Westlake Boys High have won rugby’s World Schools Festival after beating Ireland’s St Michaels 28-21 in a classy final at the Pattana Sports Resort in Thailand.
Westlake Boys High have won rugby’s World Schools Festival after beating Ireland’s St Michaels 28-21 in a classy final at the Pattana Sports Resort in Thailand.
It continues New Zealand’s dominance of a tournament that Hamilton Boys’ High won in 2022 under its new format and also underlined Westlake’s continued emergence as a powerhouse rugby school after finishing runners-up in New Zealand’s national first XV championship this year.
In a match played with rolling subs and water breaks to compensate for the heat, Westlake led 14-0 at halftime, firstly through a try from Blues academy U18 flanker Travis Findlay from an inside pass from Isaac Murray Macgregor, who then converted.
Sidestepping Westlake lock Brooklyn Pohio added a second converted try just before the break.
Myles Berman pulled a converted try back for St Michaels at the start of the second half, but Westlake centre and New Zealand U18 representative James Cameron struck back immediately with a line break and big fend to make it 21-7 after Murray-Macgregor converted.
Berman scored again for St Michaels following a lineout inside the Westlake 22, to make it 21-14, but Westlake second-five Jarlon Lisaltele immediately restored a margin of safety with a bumping run through four tacklers to make it 28-14.
St Michaels, from Dublin, scored again to set up a grandstand final five minutes, but Westlake – who had grown in confidence and cohesion as the week-long tournament progressed – were worthy winners.
