After being outmuscled and outfoxed in the first half, Nelson College stormed home to nearly beat Marlborough Boys’ College in their 1stXV clash in Nelson this afternoon.
The visitors held on to win 28-26, their first victory over their neighbours in four years, and remain unbeaten at the top of the Miles Toyota 1st XV Boys’ Premiership.
Marlborough dominated the opening quarter as its forwards slogged away in muddy conditions but couldn’t break down the dogged defence.
A slew of penalties and turnovers kept the home inside pinned inside its own quarter and prop Mason Nicklin opened the scoring for the visitors.
It went prop for prop as Christiaan Botha hit back after a great solo run from halfback Wiremu Makea.
Then the rain arrived to make conditions even more testing.
Strapping Marlborough centre Anru Erasmus lived up to all the pre-match hype as his side went from outmuscling to outfoxing the defending champions.
Anru lined up for a penalty goal in front of the posts but instead chipped the ball wide and lock Finn Neal dived over to score in the corner.
The match officials conferred and the leading Nelson referee was heard, on the live Sky Television commentary, saying “look it doesn’t contravene any rule I can think of so it is a try”.
In fact the rule book states as Marlborough had not indicated it wasn’t kicking for goal, the try should have been ruled out and Nelson College awarded a scrum.
It proved a huge blunder in a close game.
Yet another Nelson College infringement led to Marlborough kicking a second penalty goal right on half-time to lead 18-5.
It was all Anro for its third try. He beat three players and kicked head, chased the ball down and scored.
A remarkable individual play in the conditions.
Down 25-5 with 30 minutes to play, Nelson College looked gone.
But with Marlborough reduced to 14 players, hooker Jack Potter grabbed a double within five minutes.
The first try came from a lineout drive, with flanker Billy Barlow helping to push him across the line and the second after lock Willie Horncastle secured lineout ball and Jack drove over from the resulting maul.
25-19 game on.
A third Erasmus penalty goal edged Marlborough back in front by nine points.
But it was now Marlborough consistently infringing and Nelson College captain Tom Perkins moved the ball wide to centre Mone Pouli who put away fullback Liam Soper to score in the 61st minute.
Wiremu’s conversion brought Nelson College within two points and the home side had all the momentum.
A length of the field break out was just defused, in goal, by Anro but when he lost the ball Tom thought he had scored in the corner.
But it was brought back for a scrum.
Nelson College had the ball in the final minute of the college clash but spilled it in midfield and Marlborough hung on to win 28-26, its fourth victory of the premiership.
At least the home side, which scored four tries to three, picked up two bonus points as it slipped to its second loss in six days.
Tom saying it was a tough result to take especially after they had sorted out their set piece and hung on to the ball for much of the second half.
Scores: Marlborough Boys’ College 28 (Mason Nicklin, Anru Erasmus, Finn Neal tries, Erasmus 3 pen, con, Josh Flynn con). Nelson College 26 (Christiaan Botha, Jack Potter 2, Liam Soper tries, Wiremu Makea 3 con).
