Cairns NZSS assistant coach

FOLLOW THE LEADER: Gisborne Boys’ High School first 15 skipper Naera Tipoki leads the charge against New Plymouth Boys’ High. Tipoki will be a key player when Gisborne host St Peter’s College of Auckland tomorrow. Picture by Paul Rickard

GISBORNE Boys’ High School first 15 will want to celebrate coach Tom Cairns’s selection as assistant coach of the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ (NZSS) team with a win against St Peter’s College of Auckland in an interschool clash on the Rectory field tomorrow.

Cairns will assist Hurricanes attack coach Jason Holland for games against the New Zealand Barbarians schoolboy team, and the Fijian and Australian secondary school sides at Auckland in September.

But he was reluctant to talk about his appointment . . . “That’s not a story; let’s talk about the game tomorrow”.

Eventually he agreed, on condition that we acknowledged it was not an individual honour but one that belonged to all the coaches and players he had worked with over “many years”.

“It’s also a community honour,” said Cairns, who has been head coach of the Boys’ High first 15 for 13 years.

“It’s recognition for the district and the many talented coaches and boys that have been involved in rugby.

“We’ve had a lot of quality coaches and players, some who have gone on to play at the highest level — All Blacks — and we have some very talented players in this year’s squad.

“Naera Tipoki (Gisborne Boys’ High skipper and flanker), Sam Matenga (GBHS prop) and Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta (Te Araroa, now attending St Kentigern) played for the Hurricanes under-18 team who smoked their Crusaders counterparts 64-20 last week. Naera started and Sam and Te Ahiwaru came on.”

“We had nine players attending the Hurricanes schoolboy training camp last week.”

Cairns said being coach of the Gisborne team would not present any problems when he and Holland sat down to decide the NZSS squad.

“The best players will get picked,” Cairns said.

“Our boys understand that and would expect nothing less.”

However, knowing that the NZSS assistant coach is watching should provide an extra incentive for Gisborne and St Peter’s.

“It’s about playing for your team and your mates, not yourself,” said Cairns, who will be without regular lock Symon Tyler-Burke.

“He’s got a head knock, nothing serious but we’ll give him this week off to help him get ready for next week’s Super 8 game against Hamilton.

“The good news is we have players returning from injury — hooker Colby Putnam, and backs Michael Tabadravu and Nathan Rangihuna — who have been back training this week.”

Gisborne go into tomorrow’s match on the back of a 22-14 victory over New Plymouth Boys’ High in their last Super 8 game, in Gisborne before the school holidays.

Hamilton and Hastings are leading the Super 8 competition. Both have 20 points, although Hastings have played a game less. Ngati Porou Seafoods GBHS are fifth on the table, with 11 points.