Mid Canterbury Combined’s Cory Adams takes the ball to the St Thomas of Canterbury defence during his side’s loss on Saturday. Photo Heather MackenzieTheir second half was probably the best they’ve played all season, but it wasn’t enough to save Mid Canterbury Combined from another loss in rugby’s UC Championship on Saturday.

They hosted a big and physical St Thomas of Canterbury side at the Ashburton College field on Saturday in the latest round of the Crusaders region secondary schools’ competition and went down 40-15.

Their winless season may have continued, but coaches Brent Middleton, Andrew Morgan and Warren Donald felt their young charges could well and truly hold their heads up high after the match.

St Thomas’ dominated proceedings in the first half, leading 26-3 at half-time, with Mid Canterbury Combined’s only points coming off the boot of Sam Ree.

“In the first half we turned over a lot of ball to be honest.

“Our ball retention … we were pretty disappointed in that,” Middleton said.

But, things changed in the second half.

“They played probably some of the best football they had played in the second half,” Middleton said.

Mid Canterbury Combined scored 12 second half points, to St Thomas’ 14.

“Against a side like St Thomas’, that beat Christchurch Boys, they played really well,” Middleton said.

“As we said to them, if they had held the ball in the first half all of a sudden it would’ve been a totally different game.”

Mid Canterbury Combined crossed for two tries in the match, with one going to Mark Gabriel and the other to Bob McDonald, while Ree added a conversion.

Middleton said the score wasn’t a true reflection of the game.

“If they can play that way for a full 70 minutes you never know what could happen.”

The Mid Canterbury Combined boys have a particularly tough ask in front of them in the next round though, in the form of competition leaders St Andrews, who they played pre-season in Methven.

St Andrews were the only unbeaten side after seven rounds of this year’s competition, with Nelson College currently sitting in second after handing Christchurch Boys’ High School their third loss of the season on Saturday.

By Erin Tasker © The Ashburton Guardian - 17 June 2019