The Mount Aspiring College (MAC) boys 1st XV secured a scrappy 17-12 win over Taieri College in Wānaka on Saturday (June 25).

Only a try on full time secured the victory in a match which MAC was favoured to win comfortably.

“The stats say it all really, 18 handling errors and only winning a third of our line outs was a poor performance from us and we’re really fortunate to get the win,” MAC coach Craig Read said.

“We have some hard training this week to improve for the St Kevin’s game.”

Errors plagued MAC through the first half after loose forward Otis Harry scored early for the home side.

Taieri relished plenty of possession and field position which they used well to trail 5-7 midway through the half.

Taieri continued to pin MAC in its own half with a good kicking game before some welcome phase play resulted in a try to prop Will Miller to give MAC a 12-5 advantage at the half time break.

Things didn’t improve much for MAC in the second half; the team continued to squander possession both in general play and at the set piece. Taieri kept up the intensity and was rewarded when a team member scored in the 47th minute to even things up at 12 points all.

Taieri grew with confidence, keeping up the superior kicking game and MAC was lucky not to go behind when Taieri missed a penalty shot at goal.

The game looked to be heading for a draw when MAC showed what the team were capable of when things went right. With ball in hand they stepped up the tempo of the game and worked their way towards the Taieri line where quick hands led to centre Ben Simmers going over in the corner to seal the win.

MAC travels to Oamaru this Saturday (July 2) to play St Kevin’s College which was relegated from division one after the first round.

MAC points:

Tries: Otis Harry, Will Miller, Ben Simmers

Conversions: Cullen Meyer.

Other results:

South Otago HS 17 Otago Boys HS 2nd XV 23

Wakatipu HS 31 St Kevin’s College 19

Division 1:

Waitaki BHS 19 King’s HS 36

Dunstan HS 12 John McGlashan College 53

Southland BHS 32 Otago BHS 10

PHOTO: Supplied