MC Combined's Michael Hennings. Photo supplied.A chocka casualty ward and 80-odd points later, it was a severe lesson for Mid Canterbury Combined at the weekend.

Christchurch Boys’ High bore down on a depleted young Combined side with an 87-5 drubbing as they banked the necessary maximum to move into pole position in the UC Championship race.

Despite the heavy defeat, there was plenty of value gained from the experience, according to Combined’s pragmatic head coach Shane Enright.

“Even though this was the biggest loss of the 2020 season, we are all so proud that we never put up the white flag,” he said.

“Again, as a young team with 19 of the 22-man squad hopefully coming back to school next year, we will learn again from these experiences for the future.”

As has been the case all season, the visitors were not helped by a lengthy injury toll which includes Ben Middleton, Alex Barnaby, Fononga Lisala, Sam Ree and Cade Whittaker.

Alex Roderick is also gone for the season after he suffered a head knock during the weekend’s game.

Boys’ High raced out to a 29-0 lead after 25 minutes as the Christchurch team proceeded to command the breakdown.

Combined’s pack however fronted up at scrum time, despite conceding a significant weight advantage to the Boys’ High pack.

The visitors got themselves on the board after lock Pasi Hala tapped and went from close range to surge over.

Captain Michael Hennings also went close before the break when he picked-and-went from the scrum base, only for him to be held up.

“We talked at halftime that a lot of their points had come from our mistakes, missed tackles, ball lost in contact – and we weren’t that far out of the race.”

The hosts proceeded to up the ante in the second 35 as the score blew out.

Combined also lost hooker Josh Dunlea to the bin after taking an opposition player out in the air.

A handful of under-16 players made their UC Championship debuts off the bench.

Combined is back home this weekend where they will meet St Bede’s College.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 1 September 2020