Dunstan underdogs rally for upset against Otago Boys'
Dunstan scored a late try to pull off a stunning 22-19 upset against Otago Boys' at Littlebourne on Saturday.
Coach Graham Johnson believes it is the first time Dunstan has beaten Otago Boys' in Dunedin.
They last beat Otago Boys' in 2010.
That was in Alexandra and they prevailed 9-8.
Saturday's division 1 Southern School Rugby Championship fixture was just as tense.
Otago Boys' scored two converted tries to lead 14-0.
They dominated the first quarter of the game.
But Dunstan rallied and went into the break on level terms.
Otago Boys' wrestled back control of the game with a third try.
The visitors replied with a penalty but found themselves pinned down in their half and unable to get in a position to press for the win.
"We were under the pump, I suppose," Johnson said.
"We were in our own 22 and our own half of 22 for probably about the last 10 minutes or so."
They held them out and then made their way down the
other end.
Dunstan bashed the ball forwards and then flung it wide in the dying moments of the game.
Winger Finn Donnelly crossed in the corner to seal the win in the last play of the game.
"It was a huge forward effort, really.
"[Blindside] Jack Cinnamon was pretty dominant all day.
"Our front row was, well, I think we won three scrum penalties in the second half.
"Props Cody Robinson and Jake McGinnis played the full 70 minutes and were sort of dominant.
"But it's hard to single people out because it was really just a good team effort based around heaps of courage and good defence."
In the other division 1 games, King's clobbered John McGlashan 63-7 on their home turf and they lead the competition standings following two comfortable wins to kick-start their season.
Southland Boys' 1st recorded a 48-17 win against the 2nd XV, also unbeaten in division 1.
In the Maroon Pool, King's 2nd cruised to a 54-12 away win against Cromwell, Wakatipu thumped Taieri 84-10 in Queenstown and Otago Boys' 2nds edged Mt Aspiring 15-5 in Wānaka.
There were a couple of one-sided fixtures in the Blue Pool as well.
Central Southland powered to a 74-5 win against John McGlashan 2nds at home, St Kevin's was too strong for Maruawai/Menzies, winning 81-15 in Oamaru.
And Waitaki Boys' defeat South Otago 33-17 in Oamaru.
adrian.seconi@odt.co.nz
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Taieri College claim first win of season
Taieri College upset King's 2nds to record their first win for the season in the Southern Schools Rugby Championship. It is a coup for the co-educational school, who have found themselves on the wrong side of some lopsided scores throughout the years. But not on Saturday. They battled into a strong breeze at King's to trail 14-12 at the break. They owned the second half, running in three tries and adding 17 unanswered points to record a 29-14 win. New coach Zane McTainsh was thrilled with the result. He started the year as an assistant but found himself elevated to the top role when veteran coach Murray Roulston pulled the pin after a couple of weeks. Beating a 2nd XV at one of the big schools is a huge deal for Taieri. "It gives us a bit of belief that we can compete, at least, against a few of these big teams," McTainsh said. Powerhouse loosehead Charlie Such was phenomenal. "His post-contact metres were enormous for us." No 8, Kupa Richmond, did some heavy lifting and tighthead Connor Jopson rolled up his sleeves as well. Halfback Liam Lord was tidy. And centre Sam Robertson looked energetic and scored a cracking try in the second half. In the other matches in the maroon pool, Mount Aspiring edged Cromwell 29-24 in Cromwell and Wakatipu beat Otago Boys 2nds 20-17 at Littlebourne. Southland Boys' remain unbeaten in division 1. They rolled King's 38-12 in Invercargill and the school's 2nd XV edged Dunstan 8-7. Otago Boys' rollercoaster season took another dip. They were defeated 29-26 by John McGlashan at John McGlashan College. In the blue pool, Māruawai/Menzies held on to beat John McGlashan 2nds 12-10 in Wyndham, St Kevin's travelled across town and beat rival Waitaki Boys' 15-12 and Central Southland recorded a 15-7 win in Winton.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Taieri 2nd XV claim first win of season
Taieri College upset King's 2nds to record their first win for the season in the Southern Schools Rugby Championship. It is a coup for the co-educational school, who have found themselves on the wrong side of some lopsided scores throughout the years. But not on Saturday. They battled into a strong breeze at King's to trail 14-12 at the break. They owned the second half, running in three tries and adding 17 unanswered points to record a 29-14 win. New coach Zane McTainsh was thrilled with the result. He started the year as an assistant but found himself elevated to the top role when veteran coach Murray Roulston pulled the pin after a couple of weeks. Beating a 2nd XV at one of the big schools is a huge deal for Taieri. "It gives us a bit of belief that we can compete, at least, against a few of these big teams," McTainsh said. Powerhouse loosehead Charlie Such was phenomenal. "His post-contact metres were enormous for us." No 8, Kupa Richmond, did some heavy lifting and tighthead Connor Jopson rolled up his sleeves as well. Halfback Liam Lord was tidy. And centre Sam Robertson looked energetic and scored a cracking try in the second half. In the other matches in the maroon pool, Mount Aspiring edged Cromwell 29-24 in Cromwell and Wakatipu beat Otago Boys 2nds 20-17 at Littlebourne. Southland Boys' remain unbeaten in division 1. They rolled King's 38-12 in Invercargill and the school's 2nd XV edged Dunstan 8-7. Otago Boys' rollercoaster season took another dip. They were defeated 29-26 by John McGlashan at John McGlashan College. In the blue pool, Māruawai/Menzies held on to beat John McGlashan 2nds 12-10 in Wyndham, St Kevin's travelled across town and beat rival Waitaki Boys' 15-12 and Central Southland recorded a 15-7 win in Winton.
Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Southland Boys' still unbeaten
Southland Boys' centre Caleb Harvey carries the ball forward during an inter-school First XV game at John McGlashan College on May 7. Photo: Linda Robertson Southland Boys' 1st XV has stamped is mark on the division 1 Southern School Rugby Championship. The Invercargill school are now the outright leaders of the competition after they thumped Dunstan 71-5 at Molyneux Park on Saturday. Winger Zeke Siolo picked up a hat-trick and first five Jimmy Taylor's haul of 21 points — including eight conversions — helped Southland Boys become the only unbeaten school and sit on 15 points. King's High Schools 1st were previously unbeaten as well, but they slipped after a 28-25 loss to rivals Otago Boys' 1st at the weekend. John McGlashan College 1st also recorded a tight 28-21 victory against Southland Boys' 2nd at Les George Oval. There were some big results in the Blue Pool as well. Waitaki Boys' remains at the top of that competition after recording a 35-17 win against Central Southland College at Peter Johnston Park. St Kevin's College made the most of a trip to Dunedin where they pumped John McGlashan College 2nd 87-7. Powerful No 8 Siu Fisipuna and winger Louie Hose collected four tries each for their troubles. Lock Flynn Kilbride returned home with a hat-trick. South Otago also had a solid 53-27 win against Maruawai/Menzies in Balclutha. In the Moroon Pool, Mt Aspiring College edged their neighbours Wakatipu High School 21-17 in a big second-half effort in Wānaka. There was another tight battle between Otago Boys' and King's 2nds, but it was Otago Boys' 2nds who came out on top 31-29. Cromwell College beat Taieri College 41-13 at home in a Friday night fixture. — APL
