Girls’ High and Wairoa go through

THREE IN THE TACKLE: Gisborne Girls’ High School’s Vicky Kaloni is tackled by Maia Rickard (left), Taley-Jade Kemp (right) and Manaia Hutana (back). Girls’ High won two out of three games against Lytton in the girls’ u19 sevens tournament at the Rectory ground this week. Picture by Liam Clayton

RUGBY SEVENS

They’re going back. Gisborne Girls’ High School will represent Poverty Bay-East Coast in the Condors seven-a-side tournament for the third year in a row.

They won what was, in effect, a “best of three” under-19 series against Lytton High School in the qualifying tournament at the Rectory ground this week.

Wairoa College went through in the u19 boys’ section and Gisborne Boys’ High School Black beat GBHS White to be Poverty Bay-East Coast u15 champions.

The u15s national tournament will be held on November 29 and 30, while the u19s will follow on December 1 and 2. Both will be held at Sacred Heart College at Glen Innes in Auckland.

Lytton had a 28-21 comeback win against Gisborne Girls’ High in Game 1 of qualifying but Girls’ High bounced back to win the second meeting 19-14 and won the “decider” 22-14.

The player of the u19 girls’ tournament was Naomi Alovili, who also shared the Gisborne Girls’ High MVP (most valuable player) award with Kaipo Olsen-Baker.

Kelsey Teneti and Anahera Whaanga-Smith shared Lytton’s MVP honours.

The u19 boys’ player of the tournament was Gisborne Boys’ High first five-eighth Quinn Collard. His first 15 teammate Niko Lauti was Gisborne Boys’ High MVP.

Hugh Taylor was Wairoa College MVP.

For Lytton in the u19 section, the MVP award was shared by Rueben Waihape-Kaaho and Morgan Hodgetts.

Tyrese Nepe and Anaru Paenga-Morgan won the MVP award for GBHS u15 Black while for GBHS u15 White that honour belonged to Whetu King-Taufa.

For Lytton, the MVPs were Matekino Puhia and Tui Tuwairua.

The boys’ u15 MVP of the tournament was Kitini Taihuka of Gisborne Boys’ High.

Black followed up their 31-24 win against White in round-robin play with a 22-5 victory in the final.

The u19 final between GBHS and Wairoa finished two minutes early because of a concussion to Wairoa’s Te Wharekura Ropitini.

Although Boys’ High were 29-0 ahead when the game ended, Wairoa College will be the Poverty Bay-East Coast u19 representatives at Sacred Heart because they have enough players available to travel.

Lytton High School will represent the region at the girls’ u15 national tournament at Sacred Heart. Under coach Trish Hina, they are working hard and will play in the Bay of Plenty secondary schools’ tourney in Mt Maunganui on November 10.

Poverty Bay Rugby Football Union rugby development officer Dwayne Russell was impressed by Quintony Ngatai (GBHS u19s), Lochi Mead (GBHS u15 Black captain), Wairoa’s Gabriel Doull and Gisborne Girls’ High School’s Youth Olympic gold medallist Azalleyah Maaka.

Russell said Girls’ High and Lytton were great ambassadors for local girls’ sevens.

“It bodes well for the future,” he said.

“We are sure to see many more following in the footsteps of Bay of Plenty’s Renee Holmes, Auckland’s Sulieti Halafihi, world champion Black Fern Charmaine McMenamin, Wallaroo Anita Maynard, and Carys Dallinger and Azalleyah, who both represented the first Poverty Bay women’s team to qualify for the national tournament.

“With five girls selected a couple of months ago for the New Zealand Vault team (Lytton’s Kelsey Teneti, Georgia Teneti and Taley-Jade Kemp and Gisborne Girls’ High School’s Gabby Wainohu and Kaipo Olsen-Baker) this is solid evidence for us to be measured by.”

The club sevens for men and women will be held at Rugby Park on November 10. Players wanting to take part should get in touch with their nearest club.

The representative season will start with a Hawke’s Bay tournament on November 17 before the Central 7s qualifiers in Levin on December 1.

The nationals are scheduled for December 15 in Tauranga.