Christ’s beats Boys’ High in annual clash

Press, 10 July 1985, Page 64

Christ’s beats Boys’ High in annual clash

A surprisingly dominant Christ’s College, playing on its home ground, had an excellent 18-9 win over Christchurch Boys’ High School in their annual rugby encounter yesterday. It was the first time since

1953 that College, yet to lose this season, had beaten School in consecutive years. The School supporters gave their team strong vocal backing, but rarely were the players able to put College under any real pres-

College scored three tries to nil, and all of them were good efforts, particularly the first scored by Simon Batchelor after the first five-eighths and captain, Stephen Cottrell, grandson of the 1930 s All Black, Beau Cottrell, put up a perfect “bomb.” All the tries were converted by David Tudehope, including two mighty efforts from right on the sideline. He also scored a classic wing’s try, knocking over the corner flag when he crashed over in the second half.

College led, 12-6, at halftime and only the kicking of the School full-back, Chris Percy, who had the same 75 per cent success rate that Tudehope enjoyed, gave the team hope. The College forwards were rampant in the loose and controlled in the tight. They provided good, clean line-out ball and consistently outscrummaged the School pack. The College lock, Tim Stace, had a great game and the prop, Michael Hutton, and the speedy No. 8, Mark Hutchinson, were not far behind. On one of the few occasions a School try looked on,

with a scrum just short of the line, the College hooker, Ben Greenslade, took the first of his three tightheads. The College backs ran much straighter than their opposite numbers and, for the most part, were much more thrustful with Cottrell sparking off the line. School relied a lot on its half-back and first five-eighths combination of David Lough (the captain) and Hayden Scott, who both kicked well, while Cameron Lough was hard to stop on the left wing. Part of the tradition of these games, along with the rousing hakas, is a do-or-die attitude. This was an especially bruising affair, three players having to leave the field in the gloom of the final 15min. College’s fullback, Dan Parker, was carried off on a stretcher after a courageous attempted tackle. For Christ’s College, Simon Batchelor, Dan Parker and David Tudehope scored tries, and Tudehope kicked three conversions. Chris Percy kicked three penalty goals for Christchurch Boys’ High School.