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A historic and highly successful rugby league season for the Hibiscus Coast came to a dramatic close in the final held at the end of June at Auckland’s Cornwall Park.
The combined Senior A Boys Rugby League team made up of Whangaparāoa College and Ōrewa College players fell just short in an absolute thriller of a Grand Final, finishing as runners up in the College Sport Auckland Senior A competition after a narrow 12-10 loss to Auckland Seventh-day Adventist High School (ASDAH).
The team’s success this winter has been assisted by a partnership with the Hibiscus Coast Raiders Rugby League Club, who generously hosted the squad’s home games and trainings, providing a pathway for junior development and bringing the local sporting community closer together.
After dropping only two games in pool play to qualify second overall, the stage was set at Cornwall Park for a blockbuster showdown. However, heavy rain turned the Cornwall Park turf into a muddy, wet battlefield, severely testing the Coast boys’ signature style of play.
In the first half, the Whangaparāoa/Ōrewa combined side looked completely dominant. The defensive line held firm, and the attack clicked despite the slippery ball.
The breakthrough came midway through the first half when Ōrewa College student Mataora Marino crashed over close to the posts after a powerful charging run. Kingston Poafa calmly slotted the conversion to put the combined side up 6-0.
Moments before the halftime whistle, the Coast side struck again. A brilliant, explosive break by Dionte Netana-Nathan sliced through the ASDAH defense before he delivered a perfectly timed offload to Chase Casson, who showed great strength to dive over and score in the corner.
The spectacular try sent the Whangaparāoa/Ōrewa side into the halftime break with a commanding 10-0 lead.
However, ASDAH showed why they are championship material, launching a fierce comeback in the second half. Utilising their size advantage close to the goal line, the South Auckland school managed to claw their way back with two quick-fire tries in wet conditions, locking the scores at a tense 10-10.
With both teams exhausted and covered in mud, the final minutes of the match became a high-stakes tactical battle. With just five minutes remaining on the clock, ASDAH was awarded a critical penalty within kicking range. They successfully converted the penalty kick to snatch a late 12-10 lead.
The combined Whangaparāoa/Ōrewa side threw absolutely everything they had left at the ASDAH defense in the final minutes, fighting valiantly to reclaim the lead, but the final whistle blew before they could breach the line.
The sports departments of both Whangaparāoa and Ōrewa College thank the dedicated coaching and managing team, the parents, and the Hibiscus Coast Raiders for their unwavering support in making this season possible.
Supplied by Whangaparāoa College
