Rain rules at Highlanders trial

Editor

With unseasonal rain and cold temperatures providing a damp background to the internal trial, the St Kevins Highlanders selection beat a Waitaki Highlanders selection 31-0 at Weston Domain, Oamaru, on Friday.

With unseasonal rain and cold temperatures providing a damp background to the internal trial, the St Kevins Highlanders selection beat a Waitaki Highlanders selection 31-0 at Weston Domain, Oamaru, on Friday.

Both teams played with the intensity that was expected of a game where individuals went head-to-head in a race for starting places in the Highlanders' Super 14 squad.

With two weeks to go to the Highlanders' opening match, against the Reds in Brisbane on February 15, the players were eager to showcase their skills and put forward their case to coach Glenn Moore to be in the season's first starting XV.

The intensity and passion of the players was evident from the start with a number of punches being thrown by players who, in any other game, would be supporting and encouraging each other.

The Highlanders squads were also joined by members of the wider training group and North Otago and Otago provincial players.

The players now return to Dunedin to play their first game of 2008 at Carisbrook, when they take on the Blues in their last pre-season game next Friday.

Scorers:
Not available

Teams.

St Kevins Highlanders: 15 Paul Williams, 14 Brett Mather, 13 Ben W Smith, 12 Johnny Leota, 11 Fetu'u Vainikolo, 10 Daniel Bowden, 9 Jimmy Cowan (captain), 8 Steven Setephano, 7 Alando Soakai, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Tom Donnelly, 3 Jed Vercoe, 2 Peter Mirrielees, 1 Chris King.
Replacements: 16 Tobias Sekona, 17 Jamie Mackintosh, 18 Justin Ives, 19 Sean Romans, 20 Blair Stewart, 21 Randall Kamea, 22 A N Other.

Waitaki Highlanders: 15 James Wilson, 14 Lucky Mulipola, 13 Niva Ta'auso, 12 Aaron Bancroft, 11 Karne Hesketh, 10 Mike Delany, 9 Toby Morland, 8 Ezra Taylor, 7 Tim Boys, 6 Seko Qaraniqio, 5 Hayden Triggs, 4 Isaac Ross, 3 Clint Newland, 2 Jason Macdonald (captain), 1 Keith Cameron.
Replacements: 16 Matt Holloway, 17 Toetu Hausia, 18 Joe Mamea, 19 Ross Hay, 20 Lewis Hancock, 21 Ben R Smith, 22 A N Other.

Referee: Chris Pollock
Touch judges: Josh Noonan, local

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