The 1st XV played a good game recently against Kaikoura here at Westland High School. Thank you to Kaikoura for driving all that way to offer the teams some game time in whats been a challenging season.

Well, Monday’s are a tough day for rugby. Bodies sore still from Saturday rugby and Sunday league, but no one ever said the coast boys are anything other than tough. It was a cold day with an irregular but aggressive wind and the boys huddled in the shed, dressed all in black and sporting their new 1XV ties they definitely looked like a team. But with just one game behind them as a unit, today was going to be a tough ask.

The team talk was tight: trust your inside man, get the ball moving, don’t be afraid to go off script if the opportunities arise.

In the warm up not a single ball was dropped. Traditionally a bad omen, so we tried to push them hard but again they could not be broken. Line outs looked strong given with the new players in most positions, and the scrum was going to hold up too with Mitchell, Quinn and Jonathin being the a formidable front row. Kane had the back line talking and reading what was in front of them. We were ready.

Kaikoura pushed all their opponents this year hard, they put points over some of the strongest teams in on the east coast. We knew they had a well drilled and experienced team full of senior boys. We knew it was going to be a tough day at the office.

The first half was close, Kaikoura had a lot of strong runners and some huge powerful units who were difficult to keep from breaking the gain line. They tested us in tight but our ruck defence was bolstered by Jack, Sean and Quinn having the defensive games to match any other in their careers. Definitely worth a mention was the try saving tackle by Mitchell Jones 5m out. All the boys were putting their bodies on the line to hold off the onslaught from Kaikoura.

A disappointing yellow card meant the first half finished with 5 points in it. The half time talk focused on adding mana to our Jerseys, some technical changes and the message that we were to make sure we played as a team but for our senior player whose last game it was.

The second half, was less anxious. The ball flowed from one side of the field to the other the pods crashed forward giving good front foot ball to the backs who made unselfish choices to find space. We were playing our game and at that point, were definitively in the driving seat.

Highlights included Tylar’s skipping past two opponents close to the line to power over from the back of the ruck, an outstanding heads up play! Kane putting the ball to foot and drilling it behind the front line of defence and perfectly weighting it to bounce up for Layk on the charge who had just one to defeat before the line, and on Mondays form there could only be one result. Ayrton dotting down a total of 3 times 2 of which in set plays but one from a devastating line break where he broke 3 tackles and handed off a third before scoring. Callum coming up from fullback to offer alternative attacking options so devastating he made 50m off a single run, and managed two tries himself. Daniel Williams making key tackles and getting stuck in at ruck time. Jonathin helping us to monster the scrums and running strong with ball in hand. Kane’s kicking off the tee in appalling wind was worthy of applause itself.

Jessy, Nate, George and Jonlee all had storming games George coming in off the wing after an outstanding performance in his last game for the school and stepping up a grade in club last weekend. Not one of them backing down all of them looking dangerous on the ball. What great news for the team next year to have such powerful youngster coming up.

Mitchell Fitzpatrick had 3 tires denied him over 2 weeks but in a moment of karma his dedication off the ball put him in a position where he too could cross the line and add to the run away score.

Kaikoura were strong, they were powerful but the Westland 1XV played for each other and that was, at the end of the day, too much for our visitors.

Huge thank you form the coach for all the boys who played out of position, Logan did an incredible job in the forwards helping us win scrums and line outs even when it was just his second game. Layk making the centre seem like he played there his whole life, Quinn for looking after our front row, the list goes on. Boys you did well. Kia Kaha!

• Jonathin Bradley
• Mitchell Fitzpatrick - Try Scorer
• Quinn Johnson
• Mitchell Jones
• Logan Gray
• Sean McGuigan
• Jack Rea
• Ayrton Perry - 3 X Try Scorer
• Tylar Bishop - Try Scorer
• Kane Parker - 6 X Conversions
• Jonlee Weepu
• Layk scowen - Try Scorer
• George Rea
• Nate Croy
• Callum Hamilton-Green - 2X Try Scorer
• Jesse Jones
• Daniel Williams