“They love their jersey — that showed — and they always fight to the end.”
Napier retained the Football Challenge Cup they have held since their 22-16 win at Napier four years ago. The head-to-head count is now 57 to GBHS, 39 to Napier and five draws since 1915.
Gisborne captain and openside flanker Amos Roddick said it was a fast game. Napier started hard and Gisborne gave a 100 percent effort throughout.
The teams' players of the day were Gisborne Boys' High fullback King Maxwell and Napier Boys' High blindside flanker Max Ratcliffe.
In front of a sun-baked crowd of 500, under referee Sheldon Eden-Whaitiri, it was high-tempo stuff from the start.
Napier right wing Wesley Akeripa scored the first try at the 20-minute mark for 5-0 but the story of the first half was one of Napier working hard and Gisborne tackling equally hard. The Roddick-led Gisborne team fought for every metre in the tackle or with ball in hand. It was low-scoring rugby for a 5-0 scoreline to Napier at halftime.
In the 50th minute, second five-eighth Tipene Maxwell scored for 10-0, 12-0 with first-five Carlos Kemp's conversion. Left wing Ethyn Martin scored in the 60th minute but couldn't convert his own try. Tighthead prop Mitchell Curran's try, in the 65th minute, was converted by Kemp.
GBHS first-five Nic Proffit looked classy at times, while No.8 Khian Westrupp and centre Von Huata had strong games defensively. Every Gisborne player committed himself.
GBHS head coach Ryan Tapsell was proud of the toughness his team showed, while being aware of key moments in the game and paths not taken.
“We worked hard, defended for 50 minutes and then made it into their 22 — we needed to score and capitalise,” he said.
“We know what we need to do. We need to be dialled-in; we need to be clinical.
“We'll be working this week to get that right.”
