Their most impressive victory so far came with a commanding 59-5 win over St Kevin’s in the Southern Schools Rugby Championship held in Dunedin on Saturday.
McGlashan decided not to participate in the breakaway South Island Boys’ Schools competition, opting instead to stay out of the contest with the more competitive teams.
This decision seemed wise after they faced an unexpected 19-17 defeat to Central Southland College in Winton during the opening round of the SSRC.
Coach Kilifi Fangupo noted that the team was in a rebuilding phase and managed to break free against St Kevin’s.
The initial strategy was to maintain a tight game in the wet weather, but that plan was quickly abandoned.
“The boys were charging forward from the start and kept the ball moving,” Fangupo remarked.
“It felt like they were playing in dry conditions. But yes, we’re pleased with the outcome.”
Leading 38-0 at halftime, McGlashan maintained their dominance.
Winger Yoko Fujii was particularly elusive, scoring three tries. His agility makes him a challenging opponent — quick as a rocket and hard to catch.
First five and captain Zac Cunningham also shone for McGlashan, expertly directing plays and converting six kicks.
“He just kicked the ball deep and capitalized on their errors. We ended up playing in their half. I thought he managed the game well,” Fangupo added.
Lock James Kinney put in a strong performance, aggressively advancing the ball, tackling with intensity, and managing the lineout effectively.
Elsewhere, Central Southland College had a straightforward 40-5 victory over Mount Aspiring in Winton, though the remaining three matches were tightly contested.
Taieri College narrowly defeated Hokonui Colleges 26-20 in Mosgiel, South Otago triumphed over Dunstan 20-19 in Alexandra, and Wakatipu and Waitaki Boys’ ended in a 19-19 stalemate in Queenstown.
In the South Island Boys’ Schools competition, Southland Boys’ overpowered St Thomas of Canterbury 41-0 in Invercargill to lead the standings.
Meanwhile, King’s was overcome 39-31 by St Bede’s in Christchurch, and Otago Boys’ is set to face Timaru Boys’ in Timaru tomorrow.
