Silverstream dig in to lift trophy

CHRIS SKLETON/The Dominion Post

JUST THE TICKET: The St Pat's Silverstream first XV are ecstatic after their late charge secured them a 21-13 victory over St Pat's Town in the premier one rugby competition at Porirua Park on Monday night.

It look an Alekana Laupola try to ignite the St Pat's Silverstream first XV into action and to celebrate their first premier Wellington secondary school rugby title in a decade.

St Pat's Silverstream defeated their Town rivals 21-13 at Porirua Park on Monday night.

The powerful No8 scored the game's opening try seven minutes into the second half as Silverstream took the lead for the first time in the game, after the scores were locked 3-3 at the break.

Laupola's try was timely and exactly what Silverstream's coaches had ordered. However, what followed from the restart sealed the victory for the side that had already been beaten twice this winter by St Pat's Town and had finished the round-robin competition in fourth place.

"It was one of the things we talked about for the second half," Silverstream captain Opetera Peleseuma said.

"We wanted to get down there because we knew that we may only have one chance to score a try." To score a second, with second-five Timoti Nicholls crossing over from the kickoff, was beyond Peleseuma's expectations.

"We just got lucky I guess," he said. "The word for us was brothers."

That catch-cry rang out as St Pat's Town made several breaks during the second half, only to have them snuffed out by some devastating tackles.

Although St Pat's Town closed the gap to five points when Tausosi Tuimavave scored with less than 10 minutes remaining, Peleseuma reminded his team-mates of what they had talked about leading into the final.

"We were playing for each other and for those [Silverstream] teams who have come this far before and didn't make it," he said.

While Laupola and Nicholls took the try-scoring glory, much of the platform for the success lay with the forward pack.

"We knew that Town backed their forwards and I had said at the start of the season that so did we," Silverstream coach Simon Stack said.

"We decided to take them on up front, it was all about intensity and doing what you needed to do."

For Stack, Monday night's success was sweet.

In the 10 years since the side last won the premier trophy, they had come up short on four occasions. Two of those were with Stack at the helm.

"Third time lucky, absolutely," he said.

For Silverstream their focus is now on Saturday's away game against Napier Boys' High in the national knockout competition.

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