College Rifles produced a commanding performance on Saturday, securing a 60-10 victory over Papatoetoe at home to celebrate their ANZAC heritage.

Helped in large part by the visitors ill-discipline, Papatoetoe played out just over 60 minutes of the match with only 14 men after three yellow and one red card.

That isn’t to take away from an expansive College Rifles game plan, first five-eighths Otu Mausia directed play well in the first half, while Tumua Manu proved to be elusive in the mid field.

It was Manu that opened the scoring in just the second minute of the match. In what looked like a set move off a line out, he sliced straight through the defence to go in under the posts.

Papatoetoe looked to match that intent and were straight away testing the College Rifles defence at the other end of the field. Josh Tafili ran strongly and in good field position captain D’Angelo Leuila slotted a drop goal to get his team on the scoreboard.

Shortly after that Papatoetoe received their first yellow card and the home team capitalized on the numbers advantage.

A solid line out drive saw College Rifles in great field position and after a few phases around the ruck Mausia sent a skip pass out wide and Lolohea Loco went over unmarked in the corner.

College Rifles kept piling on the pressure but for the most part, Papatoetoe’s goal line defence held strong.

It was when the home team had a bit more room to move that they proved dangerous, a midfield chip kick from Mausia was collected by Pasqualle Dunn to go over for a try and in that same movement Tafili was yellow carded.

Only one try came from the following 10 minute spell, with Manu going in for his second and giving College Rifles a 26-3 lead.

Papatoetoe’s fate was all but sealed when, within a minute of returning to the field, Tafili was shown his second yellow card for a dangerous tackle, and in doing so was red carded for the remainder of the match.

College Rifles closed out the half with a try to centurion Russell Dobbie, impressive off loading and support play outdoing the defence.

Five second half tries saw the score line blow out, though Papatoetoe tackled relentlessly.

Mausia was first in before Manu selflessly gave up a hat trick with a pass over the try line to Loco for his second.

A piece of individual brilliance from College Rifles halfback Harry Hanham saw one of the best tries of the match.
He got a foot to the ball at the base of the Papatoetoe scrum and then showed great pace to out run the Papatoetoe outside back on a 60 metre dash to the line.

Papatoetoe were rewarded for their persistence was a try to prop Vili Tauofaga after several phases at the line.
Two quick tries in the closing minutes to replacement backs Chris Hiko and Broc Hooper saw the final score 60-10.

College Rifles 60 (L Loco 2, T Manu 2, P Dunn, O Mausia, R Dobbie, H Hanham, C Hiko, B Hooper tries, O Mausia 4, B Hooper 1 con)
Papatoetoe 10 (V Tauofaga tries, D Leuila con, D Leuila d/goal) Halftime: 33-3