Falcons fly in final fling

The smiles are back on the faces of the Marlborough Boys’ College First XV today after they completed a superb season with victory on the college front field.

The Falcons overcame arch-rivals Nelson College 31-21 in the battle for third and fourth place in the Miles Toyota premiership.

However, the biggest battle for both sides was to pick themselves back up for one more match after agonising semi-final losses last weekend – MBC losing 36-34 to Christ’s College at Lansdowne Park and Nelson being beaten 37-35 by Christchurch Boys’ High School in Christchurch.

Today’s match was also for the prized Whangamoas Trophy, claimed by MBC in a controversial clash with Nelson College earlier in the season.

The local side will hold onto the trophy for the summer and join a select number of MBC First XVs who managed to do the double over Nelson over the course of a season.

Although the main prize was not on the table, both sides turned on a willing display of high-class secondary school rugby, befitting their lofty positions in the premiership.

However, it was the home side who held an edge from the early stages and, despite the usual fightback from Nelson College, they were able to maintain that advantage until the final whistle.

Three first half tries, two converted by Josh Flynn, saw MBC build a 19-0 lead on the back of field position created by defensive pressure and a strong kick chase, then finished off by no-frills forward power.

However, when Nelson scored a converted try just before the break to cut the deficit to 12 points, then dotted down in the corner soon after the resumption to close the scoreline to 19-14, it was game on.

Undaunted, MBC continued to attack and, with midfielders Kyan Marcroft and Anru Erasmus to the fore, created immense pressure on the Nelson goal line defence, which cracked when co-captain Rico Nicklin surged over.

At 26-14 home fans were beginning to relax, before an opportunist try following a charge down by Nelson’s Flynn Simpkin and a third conversion by Wiremu Makea closed the gap to five points once more and sparked visions of a late comeback among the Nelson contingent.

But the Falcons had not finished, winger Vilikesa Nawaqavonono latching onto a pin-point cross kick from first five Thomas Blackmore to score in the corner and push the margin past one converted try.

Nelson continued to attack as the final minutes ticked by, but eventually they ran out of time, leaving MBC to celebrate and reflect on a season in which they lost only one match, putting together a remarkable string of results against some top-class opposition.

It would be unfair to single any individuals out of the hard-working Falcons’ pack, everyone contributing to a dominant effort up front and at set piece time.

Nelson’s best were No 8 Tom Perkins, lock Apolosi Bolatuku, hooker Jack Potter, halfback Daniel Manson and fullback Archie Geddes.

Scores: MBC 31 (Rico Nicklin, Vilikesa Nawaqavonono, Jordyn Gardiner, Jake Gane, Anru Erasmus tries, Josh Flynn 3 con) Nelson College 21 (Tawhiao Whitham-Tekotua, Liam Soper, Flynn Simkin tries, Wiremu Makea 3 con). HT: 19-7 MBC.