Gisborne BHS take on St Peter’s

GOING FOR THE GAP: Gisborne Boys’ High School’s Niko Lauti looks for a gap in the game against Hastings Boys’ High School in Gisborne last month. Lauti and his teammates will look to continue their recent good form when they play St Peter’s College of Auckland at the Rectory field tomorrow. Picture by Paul Rickard

RUGBY

They should be there in droves.

Gisborne Boys’ High School rugby is back on deck at the Rectory field tomorrow, with the traditional fixtures against St Peter’s College of Auckland.

Both the second 15 (11am, referee Jake Robertson) and first 15 (12.30pm, referee Matt Smith) games will be played on the No.1 ground.

Six members of the Boys’ High first 15 attended the Hurricanes under-18 camp during the first week of the school holidays and made a favourable impression on the selectors. Having gained from that environment and experience, those players have returned to Gisborne determined to play well in their school’s second-last home game of the year.

In the last game played here, on June 30, the Mark Jefferson-coached Gisborne team beat New Plymouth Boys’ High 50-12, record their first Super 8 win of the season and reverse a five-game losing streak, outscore the visitors by seven tries to two and hand New Plymouth their 11th straight loss at the Rectory.

The quality of rugby the Gisborne team produced against New Plymouth deserves to draw a bigger crowd than the 700-odd who saw that sparkling performance. The skills, pace, flair and unselfishness shown throughout — with a low error-rate to boot — were impressive.

St Peter’s College are a fine team, currently placed second in Auckland’s demanding 1A schools competition behind St Kentigern’s, but ahead of Sacred Heart and Kings. Their regular captain, No.8 Niko Jones, son of All Black great Sir Michael Jones, will start this game on the bench due to injury, with hooker Naryan Strickland deputising.

The Auckland team began their season with a win against De La Salle College and have won eight games from nine, Kings having beaten them 32-17.

St Peter’s have nine returners from last year’s team, including 15-year-old first five-eighth Ajay Faleafaga.

Their coach, Walter Alvarez, is in his 15th year with the side.

“We’re young — not big — but these boys are very talented, although Gisborne are very tough to beat at home,” he said.

“We want to play at pace.”

GBHS first 15, 1-22: Salesi Niuvao, Billy Priestley, Amanaki Tonga, Ofa Tauatevalu, Khian Westrupp, Chayse Sheridan, Dylan Hall (captain), Jordan McFarlane, Quintony Ngatai, Quinn Collard, Tonihi Raureti, Niko Lauti, Michael Fox, Matt Proffit, Moses Christie.

Reserves: Seth Lundon, Salesi Niuvao, Tonihi Raureti.

St Peter’s first 15, 1-23: Zyon Holo, Naryan Strickland (c), Hamdahn Tuipulotu, Leo Ngatai-Tafau, Marcel Fa’afono, Malipolo Manukia, Chris Halaufia, Tito Tuipulotu, Sam Wye, Ajay Faleafaga, Paumongau Uhatafe, Dhynzel Pritchard, Apetone Vaka, PJ Tonga, Josh Loveday.

Reserves: Kelepi Halaufia, Lo’amanu Havea, Semisi Tapa, Kobe McLean, Ben Fuhiniu, Reece Suesue, Folau Latu, Jericho Asi.