NZSS 2017: MAGS’ last game v Manukura
MAGS wins 30-6, finishes 7th overall
We finished the tournament in some style with a convincing win against Manukura, who had pushed Tokoroa really hard in their semi-final the day before. I feared that our light forward pack might be outmuscled by theirs, but we held our own and our pace on the wings and from full back saw us score 6 tries to take out tally for the week to 25!
We started with good attacks but let them out of their red zone with soft penalties. The penalty count was against us all game and we had an ill-deserved sin-binning as well. Keeping them to one try is a testament to our much improved defensive effort. We defended well after our penalties had given them field position and when we went back on attack a half break from Antonio disrupted their defence and created space for Chay to exploit and score to the right of the posts.
We got back in their half from the kick off and attacked on the right. We had great shape when we moved the ball to the left and Nela got outside his marker to score our second. From the kick off we had to defend again but once again we moved the ball upfield and this time Al Jermaine stepped his way through a tiring defence. We had added one conversion so we went to the break 14 – 0 up and with the wind at our backs in the second half.
Al Jermaine scored again on the right after half time and the game was probably out of sight for Manukura. They gave it one last effort and after relentless pressure their half back dived over from close range to give them some consolation from the game.
But we weren’t done. The team formation was now firmly in the hands of the Cook Island boys and they were keen to extend the score. Kayal beat what seemed like six defenders to score under the posts. It was a superb individual try but the space was made by a great offload from Elijah Ieriko. Finally, James sprinted away down the right and found Kayal with a well-timed inside pass to put the icing on the victory cake.
When the tournament team was announced it was no surprise but a great pleasure to hear that Javvier Pitovao and Kayal Iro had been selected for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team that will play two games against NSW secondary schools in early October. Those two players were rewarded for consistently excellent performances but our work this week was the very definition of a team effort. 11 different players scored a total of 25 tries at an average of five a game. Three different players kicked 13 goals. After the first game where we conceded five tries to St Thomas our defence was mean and our line was crossed only seven more times in four games. We finished the tournament in 7th place but there was not much difference between us and the top four teams.
And all of this after we lost two representative players the week before tournament began and two more after Tuesday’s game against Papatoetoe. We were lucky to find quality replacements at the last moment. Even more, we relied on players stepping up to play at prop or second row against much bigger sides. No-one ever shirked their work. Our halves played with increasing confidence and we have a spine of year 11 and year 12 players who can take MAGS League forward in 2018. We looked great in our tournament hoodies, thanks to our Albertian supporters, and we behaved perfectly both on and off the field.
The boys were well coached by Mike, Jason and Bronson. Their knowledge and experience was a major factor in our success this week and during the Auckland competition. The manager and author of these reports, is honoured and humbled to be able to work with the fine young men of the MAGS rugby league team.
Mr Richard Watkinson, First XIII Manager