The Australian Schoolboys created rugby union history yesterday with a first-ever victory over New Zealand Schools on Kiwi soil. The young Australians scored two tries to one to win a bruising match 15-11 in New Plymouth.
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The breakthrough result also delivered back-to-back triumphs over NZ for the first time following a win in Sydney last year.
The trans-Tasman rivals first met at schoolboys level in 1978, when the Kiwis won 7-6 in Auckland, the first of 19 triumphs in 26 matches home and away.
Australia, who led 8-3 at halftime, never trailed throughout the match.
Coach Rob Nowlan was elated with the victory.
“As I said to the boys in the dressing room later – ding dong, the witch is dead,” Nowlan said. “I think that brought home to them precisely what they’ve achieved.
“They are a great bunch of kids and an outstanding team.”
Nowlan praised the performances of his backrow, led by blindside flanker Eddie Quirk.
“Our backrow was outstanding today,” said Nowlan.
“They won the contest at the breakdown, they were in there like missiles.”
Australian Schoolboys 15 (Kotoni Ale, Kenneth Robertson tries; Eddie Bredanhann pen, James Ambrosini con) bt NZ Schools 11 (Blade Thomson try; Kane Adams 2 pen goals).
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