You don鈥檛 think these two might be crossing paths again in the future?
Ngwati coolly slotted a 45-metre penalty goal in the driving rain on the last play to give sa国际传媒 double-A top-ranked SMUS a heart-racing 16-15 victory over the sa国际传媒 triple-A No. 3 Oak Bay Barbs in less-than-ideal conditions on a slippery SMUS pitch.
鈥淲e practise this all the time in the rain, so I treated it as just another kick,鈥� said Ngwati, a member of the Canadian U-19 team.
鈥淢y teammates are the ones who got us in that position to attempt the kick. We have great camaraderie among our Grade 12s, who have been together for a while [including on last year鈥檚 sa国际传媒 championship team].鈥�
The Grade 12 standout Ngwati has, for now, decided on the Rugby League version of the sport and signed with the Toronto Wolfpack, the first pro Rugby League team in sa国际传媒 and the first in North America to play with the 13 English and two Welsh pro teams in League 1.
鈥淗e鈥檚 got a good future, whatever [code] he plays,鈥� said Anscombe.
The national team coach was impressed by both sides in the latest edition of the SMUS-Oak Bay rivalry, which has historically produced an abundance of capped players for sa国际传媒.
鈥淭here were some good footballers out there who definitely have ability,鈥� said Anscombe.
That includes SMUS flanker Bryn Haydock, who had a strong game.
Evan Hannigan scored the SMUS try while Ngwati kicked three penalty goals and a convert.
鈥淣erves don鈥檛 affect [Ngwati],鈥� said SMUS coach Ian Hyde-Lay.
A prominent Oak Bay rugby family was much in evidence as David Carson and Nick Carson scored the Barbs tries while Jack Carson kicked a penalty and convert.
Meanwhile, the rising Belmont Bulldogs won the Col. Hodgkins Cup for third place by defeating Glenlyon Norfolk 43-29. Reynolds beat Ladysmith 10-8 in the Community Shield, Claremont blanked Edward Milne 21-0 in the Community Bowl for fifth-sixth place and Oak Bay defeated Claremont 61-26 in the junior high final.
The Island high school championships are next Thursday at Brentwood College and the sa国际传媒 championships May 31-June 3 at Rotary Stadium in Abbotsford.
