College Sport Media
  • Home
  • About
  • Love what we do?
  • Articles
    • Athletics/XC
    • Bike
    • Bowls
    • Boxing
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Hockey
    • Netball
    • Rowing
    • Rugby League
    • Rugby Union
    • Sailing
    • Softball
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Volleyball
    • Water Polo
    • Weight Lifting
    • Other
  • Videos!
  • Advertise with CSM
  • History of National Events
  • NZ Schools Rugby
    • NZS 2017
    • NZS 2015
    • NZS 2014
    • NZS 2013
    • NZS 2012
    • NZS 2011
    • NZS 2010
    • NZS 2009
    • NZS 2008
    • NZS 2007
    • NZS 2006
    • NZS 2005
    • NZS 2004
    • NZS 2003
    • NZS 2002
    • NZS 2001
    • NZS 2000
    • NZS 1999
    • NZS 1998
    • NZS 1997
    • NZS 1996
    • NZS 1995
    • NZS 1994/95 Tour
    • NZS 1994
    • NZS 1993
    • NZS 1992
    • NZS 1991
    • NZS 1990
    • NZS 1989
    • NZS 1988
    • NZS 1987
    • NZS 1986
    • NZS 1985
    • NZS 1984/85 Tour
    • NZS 1984
    • NZS 1983
    • NZS 1982
    • NZS 1981
    • NZS 1980
    • NZS 1979
    • NZS 1978
    • NZ Schools Stats
  • Index of Articles
  • Partners
  • Youth Olympics 2018,2020
  • Emerging Talent
  • College Rugby Draws
  • Home
  • About
  • Love what we do?
  • Articles
    • Athletics/XC
    • Bike
    • Bowls
    • Boxing
    • Basketball
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Hockey
    • Netball
    • Rowing
    • Rugby League
    • Rugby Union
    • Sailing
    • Softball
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Volleyball
    • Water Polo
    • Weight Lifting
    • Other
  • Videos!
  • Advertise with CSM
  • History of National Events
  • NZ Schools Rugby
    • NZS 2017
    • NZS 2015
    • NZS 2014
    • NZS 2013
    • NZS 2012
    • NZS 2011
    • NZS 2010
    • NZS 2009
    • NZS 2008
    • NZS 2007
    • NZS 2006
    • NZS 2005
    • NZS 2004
    • NZS 2003
    • NZS 2002
    • NZS 2001
    • NZS 2000
    • NZS 1999
    • NZS 1998
    • NZS 1997
    • NZS 1996
    • NZS 1995
    • NZS 1994/95 Tour
    • NZS 1994
    • NZS 1993
    • NZS 1992
    • NZS 1991
    • NZS 1990
    • NZS 1989
    • NZS 1988
    • NZS 1987
    • NZS 1986
    • NZS 1985
    • NZS 1984/85 Tour
    • NZS 1984
    • NZS 1983
    • NZS 1982
    • NZS 1981
    • NZS 1980
    • NZS 1979
    • NZS 1978
    • NZ Schools Stats
  • Index of Articles
  • Partners
  • Youth Olympics 2018,2020
  • Emerging Talent
  • College Rugby Draws
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

21/8/2018

Tapa helps St Peter’s to the top of 1A

Picture
St Peter's College celebrating their win. Photo: Ben Gardner.
​“I was in the ruck. When I looked up and saw that, I thought we’d lost,” Semisi Tapa from St Peter's College recalls of the dying stages of the 1A Auckland rugby final against King’s College on Saturday.
 
Down 28-29, Kings centre Lukas Halls busted down the left wing and kicked ahead into open space, leading the charge for the ball only to fumble five metres short of the line.
 
St Peter's had to clear from the defensive scrum to win the match.
 
“I was screaming ‘we need this,’ ‘we need this,’ Niko Jones told me to relax,” Tapa laughs.
 
Tapa’s intensity was a big reason for St Peter’s success. The powerful blindside flanker scored a try and made a series of rigourous runs and smashing tackles in a Player of the Match display. The St Peter’s start was dreamlike - ahead 17-3 after 20 minutes.
PictureSemisi Tapa (front) and teammateshead to halfway after a St Peter's try. Photo: Ben Gardner.
“I think that’s the best rugby we’ve played this season. We haven’t started well against the big teams so we wanted to change that on Saturday,” Tapa reveals.
 
“When we ran out on to Eden Park and saw how much support we had, that was pretty inspiring,” Tapa continues.
 
King’s rallied from their large initial deficit and claimed the lead early in the second-half. St Peter’s regrouped quickly and didn’t lose the lead for in the last 20 minutes.
 
“I was pretty nervous when King’s got ahead, but we had to relax and go back to our systems. King’s are a great team and we expected them to come back,” Tapa says.

Picture
The leadership of Niko Jones helped St Peter’s maintain cool heads.
 
“Niko is a good player and a great guy. He has the respect of all the boys and it’s pretty cool when his dad (Sir Michael Jones) helps out occasionally,” Tapa acclaims.
 
Dylan Mika and Peter Watt were two figures who helped St Peter’s rugby out considerably. The former was an All Black and Samoan flanker who attended St Peter’s and took an avid interest in affairs after leaving. Watt was a teacher and old boy at the college for 30 years and had a vast involvement in rugby. Both men passed this year and Tapa insists the contribution of both is never far from the thoughts of the team.
 
“We are very grateful for what Peter and Dylan did for the school. Dylan was especially close with Niko and Michael so it’s important we play for them, when we play.”

PictureSt Peter's supporters. Photo: Ben Gardner.
Tapa is determined to do his family proud every time he plays and one of the most enduring images for the final was of Tapa leaping into the stand to embrace his folks at fulltime.
 
“I felt so great. The crowd was going crazy and I just wanted to see my family. When I saw them I jumped up and forgot to worry about being injured,” Tapa laughs.

St Peter’s will play the winner of Westlake Boys’ High School and Kaitaia College in the Blues Regional final in two weeks’ time. The winner of the match will advance to the National Top Four.
 
St Peter’s won the National Top Four in 1987 and 2000.

Picture

    Archives

    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Organisation

College Sport Media is dedicated to telling the story of successful young sportspeople in New Zealand

Use of articles

All rights are reserved for commercial use.
Any Educational Institution or official sports governing body may use material with acknowledgement to College Sport Media 
© COPYRIGHT 2015.-2021 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.