Sports Exchange: WHS netballers flip script on Collegiate

Both Whanganui Collegiate and Whanganui High School brought different crown jewels into play for their fifth annual sports exchange yesterday.

As previously reported, the battle of the 1st XV's was no contest as a strong Collegiate side, which ranks higher on the national level, came close to a century of points in the final game of the day.

However, across on the netball court the Phillips Electrical WHS A1 squad, who have been dominant in both the Netball Whanganui Premier and Manawatu Schools competitions this season, continued their unbeaten march with a 49-11 demolition of Collegiate's A1 squad.

It is a role reversal in the two codes between Whanganui's most sporty secondary schools, with regards to the kind of talent they have available and can cultivate, as those teams only play each other during the exchange because they are on different levels.

In the past five years, the directors of sport for both WHS and Collegiate, Lisa Murphy and Barry Touzel, have worked to expand the traditionals rugby game to a full sports exchange between the schools with matchups in three codes.

The 1st XV rugby match allowed Collegiate to just take the bragging rights this year, as victories were tied 3-all heading into the last game.

Unlike the top rugby and netball fixtures, the other sides were more familiar with each other from regular season matches during the year.

WHS comfortably won the boys hockey 1st XI clash 3-0, and the boys 1st XI football match 4-1.

The girls 1st XI hockey game was tied 1-1 late in the piece, until Collegiate stepped up to convert three goals for a 4-1 win.

Collegiate girls 1st XI football team won their match 3-2, while in the curtain-raiser rugby match, the Collegiate Under 15 team got home 24-22.

The franchise team of each school are now preparing for their biggest challenges on the horizon.

Still leading the Central North Island 1st XV competition after everyone else had played their catch-up games, the Collegiate 1st XV's return match to the competition will be an away fixture with Feilding High School next Wednesday in their penultimate match leading into the semifinals.

Meanwhile, the WHS Netball A1 side has their last regular season games before the playoffs in both the Whanganui Premier and Manawatu Schools competitions this coming Monday and the following Saturday, respectively.

Results:

1st XV Rugby: Collegiate won 96-0
Under 15 Rugby: Collegiate won 24-22
Senior A1 Netball: WHS won 49-11
Boys 1st XI Hockey: WHS won 3-0
Boys 1st XI Football: WHS won 4-1
Girls 1st XI Football: Collegiate won 3-2
Girls 1st XI Hockey: Collegiate won 4-1

By Jared Smith
Whanganui Chronicle 26/7/19