The Linwood College Ki-O-Rahi team has successfully defended the Canterbury Ki-O-Rahi Championship as they won the 2018 competition.

The Linwood College Ki-O-Rahi team has successfully defended the Canterbury Ki-O-Rahi Championship as they won the 2018 competition on Friday August 17th. 

After winning the series last year and being the 2017 Champions, Linwood College has gone undefeated in 2018 South Island competitions to retain the title of being Canterbury's best. 

The tournament was held at Lincoln High School and expectations were high on the Linwood College team who had only lost once in the last two seasons of all South Island Competition. That loss was to Lincoln High School in the final of last year's second series, after being told the team had already won the 2017 Championship by making the final. 

The Linwood College Ki-O-Rahi team came out of the gate fast and put on dominating performances in the early pool games of the 2018 competition. Leaana Lefua, Gloria Sua and Quentin Brown were proving dominant for kioma while Togamau Toilalo and Damien Lombard were too good during the taniwha stages of the game. Hine-Moana Foster and Miracle Kahukiwa did a superb job on defense as Linwood allowed the least amount of points in the entire tournament (by a large margin). 

After easily taking top spot of the two pool stages, the undefeated Linwood College team advanced to the semi-finals for a match-up with Te Pa. Te Pa came out running on all cylinders and took an early 14-6 led thanks to an 8 point try and a 6 point try. Linwood College stayed composed and calm and the message from the coach was to take it one point at a time and stay calm and support each other. Some superb team defence and offensive brilliance from Quentin Brown got them back in the game. Quentin scored a try and then set up a 6 point try for Gloria Sua. The hustle and defence from the rest of the team led to a draw at the end of regulation. In the penalty shoot-out, with all the pressure on his shoulders, Damien Lombard hit the tupu to take us to sudden death throws. Togamau Toilalo stepped up in the clutch and hit the tupu and it was down to one throw which Hine-Moana needed to save. She knocked the ball away and Linwood College had made it to the final once again. 

A game against Lincoln High School awaited, in what was a rematch and a chance for redemption as Lincoln was the only blemish on the teams record in the last two years. A dominant performance by Leaana Lefua, Quentin Brown, Togamau Toilalo and Damien Lombard led the team to a big early led.  These huge performances only further proving these young men are amongst the elite of New Zealand Ki-O-Rahi. Some tremendous hustle and defence from Julian Elia-Lui, Brie-Arne Moke, Nevaeh Pirikahu-Waata, Moahengi Ngauamo and Kyle Amer meant that Lincoln could not get into the game and became frustrated. With Moahengi Ngauamo, Hine-Moana Foster and Miracle Kahukiwa taking care of things inside the pawero zone and defending the tupu/ bin, a leaping Kyler Amer try sealed the victory for Linwood College as the lead they built was too much for Lincoln to overcome. Linwood College convincingly beat Lincoln High School and won the 2018 Canterbury Tournament and Series. 

Linwood College has now won back to back titles and is amongst the elite teams in New Zealand for Ki-O-Rahi. A dominant two year run. Congratulations to all members of the team and wider training squad (Mapu Uasi). A huge well done to the 2018 Linwood College Ki-O-Rahi team who finish the season of South Island Competitions undefeated and champions once again! 

Ka pai!