A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
RUGBY
Gisborne Boys’ High School rugby switches from Hurricanes Tranzit Festival mode to Super 8 tomorrow, with the first 15, second 15 and under-15s away to Palmerston North Boys’ High School.
First 15 head coach Mark Jefferson and his team know what’s at stake.
“This is Super 8 and it goes towards Hurricanes Secondary Schools qualification, so the boys are keen,” he said.
“We’ve been working on being more direct in our second-phase play and reloading on attack so that we can have more depth there.”
Palmerston North were placed sixth and Gisborne, eighth, in last year’s Super 8 competition but Gisborne have played good rugby in the past month.
With prop Tyrin Wyllie unavailable, the only change to the line-up who lost 26-14 to St Patrick’s College Silverstream on Friday night will be on the reserves bench, where second 15 halfback Jordan Christie will come in.
It has been wet in Palmerston North and similar conditions are expected tomorrow. In 2016, wet weather caused the game to be moved to Manawatu Arena, where Gisborne won 28-27.
Last year, Palmerston North prevailed 21-3 at the Rectory here and in 2015 Gisborne won 23-7. The last three games have all been rain-affected.
Palmerston, who with Napier Boys’ High won three out of three in the Tranzit Festival, are coming off a 35-8 thrashing of St Pat’s Town at the weekend.
Their captain, first five-eighth Stewart Cruden — younger brother of All Black Aaron Cruden — played his first “white jersey” (traditional interschool Super 8) game against Gisborne Boys’ High here in 2015.
Palmerston North Boys’ High old boy Blair van Stipriaan, sixth-year head coach of the home team, said: “Gisborne is a huge game for us. We’re like-minded schools — Gisborne teams are super well-prepared, really physical and aggressive. It’ll be full noise.”
Palmerston North are never easy to beat at home: discipline and accuracy will be vital to the Gisborne Boys’ High cause.
Quinn Collard is classy, a running first-five with an excellent kicking game. Lock Ofa Tauatevalu has recovered from the shoulder injury he suffered against Silverstream and will start — a major plus for the visitors’ hopes at the lineout.
Captain and openside flanker Dylan Hall heads a team resolved to win in Palmerston North: “We’re focused on building a platform. We back ourselves.”
The first teams play at Palmerston North Boys’ High at 12.30pm. The second 15s and u15s play at Coronation Park at 9.50am.
Gisborne Boys’ High School first 15 (1-22): Nikau Maxwell, Billy Priestley, Amanaki Tonga, Ofa Tauatevalu, Sione Ki-niua, Chase Sheridan, Dylan Hall (c), Jordan McFarlane, Quintony Ngatai, Quinn Collard, TK Reihana, Poumana Gemmell, Michael Fox, Matthew Proffit, Moses Christie. Reserves: Seth Lundon, Salesi Niuvao, Jordan Christie, Khian Westrupp, Amos Roddick, Niko Lauti, Tonihi Raureti.
GBHS second 15 (1-22): Moko Kiwara, Seth Lundon, Sione Mafelio, Thomas Farr, Setefano Tolu, Adam Whibley, Amos Roddick, Blake Beard (c), Jordan Christie, Ricardo Patriceo, Keane Williams, Maru Kawana, Von Huata, Tonihi Raureti, De Villa Pirihi-Coutts. Reserves: Reef Harris, Henare Brooking, Corban Richter, Tatau Grant, Benito Barry, Hunter Tangira, Teoatahi Taihuka.
GBHS under-15s (1-22): Drake Wanoa, Matariki Kaa/Reweti Ropiha, Kitini Taihuka, Tylah Keelan-Phillips, Saylahr Paaka, Eniasi-Rukea Hiroki-Sinoti, Lochi Mead (c), Nick Patumaka, Kyran Russell/Silas Brown, John Horua, Caleb Billington, Irie Eyles, Whetu King-Taufa, Mikaere Marino-Moore, Western Poutu. Reserves: Chrysler Stevens, Siope Fakahokotau, Nathaniel Hauiti, Reweti Ropiha/Matariki Kaa, Silas Brown/Kyran Russell, Jackson McDonald.