St Kents make it three in a row

Wednesday 22: The St Kentigern College 1st XV squad capped off their Cook Islands tour with another win against the Cook Islands Sports Academy team 17-7 on Monday afternoon.

There was plenty of support for both teams with the St Kent’s team getting a little more attention thanks to the five local players in the squad.

The match on Monday saw a much more improved Cook Islands Sports Academy side but composure and patience saw St Kent’s walk away the victors from the match.

Former Arorangi club representative and flanker Denis Heather posted the first try of the game for St Kent’s.

The visitors pushed the CISA scrum off its own ball and Heather picked up the loose ball from the back of the scrum and dotted down in the corner (and right in front of his family).

Also dotting down for St Kent’s were Sam Marshall and James Wright while CISA managed to score a try in the dying seconds of the game through Turoa Kamana.

Heather probably stood out for the visitors, while Tupou Faireka Jnr tried hard throughout the match.

Cook Islands Rugby Union chief executive officer Ben Koteka was extremely happy with the successful hosting of the St Kent’s team and its all thanks to the CISA boys and parents and the parents of the five local boys in the St Kent’s team.

CIRU would like to thank Kevin Iro, Lloyd Matapo and Damien Beddoes of the Cook Islands Sports Academy for preparing the local boys to play St Kent’s plus the families and supporters on the island of Aitutaki who made the visitors’ trip a memorable one.

Those that made the effort to head out to Titikaveka to watch the two matches played would have felt a sense of pride as local boys Denis Heather, Sema Robati, Adam Tangata, Ben Tautu and Mark Tuaati took to the field. Unfortunately Tangata suffered a badly sprained ankle from the first game and did not play again on tour.

St Kent’s play in the Auckland 1A competition. - Matariki Wilson