10 Jed Walsh successfully kicked 2 out of the 3 penalty goals. 

Oakhill found some opportunities early in the first half, and used them effectively. Oakhill’s forwards got very close to the tryline, picking the ball from the back of the ruck and running towards the line. After 5 phases of the pick and drive Oakhill’s hooker Mitchell White grounded the ball on the tryline, putting Oakhill’s first points on the scoreboard. 

Oakhill soon found an opportunity from a restart, getting the ball towards the blind side to fullback Patrick Spence. Spence dragged the St. Augustines winger towards him, giving Oakhill’s winger Shayan Dolatshahi space to run. Spence then gave the ball to Dolatshahi who kicked the ball down the field but St. Augustine's scrum-half Lachlan Cruickshankre gathered the ball.

Oakhill’s many penalties during the first half led to the referee giving a yellow card. Unfortunately, flanker Copper Griffin was given a yellow card for repetitive offsides.

With only minutes left in the first half, St. Augustines found an opportunity to put more of a lead on Oakhill going into half time. St. Augustines had a scrum on Oakhill’s 22 meter line, after 2 phases, number 10 Jed Walsh found a gap and ran though it offloading the ball to flanker Dylan Kagho who scored just on half time.

Half time score was 11-5 St. Augustines way. 

Oakhill came into the second half with evident passion and intensity.  Two minutes into the half, Oakhill’s number 10 Doug Sullivan made a good run, almost scoring but St. Augustines did very well to hold the ball up. 

Oakhill continued with their momentum. Oakhill had a scrum 25 meters from the tryline. Number 10 Doug Sullivan passed the ball out wide and after 4 offloads between the winger, fullback and centers, Sullivan got the ball back and dived over the tryline. The score was 10-11 St. Augustines way.

St. Augustines conceded a penalty to Oakhill in range of the goal posts. Captain Sam Pickard chose to kick for goal trusting their kicker Brae Harriss do the job. The penalty goal was successful and put Oakhill back in the lead in a close 13-11 margin. 

Oakhill’s backline really stepped up in the 20th minute. Center Michael Adbow got the ball and used some great footwork. Breaking through 2 tackles and sprinting 15 meters towards the tryline to score, setting off wild celebrations in the Oakhill spectator camp. Brae Harriss converted the try bringing the score to 20-14. 

In the last 10 minutes of the second half St. Augustines structure and defence flew out the window paving the way for Oakhill to score 4 tries and seal their win. 

The first try started with a great run from Finn Watkins from the back of a scrum who, after 20 meters, got tackled. This was followed by a great clean out by flanker Cooper Griffin. After 2 phases Doug Sullivan grubber kicked the ball to the tryline and center Domenico De Stadis collected it from the kick and flick passed the ball to fullback Patrick Spence.  Spence kicked the ball into the stands. The conversion was successful by Brae Harriss.  The score sat at 27-14.

Oakhill had a lineout 20 meters from the tryline. They took it down into a maul and powered their way to the tryline. Flanker Jett Peters scored from the maul taking the score to 34-14.

The support from the Oakhill students was sensational during the 1st XV game, shouting chants to support their school and celebrating every point scored. 

Another great try to Oakhill was awarded in the 30th minute. Oakhill’s winger Shayan Dolatshahi made a great break and passed the ball to forward Jayden Moujalli who scored in the corner making the score 39-14.

Incredibly, in the last minute of the game, Oakhill found even more opportunities to score. Jett Peters' great run made some great meters for Oakhill. Scrum-half Finn Watkins found a hole in St. Augustines defence and ran straight through it to score, setting both the Oakhill Old boys and the current students wild celebrating the great victory against St. Augustines breaking the 5 year drought!

The final score was 44-14, Oakhill awarded best forward to flanker Dylan Kagho and best back to center Angus Mawson. St. Augustines awarded best player to forward Angus Griffin. 

 

 

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