School rugby: Sides on winning streaks to clash

Aquinas College First XV player Andrew Norman at training. Photo / File

The Te Kani Shield travels to Rotorua tomorrow with holders Aquinas College First XV, who will take on Western Heights High School in division one of the secondary schools competition.

Western Heights are one of the competition favourites but the under-rated Aquinas College team have shown their resilience throughout the season, effectively running the team on their own without a coach until recently.

Both teams have won their opening two games.

Mount Maunganui first five and Steamers prospect Pera Gibbs has been a great help in preparing the team physically and now they have coach Buck Taylor at the helm. Tomorrow's big challenge will be the measure of the grit and determination that has seen Aquinas perform as well as they have throughout the Chiefs Trophy and start of the competition round.

Captain Callum Hoare will need to lead his team well to combat the tough physical approach of the Western Heights team. It will be a great battle of the backlines, with James Wood of Aquinas and Brad Munro of Western Heights leading the attacks.

The match will be played at Western Heights High School, kicking off at 12pm.

In other games, Bethlehem's Te Whare Kura o Mauao will take on Whakatane High School at home, while Trident High School will travel to Otumoetai College, who last week lost to Te Whare Kura.

Opotiki College will host the ever-improving Bethlehem College.

Super 8: Round 3
Tomorrow, 12pm, Nicholson Field:
Tauranga Boys' College First XV v Napier Boys' High School.
TBC: Round 1: v Rotorua BHS lost 43-5; Round 2: v New Plymouth BHS lost 20-8.

Secondary Schools, Division 1
Tomorrow, 12pm (home team first):
Otumoetai College v Trident High School; Te Whare Kura o Mauao v Whakatane High School; Western Heights HS v Aquinas College; Opotiki College v Bethlehem College.