Wins in eight of nine rugby games against Sydney Boys’ High delivered to The Armidale School the return of the Hannon and Harris Cup competition in five sports at TAS on 6-7 May.
High won the tennis and basketball on Friday night, whilst on Saturday the shooting was a draw and a senior football match was won by TAS. The hosts also won the majority of rugby relays, where four runners from each age group ran the length of the school’s main rugby field and a football passed to the next runner.
The two schools faced each other in nine rugby matches from 13s to Opens, with TAS only conceding one. After a two point loss to Kinross Walaroi School at Coonabararan the previous week, a focused TAS First XV were keen to go one better in what was their last pre-season fixture, and did not disappoint the home crowd. Harrison Jackson scored in the corner, but TAS was unable to convert. Lachie Thomas had a better result five minutes later, slotting the ball through the posts after Samuel Jackson-Bolton scored a runaway try under the posts. With a solid lead of 12-0 at half time, TAS ratcheted it up a level and overcame some ball handling errors made in the first stanza, with three tries to Oliver Mayhew-Sanders, Lachlan Cruickshank and Jack Radford, all converted by the outstanding boot of Lachlan Thomas, taking the board to 33-0 at full time.
Coach Alex Smith said the result augured well for the start of the GPS Third Grade competition this coming Saturday, when TAS and Sydney Grammar‘s Firsts hit the paddock at TAS.
“We are really looking forward to coming up against Grammar this weekend who at this stage look like they could be the premiership favourites. Like TAS, Grammar play an expansive game and throw the ball around. It will be a really tough matchup but after two strong performances in our last games I believe that if we play to our potential we can get up on the day. Fingers crossed for one of those special Armidale cold and frosty mornings to get the Grammar boys out of their comfort zone,” Smith said.
Andrew Knight nets one for TAS but Sydney High were convincing winners of the basketball on the Friday night of ‘High Weekend’
Toby Markerink managers to cross the line just ahead of his High competitor in the rugby relays at TAS on 7 May
Samuel Jackson-Bolton, makes a dash for TAS, supported by Michal Baldock, Oliver White and Joe Kingham
