Rugby First XV: Hawke’s Bay schools’ Super 8 final chances dashed

Hawke’s Bay’s hopes of a team reaching the Super 8 schools First XV rugby finals were dashed on Saturday when Tauranga Boys’ College and Hamilton Boys’ High School secured top-two spots with one game to go.

Hastings Boys’ High School travelled to Tauranga with high hopes of a win over the undefeated home side, but after coming back from 12-3 down at half-time to lead 20-19, they were defeated 41-30.

With Hamilton having defeated Gisborne Boys’ High School 64-5 in Hamilton, Napier Boys’ High School’s 44-36 victory over New Plymouth Boys’ High School in New Plymouth had become irrelevant to their chances of any revenge for the school’s loss to Hamilton in last year’s final.

Tries for Hastings were scored by fullback Walter Kava, wing John Lameko, flanker Reed Paewai and prop Elijah Vui, while Tana Faumuina took two penalties and two conversions in the opening five-eighths.

Napier, beaten by Hamilton in last year’s Super 8 final, scored five times in the first half of Saturday’s match to put New Plymouth 29-14 up at the break. The points eventually came from tries by B. Campbell, props Damian Annandale and Fasitau Lapa, wing Ruben du Plessis, halfback Zach Forster and reserve wing Angus Lovatt, while second five-eighths Luke Thomas added a penalty and three conversions.