The PIC Steelers Academy side enjoyed a valuable hit-out over the weekend against a touring side from Argentina.
The CASI side brought three age-group teams (CASI 1, 2 and 3) for a 10-day tour of New Zealand and played games against the Counties Manukau Academy and Grammar TEC U21s and U85kg sides on Friday night at Cornwall Park.
The Steelers Academy side was missing the seven players selected to play in the Chiefs U20s and backfilled those spots with players from the 2022 academy.
The local outfit performed well in very wet conditions, beating the CASI 1 team 21-0 in half a game of footy.
“The boys played outstanding rugby against CASI 1 (their top team) with some really good “ball in hand” rugby, executed to a high level in wet weather,” said Academy manager Richie Harris.
“The Academy scored three tries and possibly should’ve had two more.”
They then swapped fields and played half a game against the CASI 2 side, where they were forced to make some injury-related changes.
The side played well, scoring a couple of tries, but were beaten on the full-time whistle by a 50m penalty kick.
“Overall it was a great experience and I’m very pleased with how our players performed,” Harris added.
“Many thanks to manager/water boy/motivational speaker Andy Phillips and Academy physio Tayla Thornton, who worked tirelessly through wet weather to support the boys.”
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