Feilding thriller has Gisborne Boys’ High primed for Kelston First XV clash

Gisborne Boys' High School have strength in numbers as they combat Feilding High School No 8 Taine Anapu-Burke in a First XV rugby match at Feilding's "Dog Pound" home ground last weekend. Gisborne won 36-31. Photo / Feilding High School

Anything is possible for the Gisborne Boys’ High School First XV of 2026.

Their 45-38 win over Lindisfarne College in Gisborne on March 21 put them on a launching pad.

A 36-0 whitewash of Mount Maunganui College away a week later constituted a successful launch.

And their latest success, 36-31 over 2025 national Top 4 secondary school finalists Feilding High School in Feilding on Saturday, put them on track for a big performance against Auckland 1A titans Kelston Boys’ High at the Rectory field this Saturday.

Kelston, at home, survived a second-half rally by GBHS to prevail 8-3 last year. Gisborne’s last win in the fixture was 32-24 a decade ago at the Rectory.

Gisborne’s win over the Justin Lock-coached Feilding in the Central North Island pre-season competition has set up a humdinger of a clash.

“For our young team to beat an experienced, top-flight Feilding team was excellent,” said Tom Cairns, who heads a Gisborne coaching crew of Mark Jefferson, Miah Nikora, Johnathon Poole and Adam Cranston (trainer).

“We were happy with our attacking structures, how we flowed on attack, but also that our smaller forward pack was brave in defence. The boys stuck to it, but we know that we’ve still got plenty to work on both in defence and attack.”

Lock said Feilding struggled to build pressure in the first half and made too many errors, while Gisborne took their opportunities.

“Both teams played better rugby after the break, but Boys’ High deserved that result as they maintained possession going into the wind once they’d worked their way into good field position. They played with intent.”

Lock was particularly impressed by Gisborne captain and hooker Max Hammond, first five Ruan Ludwig and right wing Sakenasa Senivono, who scored two tries.

Fullback Jerakye Dygas, tighthead prop Lea’asi Tupou, halfback Coen-Theros Brown and second five Manawanui Stewart also scored tries. Ludwig landed three conversions.

Gisborne scored after two minutes of the match, officiated by Manawatu’s No 1 referee Matt McEwen.

From a free kick 28m out from Feilding’s goal-line, Brown sent the ball left and sleight of hand in the midfield and a pass from Senivono put Dygas away in the left corner.

Ludwig converted for 7-0.

Dygas returned the favour to run in Senivono in the ninth minute, and Ludwig’s conversion made it 14-0.

Gisborne scored their third try after 22 minutes. From turnover ball, they made a thrust down the right side and centre Tana-Boy Haerewa gave a well-timed assist to the pacy Senivono, who scored in the corner.

Feilding fired back 24 minutes in with a try to blindside flanker Eli Satchwell on debut.

Gisborne, 19-5 up at the break, scored a great try five minutes after the resumption.

From a lineout in Feilding’s 22 and over five phases, Gisborne took the ball left and then forward with true intent, and Brown went over.

Down 24-5, Feilding swung on to the front foot after the restart, working play left and right over six phases before halfback Elias Ayre fed skipper Lucas Goodman, who scored under the crossbar.

First five Mac Foreman landed the first of his three conversions to close the gap to 24-12.

After a break to treat an injured Ludwig in the 45th, Gisborne won a lineout 10m from halfway, only for Feilding lock Dante Brown to rip the ball from them. After recycling the ball six times, Goodman scored between the posts again, and Foreman converted for 24-19.

In the 54th minute, 10m from the line, Brown tap-kicked for Hammond, who powered forward in one of four charges made by the Gisborne pack before scrum anchor Tupou scored. Ludwig was on target with the conversion to put Gisborne 31-19 ahead.

The hosts hit back in the 61st minute with a storming run down the sideline by left winger Jone Lecia, who stepped by the last defender and gave the movement a superb finish.

Three minutes later, Goodman was stopped millimetres short of the goal-line and the ball was sent left for Lecia to score his second try. Foreman’s sideline conversion levelled it 31-all.

Gisborne sealed their third and toughest win of the season in injury time.

From a scrum set centre-field, 15m in Feilding’s half, Brown went right and, over 11 phases, the Black and Reds worked their way towards the line, where Stewart slid across to score in the corner.

SCOREBOARD

Feilding High School First XV 31 (Lucas Goodman 2, Jone Lecia 2, Eli Satchwell tries; Mac Foreman 3 con) Gisborne Boys’ High School First XV 36 (Sakenasa Senivono 2, Jerakye Dygas, Lea’asi Tupou, Coen-Theros Brown, Manawanui Stewart tries; Ruan Ludwig 3 con). HT: FHS 5 GBHS 19.

• Gisborne Boys’ High School Second XV face Kelston at noon on Saturday (officials Thomas Nukunuku, Tony Watson, Eben Boyder) at the Rectory field, followed by the First XV game at 1.30pm (Keelyn Smith, Neville Barwick, Ray Young).