This year the college decided that the best opportunity for our senior touch teams to have success was to enter our top players into the mixed competition at regionals. On a glorious day in the sun, Newlands convincingly beat Taita 11 – 3, before drawing with Paraparaumu 7 all.. At the end of pool play, Newlands was on equal points with Paraparaumu but had a superior number of tries and thus went onto face Wainuiomata in the playoff for the final. In a tight affair Newlands came through 4 – 3 to meet Upper Hutt in the final. The final saw Newlands take a commanding lead which they never looked like relinquishing winning 5-2.
This victory sets up Newlands to attend the Central Qualifying tournament for Nationals on March 24 in Palmerston North.
Congratulations to the 15 players and to Mr Fransen and Mr Staite who made that wise decision to go the mixed route!