Keen to finish on a high

ANOTHER STRONG GAME: Gisborne Boys’ High School first 15 No.8 and captain Quade Tapsell charges into a Hamilton Boys’ High player in a Super 8 secondary school game at the Rectory ground on Saturday. Tapsell continued his excellent form in a 48-3 loss to the visitors, who face Hastings Boys’ High on Saturday to decide the Super 8 title.Picture by Liam Clayton

GISBORNE Boys’ High are hungry to finish their Super 8 campaign on a high after their sixth straight loss here on Saturday.

The home side were outgunned 48-3 by Hamilton Boys’ High who, as expected, made it six consecutive Super 8 wins to set up a title decider against the Hastings Boys’ High juggernaut this Saturday.

Gisborne end with an away clash against Tauranga Boys’ College.

Gisborne head coach Tom Cairns said the Hamilton game was a reflection of how the season had gone for them.

“We were in it for two-thirds but finishing the game has been a problem.

“Even halfway through the second half, with 15 minutes to go, it was 22-3 and we had been on attack for a fair proportion of that.

“We were fighting hard, trying hard. We probably blew a few opportunities but I was pretty happy with two-thirds to three-quarters of the game.”

A powerful gameCairns said captain and No.8 Quade Tapsell had another powerful game: “a lot of carries and he led well”.

Halfback Quintony Ngatai ran the ship well and defended strongly against some “pretty big boys” while openside flanker Dylan Hall “had another big game”.

Cairns said they would look to improve for this weekend’s match with Tauranga and a win was not out of the question.

“You have a go at everything when you’ve had a hard year.”

Tauranga have a record of three wins and three losses but the two sides share some similar results. That suggests if Gisborne can up their game, they will test them.

Tauranga lost 64-0 to Hastings on Saturday.

Cairns says the Hastings-Hamilton match should be good.

“If I was betting the house, it would probably be on Hastings. They’ve got a lot of firepower.”

Hastings go in having scored 355 points and conceded three in their six Super 8 wins, which include a 100-0 decimation of Palmerston North Boys’ High.

Gisborne end their season with a home game against Te Aute on August 12.

Cairns said they were trying to get the tradition of playing Te Aute each year going again.