A second half blitz has delivered NZ Schools a 34-3 win over Australian Schools & U18s in Canberra to start the two Test series.
The scoreline fails to reflect the close nature of the game as both sides were locked in a fierce arm wrestle for most of the match.
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The scores were level heading into the final 30 minutes before a late charge led by NZ captain Ollie Mathis delivered the Kiwis the win.
The Australians set the tempo early as Brothers and Reds lock Fergus Gillan collected a dropped kickoff and almost barged over the line inside the first 15 seconds.
They nearly scored from a 5m lineout minutes later as Wyatt Ballenger was held up over the line by a scrambling Kiwi defence.
Disaster then struck for the Aussies, with centre Xavier Rubens sent off in the 13th minute for a dangerous tackle on NZ fullback Isaac Murray-Macgregor.
Rubens collected Murray-Macgregor in the air as he leapt for a high ball, landing on his neck.
Despite the red card, the Australian Schools side held strong in defence, limiting their Kiwi counterparts to a penalty goal after sustained pressure on their line as they returned to 15 men
This combined with a dominant scrummaging from the hosts, especially tight-head Will Goddard, kept them in the contest as a booming effort from fullback Finn Prass levelled the scores at the break.
Prop Logan Wallace scored the opening try in the 51st minute, burrowing over from close for the New Zealanders for a well-deserved five-pointer.
A 50-22 from flyhalf Rico Simpson five minutes later put the visitors back on the attack, only for the Aussies to hold them out.
It took a match-winning stint from Kiwi captain Mathis to put the game out of reach for the hosts.
The flanker finished a great interchange of hands between backs and forwards for their second try before bumping off four defenders and finding Josh Tengblad for their second try in four minutes.
Aisake Vakasiuola sealed the win with three minutes to go as attention turns to Monday's second Test in Canberra.
New Zealand Schools 34 (TRIES: Mathis, Vakasiuola, Tengblad, Wallace; CONS: Simpson 4; PENS: Simpson 2) def Australian Schools and U18s 3 (PENS: Prass)
