'We wanted to make history' - Nelson College captain

Nelson College have dispatched St Bede’s 45-19 to lift the Miles Toyota 1st XV for the third time in four years.

In front of a passionate crowd of supporters at Motueka’s Sports Park, the home side was in control for most of the game.

Captain Nelesoni Malaulau opened the scoring with a well-run line into space after winger Callum Robertson was pulled down just short of the line from a slick set-piece move to the blindside that created an overlap.

St Bede’s started well and would take the lead with back-to-back tries, capitalising on Nelson College errors with kicks for the corner that allowed them to use their big forwards to muscle the ball over the line.

Nelson College had the ascendency, with powerful running in close that created space and opportunities out wide.

Nelesoni would find himself in for his second try of the half, coming around the ruck and hitting the ball with pace and aided by a shunt in the back by his forwards.

A minute later, Callum would find himself with space to work and used his pace to find the outside shoulder of his opposite to score in the corner and take a five-point lead into the break.

The accuracy in the first half had cost the home side with their lineout suffering from several not straight throw-ins and a desire to push the pace that saw them make errors.

The second 35-minutes saw predominately one-way traffic as Nelson College had everything on their side and St Bede’s started to fade.

Despite having some skilful players throughout their squad, they found the going hard down their right flank, conceding points at will.

Fullback Fletcher Hewitt-Smart would score first on the other side of the break, with their searing attack melting the defence before he sliced through to score and give them a 2-scoring possessions lead.

A fantastic kick into space by first five-eighth Harry Inch saw the Bede’s fullback have to run the ball into touch under pressure, giving Nelson College an attacking lineout.

They would beat against the line before spreading it wide to Nelesoni, who slipped multiple weak tackle attempts to score his hattrick under the boats.

A 50-22 from halfback Tylah Blake would give Nelson College another attacking opportunity, converted by Harry out wide with a try.

Bede’s still had fight left in them and would score through fullback Cam Rawlings, catching Nelson College’s defence thin on its flank after several defenders came out of the line looking to disrupt play.

Not to be outdone, Nelson College would work the ball back into the St Bede’s half, with a kick for the corner from a penalty giving them the platform for reserve hooker Krugar Griffith to score from the back of the rolling maul.

Highlighting St Bede’s woes, the game ended with Nelson College earning a penalty for holding on with their backs against their try line and were able to kick the ball dead to bring the final whistle.

With St Bede’s hot on the attack with a massive overlap outside that should have seen them score, Harry made a massive tackle on reserve prop Calad Twohig, putting him down metres from the line.

Nelesoni says they didn’t expect the result to be so one sided against a quality side like St Bede’s.

“It means the world. We wanted t make history and go back-to-back.

“The boys pushed through.”

He says the performances of Fletcher at 15 and Harry at 10 were fantastic in marshalling the troops.

He said that loose forward Matt Lowe also had a massive game with his now trademark strong runs with the ball.

With a South Island final against John McGlashan College next week at home, he says they will want to clean up the little mistakes they made in the first half.

Nelson College coach Jono Phillips says it was a fantastic way to send of their third-year boys, Nelesoni and Timoci Sauira.

“I’m thrilled for such a young team. Soni just led in an amazing way.

“The second half message made a big difference, to be hard on defence so they couldn’t get momentum.”

He says they will focus on cleaning up their set-piece, but he was proud of the way the team stuck together to get another championship trophy.