In the wake of the challenges presented by Covid-19, this group of boys came together towards the end of Term 2. A wonderfully inclusive team made up of boys from different year levels, the underweight side fills an important gap in College rugby experience by giving players the opportunity to test their mettle against similar opponents. For some players, it was their first time wearing the infamous black and white stripes. Despite minor differences in age and experience, it didn’t take long for the team to find their feet and gel together. Thanks to the coaching expertise of Old Boys Tom Burt and William Jones-Allen, the team was well looked after. Both coaches played an integral role in supporting the boys and their journey together as a team. From a coaching perspective, we wanted to ensure the players developed core skills and would have the mental fortitude to reflect on an enjoyable season filled with ups and downs. A later season than usual added an extra layer of challenge to the process, with the team playing their first match before having a decent opportunity to practice together. In their first game, against St Bede’s College Red, the boys managed to hold their own in the first half, but then struggled to keep the momentum going – which, regrettably, became an unwanted pattern in many of our fixtures. It wasn’t until their fifth game, against St Andrew’s College Blue, that they enjoyed their first victory. This memorable game boosted the boys’ morale – fearless tackles from Thomas Douglas and James Dunlop
win in their rematch against St Bede’s Red. A true season highpoint, it was their most convincing victory by far. Under the leadership of Caden Lewis, it was this win that propelled College into the play-offs, despite winning only two of their eight round robin fixtures. The boys got off to a promising start in the semi-final against St Bede’s Black. A hard-fought try from Conor Nicholson followed by a successful conversion by Jonty Inglis kept the team’s hopes alive. In the end, however, high spirits weren’t enough to beat a very competent opposition, making this their last match of the season. As managing and coaching staff, we are very proud of the team’s achievements. Despite not having as many winning games as we all hoped, the boys stayed positive and dedicated to improvement. In doing so, they embodied the true essence of College sport and for that we wish to extend our thanks. We would also like to thank Stephen Dods for his role in helping to organise our fixtures. Thanks, also, to our generous sponsors and to the loyal parents for their support.
hard. The team was unable to match their ferocity and lost 62–0. Following this harrowing loss, training took on renewed focus. Our next match – against our biggest rivals, the Burnside Panthers – went much better. Aston Nijjar led the way, scoring four tries. It was a neck and neck game, with two tries each by half-time. Eventually Burnside nipped us and took the 26–29 win, but it left the boys feeling like the season would be more competitive than initially anticipated.
Further games progressed as follows:
• 78–5 win against Medbury School
• 28–43 loss to St Andrew’s College
• 0–67 loss to St Bede’s Red
• 74–19 win against Christchurch Football Union Gold
• 22–33 loss to Burnside Panthers
• 60–33 win against Christchurch Football Union Gold • 39–33 win against Burnside Panthers
Zac Knight Manager, U63kg Rugby
U58KG RUGBY Manager: Scott Franklin Coaches: Fergal Dods, Jesse MacKenzie
Team: Harry Hanson (captain), Bede Elkington, Callum Fox, Tom Hansen, Louis Hastie, Seamus Hickey, Henry Hitchings, Jamie Ireland, Dan Kelly, Ben Laing, Jack McKeown, Louie Nelson, Ollie Nicholson, Aston Nijjar, Jacob Onions, George Rookes, Hugo Sudell, William Wakeman We had a delayed start to the season due to Covid. The team was not selected until late in Term 2, and our first game was not until Week 9, in the heart of winter. This game was against Christchurch Boys’ High School Black – a team significantly bigger in stature than our boys – who came at them
emphasised the need for more aggression in future matches.
Although not always reflected in the score, the quality of play improved in the latter half of the season due to the boys showing more willingness to get stuck in and shoulder tackle. With a bad bout of concussions and injuries removing several key players – including captain Josh Beaglehole – the team suffered a slew of defeats before claiming a convincing 34–19
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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