SPORT Rugby
1ST XV Manager: Neil Porter Coach: Sam Broomhall Assistant Coaches: Sam Chamberlain, Reuben Thorne
scored in the first five minutes before College applied pressure to nab a penalty and a good team try. CBHS responded with a try, but College was soon in the points with a penalty and converted try. The see-saw continued with a CBHS try, quickly followed by a converted College try before half-time – putting College ahead, 25–15. College started strongly in the second half before two long-range CBHS efforts put the opposition ahead, 25–29. College continued to fight but the CBHS defence held. A late CBHS try lifted the final score to 25–34 but that did not reflect the closeness of the game. Next up, College faced Marlborough Boy’s College (MBC) at Bob Deans Fields, starting strongly to dominate field position and apply first-half pressure. Despite some strong MBC forward play in the second half, College continued to dominate, winning 43–7. In the Friday evening match against Shirley Boys’ High School (SBHS) at Christchurch Park, College held a comfortable lead before SBHS fought back. However, College held on to win, 24–21. At the 98th Quadrangular Tournament hosted by Nelson College, games were played in great conditions on a new surface. College was behind 7–10 at half-time against Whanganui Collegiate School but found its accuracy in the second half, playing with determination to score four tries and win 31–10. With Nelson College the winner over Wellington College in the other first-day match, College again played Nelson in the final. This doubled as a Miles Toyota Premiership match, carrying extra weight. College led 18–17 at half-time but Nelson powered back with quality play.
College grabbed a bonus point with five tries, but the final score, 35–53, showed the class of Nelson College. Following the Quad Tournament, College faced St Andrew’s College, delivering a strong first half, but facing a resurgent opposition in the second half. With missed opportunities, St Andrew’s College won, 19–25. At the end of the holiday break, College travelled south to play Otago Boys’ High School in the traditional fixture. The new timing of the match meant that both sides were able to field full teams. An enterprising and entertaining fixture, each team scored four tries, but an OBHS penalty goal gave the win to the southerners, 29–32. College faced a tough end to the regular season, needing wins against St Bede’s College and St Thomas of Canterbury College to make the top four. In a typical physical battle, College was ahead of St Bede’s College going into the last 10 minutes. St Bede’s College hammered away at the College line, but outstanding defence and discipline kept the opposition at bay, with College winning 24–20. The final round-robin match against St Thomas built on the previous week, with College delivering a commanding performance to win 32–24. A final placing of 3rd reflected how well the team played throughout the season and put College in the Miles Toyota Premiership semi-final for the first time since 2021. The semi-final against old foe CBHS was held at Straven Road, with College right in the mix until a couple of pieces of individual CBHS brilliance ensured a win, 15–24.
The 2024 players were privileged to be part of the Japan Tour in April as they prepared for the season. They arrived home match fit and with settled team combinations. The tour also enabled players to come together as a team, with standards and expectations in place. The annual preseason fixture in Kaikoura against Marlborough Boys’ College provided the final preparation, with the tour benefits evident as College delivered a strong performance. For the third successive year, Upper was unavailable for home games with the building of Upper West. Instead, all ‘home’ matches were played in North Hagley Park, utilising the High School Old Boys’ Rugby Club (HSOB) ground and new changing facilities. We are grateful to the HSOB club for accommodating us. The 2024 Crusaders region competition featured a 10-team round-robin format. College made a positive start to the Miles Toyota Premiership season with a comprehensive victory over Timaru Boys’ High School (TBHS) in Timaru, scoring nine tries while playing with pace and purpose to finish 59–12. The 1st XV put together another good performance against Selwyn Combined Schools, winning 55–5 at the team’s new ‘home’, Bob Deans Fields. The traditional match against Christchurch Boys’ High School (CBHS) was played at the Linwood Rugby Club’s Linfield Park. It allowed for a large crowd and delivered a fantastic playing surface. CBHS
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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