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Whangarei Boys High School have regained the NorthTec Adam Blair Trophy, after a two year absence, defeating Kaitaia College 38 – 20 at Kaikohe on Easter Thursday. Whangarei Boys High have been tournament front runners since the tournament started in 2011. They went for almost three seasons undefeated, until Kaitaia College defeated them in the 2013 Grand final.
The 2015 edition of the NorthTec Adam Blair Trophy was fought out between an impressive 11 teams. It was dominated by Whangarei Boys High and Kaitaia College in their respective pools and rightfully so, the two met in the final. However the final never really lived up to expectations, with Boys High controlling the game from the opening whistle. They took a 22 – 10 lead into half time, in a demonstration of control and team work with winger Shane Paraha scoring two trys.
In the second half, Kaitaia threatened to take the game to the wire after scoring first, to narrow the gap to 22- 16. However, player of the match, Captain Caleb Aekins, lifted the level of the Boys High game, controlling their efforts at centre defensively and offensively setting up two tries and scoring two himself, to win the game, 38 – 20. He was ably backed up by Jayd Kapa and Nathan Newton. Whangarei Boys High from numbers 1 – 17 showed a disciplined team’s display of power and passion as they won their 3rd NorthTec Adam Blair Trophy in 5 years.
In other matches on Finals Day, Dargaville High School showed their long term potential in the competition. They would have to take the mantle of the most improved team in the competition as they demolished Bay of Islands College 52 – 6. As a team, a majority of them still have another year or 2 at school, they are lead by two of the competitions most imposing prop forwards in Thomas Anderson and Caleb Rusden, with impressive half-back Kane Pomare.
The first match of the day was a festival match between Kura Hokianga and Northland. The two teams had previously met in the first round of the season with a 20 all draw. This match was played at 1pm with a huge crowd that had flocked in from their local schools and the game certainly lived up to expectations with both teams trading try for try right until the last minute! At half time the scores were 18 – 16 to Kura Hokianga and then with only 3 minutes left on the clock the Kura looked to have secured the win at 34 – 28 for Northland to march the length of the field to tie the game 34 ALL! This was a fitting result for a local derby and believe it or not, it was Northland Colleges 4th draw of the season!
NorthTec Adam Blair Trophy final standings
- Whangarei Boys High
- Kaitaia Collage
- Kura Hokianga
- Kamo High School
- Dargaville High School
- Bay Of Islands College
- Equal – Northland College, Okaihau
Equal – Tikipunga, Brothers, Whangaroa
EXPERIENCED AND NEW, YOUNG AND OLD
