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Kahuku Goes 4-0 in NZ

irish rugby tours

Kahuku Goes 4-0 in NZ

Prop Atimoa Tongi powers ahead.

Kahuku HS finished off a tour of New Zealand to cap off what has been a superbly successful season, going 4-0 to follow up on a Pacific Cup victory in April.

"W had a lot of pride in our senior class - they carried the team this season," said Head Coach Seamus Fitzgerald.

Kahuku opened up the trip with a 32-14 defeat of Kamo HS in Whangarei. The players had not been in-country for long and the jet lag perhaps contributed to a slow start - Kamo led 14-13 at halftime. However, three second-half tries saw the Hawaii team home.

Next up was Kaitaia College in Kaitaia, which Kahuku won 36-29, followed by a 17-14 win ovr Fraser HS in Hamilton. The week-long trip finished off with a 29-13 defeat of Tauhara College in Taupo. 

Uluamu Niutupuivaha dominated in the lineouts.

Because Sekope Latu didn't make the trip, Christopher Tuliloa moved to No. 8 and he had a huge tour, scoring five tries in the four games and providing plenty of go-forward off the back of the scrum. The midfield combination of Na'a Tooraa and Harmon Brown were lethal on defense and combined for five tries. Steveni Lombard captained the squad in the last two gams and the hooker scored in each of those games - lurking menacingly on the wing. 

Pacific Cup MVP Nathen Fuluvaka was injured in the second game but returned for the finale to score nine points.

"This is by far the best team we've had," said Fitzgerald.