Well done to the 1st XI Football side in this weekends Premier Grade match. They managed to draw nil all with the very strong Rangers side, a team that beat them by 9 goals in a match last season.

Further north our 1st XV were playing their second game in the new Central North Island Competition. The following is a match report from Coach Steve Simpson.

On Saturday Francis Douglas Memorial College played their second game in the new Central North Island Competition against St Paul’s Collegiate in Hamilton. St Paul’s opened the scoring with an early penalty. FDMC’s Jordan Lampe responded with two penalties. FDMC continued to apply pressure with winger Nathan Clough just denied a try in the corner and hooker Ricky Riccitelli held up over the line. Poor kicking gave St Paul’s the opportunity to counter attack and they scored a try out wide to lead 8 - 6 at half time.

In the second half FDMC applied early pressure with Jordan Lampe kicking another penalty to take the lead. Both teams created a number of scoring chances but couldn’t finish due to either good scrambling defence or a lack of accuracy. Replacement first five Eli Kneepkens kicked two further penalties for FDMC to take the final score to 15 – 8.

Tight head prop Scott Mellow had a very strong game, well supported by both locks Dylan Schuler and Ethan Perrett. Open side flanker Liam Doherty worked tirelessly making a number of key tackles. In the backs centre Taani Uhila was a constant threat along with fullback Michael Blanks.

FDMC play St Pat’s Town in the Hibernian Cup on Wednesday 30 May KO 12.00

FDMC v NPBHS Wednesday 13 June KO 2.20pm

FDMC v Wanganui Collegiate in CNI Comp on Saturday 16 June KO 12.00

Congratulations to old boy Nathan Smith who is riding his bike all the way to London. Nathan has been named in the NZ cycling team for the London Paralympics.

We know Nathan will be taking the famous Smith competitive streak with him and feel sure he will represent all of us with great style and grit.

We provided the rugby fixture list a few posts ago. Below are the fixture lists for our Senior A Basketball and 1st XI Soccer teams It would be great to see a few old boys cheering the boys on.

We don't want to jinx it so we are making no bold predictions about our man Beaudy making the All Blacks just yet, but he is certainly mixing with the right people.

We do take some pride in the calm, assured and humble way he has so far handled his fairly meteoric rise up the rugby ladder.

Details of the article that went with this photo at Daily News.

Friday afternoon saw our annual school cross country event run over the green expanse of the school grounds.

It was well run and the students ran well. This year's champions being

Thomas Wright (Junior)
Nicholas Tipler (Intermediate)
Sam Fastier (Senior)

The photos below may jog a few memories for past students.

Thanks again for the support that Andrew Coulton has received from friends and old class mates.

It is going to be a long recovery process for Andrew but he was well enough yesterday to be transferred from Middlemore to Auckland Hospital. It is great to see how people have rallied round him and we know they will be there for him in the long haul ahead.

Yesterday's school fixture with St Bernard's  went very well.

The Senior A Basketball had a very good win 72 - 45 on Tuesday night against a strong line up who had got the better of us last year.

The 1xt XI Football team also came out strongly getting away to an early lead and closing the game out 4 goals to 1.

The 1st XV played well at times to revenge last year's defeat at St Bernard's with a solid 17 to 10 victory. This is the first step towards getting our name on the Hibernian Cup for the first time - we hope.

Being the good guests we are the Badminton team went game for game in the singles before providing St Bernard's with some success, going down 6 games to 3.

In all a successful exchange and we look forward to renewing friendships next year.

The winter has arrived with a cold shudder and we are suddenly in full winter sport mode. The 1st XV are busy at present having played Palmerston North BHS last Wednesday (a 33 -7 loss), Rathkele College on Saturday (a 72-10) victory and today fronting up to St Bernard's from Wellington.

Today's game is part of The Hibernian Cup which involves a number of Lower North Island Catholic schools. With the team not playing in the TRFU Under 21 grade this year (having won it for the last 8) the programme has been filled with a range of new college fixtures.

We will keep you appraised of results but you can download the overall programme by clicking on the file below.

We are reliably informed that today marks Br Bill Firman's 50 years as a De La Salle Brother. A remarkable living statement of faith and service.

Those who know Br Bill will know that he will not be dwelling too much on the past but be looking to the future and asking himself who he can help next.

Thanks for all your prayers and support for old boy Andrew Coulton. Andrew is still in a very serious condition in Middlemore Hospital but is stable and fighting hard.

Andrew's injuries came about from him being pinned under his forklift while working at Mainfreight in Auckland.

He is fortunate to have the support of family and close friends but we ask that you continue to think of him in your prayers.