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CMRFU Academy v Samoa U20 - Samoa won 36-31 played at Bayer Growers Stadium 16 May.
CMRFU beat Wesley College in first game of the season - 3 May
In a game dominated by drop balls due to the heavy rain and slippery conditions, Counties Manukau Rugby Football Union Academy beat Wesley College 1st XV 57-0 at Bayer Growers Stadium in the curtain raiser for the Chiefs Development v Tonga A match.
The CMRFU Academy had a slow start and it looked like Wesley College, wearing red instead of their traditional black would be tough competition. However once the Academy found momentum they gained space out wide and showed their speed on the wings by scoring five tries in the first half giving them a 31-0 lead at half time. Three of the first half tries were scored by Uwanakoro Tawalo (Uwa) from Onewhero, wearing the No 11 for the Academy and playing his third game in six days.
Wesley kicked it out on the full at the restart after the half time break and the Academy quickly moved down the paddock but were saved by the wet conditions and another dropped ball. The school side applied a bit of pressure in the first stanza of the second half but the Academy turned the ball over to get out of jail. Quick hands through the back line after a break in the advantage line gave the Academy another two tries to Uaa bringing his total to five tries. The Academy second five-eighth created space and looked threatening but lost the ball after a solid Wesley tackle.
In the start of last quarter, a chip and chase was picked up by the Academy hooker, Michael Lea who scored right under the posts. Possession swapped between the sides with Wesley looking threating again until the mobile Counties Manukau hooker Lea, made a good break up the side line before getting tackled. After messy play and handling errors the highlight came when the Academy centre, Tyrone Lefau split the defence and scored under the post to take the final score to 57-0. Click here to view photos by Richard Spranger FPSNZ
