Nico Davel’s last-second penalty lifts Hilton past Michaelhouse
The latest Hilton College vs Michaelhouse rugby clash was more of the same, if by that one means next-to-nothing in the contest and a clash that was decided only in the last seconds.
On Saturday, on Gilfillan Field, Hilton had control of those last seconds and a successful penalty kick from substitute Nico Davel, which was followed by the final whistle, resulted in a 23-21 Hilton victory.
While the home side celebrated a win that kept their record clean – seven wins out of seven in 2026 – Michaelhouse was left deflated after a superb fightback in the second half. Down 0-13 at halftime, they snatched a late 21-20 lead, but Hilton struck back with a sucker punch and seized a last-gasp win.
Michaelhouse enjoyed the better of the first 15 minutes of the game, camping inside Hilton’s half and won a penalty, but Alex Jankowitz was wide with his kick at goal. That was later evened out when John Grubb mishit a kick from a similar distance for Hilton.
After that let-off, Hilton ground their way up the field, and Grubb knocked over two penalties as Michaelhouse kept the home side at bay with ferocious defence inside their 22.
The first try of the match came five minutes before halftime, and it was a corker, scored by one of the smallest men on the field, Tom Gurupira, who delivered one of the contest’s biggest performances.
He ran it in from 40 metres out, with his searing run beginning on the right touchline before he weaved inside to slice open a path between four Michaelhouse defenders and finish beneath the uprights.
Grubb’s conversion kick gave Hilton a decent lead at the interval, but one that could be overhauled with two converted tries. It wasn’t safe.
Early in the second half, ‘House injected life into the clash when Jankowitz, running a hard and direct line, crashed through two tacklers and fended off a third before diving over to the left of the uprights. He converted his own try to reduce the deficit to only six points.
Michaelhouse quickly returned to Hilton’s 22 and set up a lineout only five metres out when they won a penalty. Hilton captain Andrew Schnell, however, rose high and claimed the throw-in. He was a force in the set piece throughout the contest, coming up with some critical steals.
“We’re lucky we’ve got Andrew Schnell. Our captain is probably one of the best in the business. He did a great job for us,” coach Brad Macleod-Henderson commented.
Had Michaelhouse won that throw-in, a good rolling maul would have taken them across the line mere minutes after their first try, and momentum would have been firmly on their side. Instead, it was Hilton who scored the next five-pointer and, again, it was Tom Gurupira who provided the finish, making the dive for five in the right-hand corner after Schnell stole a Michaelhouse lineout deep inside the visitors’ 22.
With flyhalf John Grubb off with an injury, fullback James Peattie took the conversion kick from wide on the right and nailed it. That proved to be a vital contribution to Hilton’s win.
Trailing by 13, Michaelhouse roared back. Within three minutes, they crossed Hilton’s try line for a second time, with scrumhalf Ben Hughes cleverly playing Jed Reilly into space with an inside pass, which put the big flank over just right of the poles. Jankowitz slotted the easy conversion, and Hilton’s comfortable lead was no more.
Michaelhouse had the bit between their teeth, and they powered their way back into Hilton’s 22. The Hilton defence, which had kept ‘House at bay in the first half, was now creaking, and hooker Max Oliva breached it with six minutes to go, crashing over after a sustained forward assault on the home team’s try line.
Jankowitz nailed the pressure conversion kick, and the red and white hoops hit the front for the first time.
With just over a minute remaining, Hilton attacked down the left through Liyema Gazi. Closed in, around the halfway line, he launched a kick infield. A nasty bounce put ‘House fullback Reece Cole under pressure, and as he attempted to gather the ball, Gazi hit him hard, jarring the ball loose.
In a flash, outside centre Guy Fender grabbed it and drove hard towards the try line. After nine drives at the Michaelhouse line, the referee stopped the action and raised his right arm, signalling a penalty against Michaelhouse for not rolling away.
Nico Davel nailed the kick.
“Luckily, the boys stuck with it until the last minute,” Hilton coach, Macleod-Henderson, said.
He praised Michaelhouse, too, saying: “We knew they would keep coming at us. They’re a great side. They’ve had some big wins this year. They’re a very gutsy side, and luckily today we just got over the line.”
“In the second half, it was all Michaelhouse,” he added candidly. “Fortunately, we found two points’ scoring opportunities in the second half, and that just got us over the line. I’m very relieved.”
Reflecting on the winning sequence, he said it was one of many key moments in the game. “We had a penalty 40 metres out, with a couple of minutes to go, and that was turned around. Luckily, we put some pressure on their lineout and got the ball back. We kicked for the corner, found a little bit of space on the edge and put the ball through. We had a lucky bounce. We got the ball back.”
With the victory, Hilton increased their tally versus Michaelhouse to 99 wins. They’ll have an opportunity to score number 100 at Michaelhouse, on Meadows, on 20 June.
‘House leads a remarkably close rivalry by only two with 101 wins, and 10 matches have finished in draws.
Scorers
Hilton College 21 (13) – Tries: Tom Gurupira (2). Conversions: John Grubb, James Peattie. Penalties: John Grubb (2), Nico Davel.
Michaelhouse 21 (21) – Tries: Alex Jankowitz, Jed Reilly, Max Oliva. Conversions: Alex Jankowitz (3).
