Kirk Ngatai makes a run against New Plymouth Boys' High School in his last home game for Gisborne Boys' High School's first 15. Picture by Paul Rickard
Now their watch has ended.
Gisborne Boys' High School first 15 captain Amos Roddick and teammates Khian Westrupp, Sione Mafileo, Nic Proffit, Kirk Ngatai, Sam Twigley and Bryan Howard brought the curtain down on their rugby careers at home, bowing out in heroic fashion with an 18-17 come-from-behind win against New Plymouth BHS.
The Ricky Tito-coached, Rowan Slater led-New Plymouth, who have not won at the Rectory in 13 trips since the first meeting - 12-6 to GBHS in 1970 - remain second on the Super 8 table and took a bonus point for the loss within five points. The visitors led sixth-placed GBHS 17-10 at the 42 minute-mark but couldn't hang on as the hosts recorded their 18th win overall v NPBHS in 23 games.
Gisborne will play Palmerston North away for fifth spot to finish the season. New Plymouth host third-placed Moascar Cup holders Rotorua Boys' High School at the Gully in the 2 v 3 Super 8 semi-final: the Moascar Cup is not up for grabs. Two-time defending Super 8 champions Hamilton will host Napier in 1 v 4.
Roddick spoke for his delighted crew: “We'd worked hard all week for our older boys playing their last game at the Rec, so we're chuffed. We couldn't be happier with how it went - that was a great way to leave the field.”
GBHS head coach Ryan Tapsell said that he was proud of his team's match-effort, that they'd produced their best rugby within the confines of their agreed process and that fullback King Maxwell beat a host of other deserving candidates to be Gisborne's Most Valuable Player. To quote the coach directly: “They've poured their blood, sweat and tears into the Rectory field this year - for three years in three cases - so to walk off the Rectory with a win is a moment they'll never forget.”
Gisborne Boys' running first-five Nic Proffit and his capable opposite, Jack Parker, were both influential: their line-kicking and use of the boot in general play with an eye for space was good. Proffit and Ngatai's strength gave another important dimension to GBHS' play: counterattack, through their ability to beat even quality balanced opposition one-on-one.
Blindside flanker Sam Twigley was superb in defence and his terrier-like persistence in the tackle contrasted nicely with the crushing embrace of Kitini Taihuka and Roddick's hammer-like physicality. Rising to the challenge for New Plymouth in not just his core roles but around the ground was hooker Naca Raniu, who snaffled loose ball and when in possession made good metres over the advantage line, while NPBHS captain Slater and his 6ft 4in, 15-year-old second-row partner Jacob Mitchell were also prominent. Mitchell's athleticism extended to making a cover tackle on GBHS second-five Corbyn Peach in front of New Plymouth's posts in the second half.
Mitchell was also a force at the front of the line-out as GBHS' locks Max Briant and Dylan Bronlund too worked hard non-stop, the former proving well-worth his second start and the latter his normal dynamic self. The midfield clash of Peach and Von Huata, with NPBHS' Levi Rewiti and Jone Rova, was another key contest. Peach's ability to read play and Huata's direct approach - as with Rewiti's unselfish class assist to Rova - made for great rugby.
NPBHS fullback Matua Robinson, who scored two tries on the right-wing in the visitors' 27-5 win last year, played well again but play didn't run his way.
Mindful of COVID-19 alert level 2 restrictions and GBHS as hosts' compliance with the same, fans of both schools had to content themselves with a view from outside the ground.
Roddick won the toss, choosing to play from the Rectory end and New Plymouth under lock Rowan Slater opted to kick off with a fitful Southerly breeze at the visitors' backs.
The referee was Matt Smith, with assistant referees Aaron Brown and Hugh Fitzgerald.
New Plymouth opened the scoring in the 13th minute of play, Mitchell at 2 winning an attacking line-out at the 22 on the right side of the ground. Halfback Liam Day sent the ball left and four phases later, No.8 Che Potaka went blindside from a goal-line ruck set up by Day to score in the corner.
Parker converted for 7-0.
Four minutes later, Gisborne struck back. Roddick won an attacking line-out m from the right corner. From a ruck in front of the posts, Ngatai cleared left to Proffit, who found Roddick on a curling run. Roddick's timing on the last pass to Maxwell - who tightroped the sideline - was perfect. Maxwell scored, minus the conversion, for GBHS 5, NPBHS 7.
Parker kicked a 40m penalty from 6m to the left of the posts in the 20th minute for 10-5 - he having earlier wowed the crowd with a pinpoint accurate wide bomb from centrefield for left-wing Samuela Vakadula and a kick-pass back to Rova in his own half.
But GBHS had the last say: Twigley won a 5m attacking line-out on the right, Gisborne picked the ball up and drove five times before referee Matt Smith awarded them a penalty. Two rucks later and - on halftime - Roddick scored 15m to the left of the posts. That Gisborne's all-round forward effort was rewarded with a try to their fiery captain for 10-all at the break in the last home game of the year was incredible.
Two minutes after the resumption, GBHS reserve left-wing Whetu King-Taufa - who had made an excellent save in cover defence, Parker having grubber-kicked down the touchline - was issued with a yellow card.
In the 42nd minute, NPBHS scored. From an attacking scrum set 10m from GBHS' posts, in line with the left post itself, the visitors won their own ball and pressed four times within striking distance on the right of the ground. Finally Day cleared left to Parker, who dodged a missile and got the ball to Rewiti for the last pass to Rova. Rova dotted down 10m to the left of the posts - Parker converted for 17-10.
Maxwell kicked a 27m penalty goal from in front of the posts in the 47th minute to draw the home team within one try of the lead and in the 60th minute, New Plymouth lost Potaka for ten minutes with a yellow card.
The ruling was made at the breakdown on NPBHS' goal-line, 10m to the right of the posts: Gisborne opted to tap-kick the ball and surged three times to score before hooker Nathaniel Hauiti grounded the ball for 18-17. Smith checked with AR Fitzgerald: the try was given in the 61st minute and GBHS led for the first time in the match.
Parker took a 50m penalty kick in the 66th minute, was 2m to the right in the attempt and a GBHS team who have been bonded tightly together in a turbulent season in what is at present as tough a first 15 competition as any in NZ (five of the last 10 national champions have been Super 8 teams), recorded their second Super 8 victory of the year, and their second win in the last two.
New Plymouth's first-year head coach Ricky Tito said that he knew GBHS to be proud, tough opposition to beat at home and that they were especially tough at the breakdown: “They never let us get going.”
Rowan Slater - whose New Plymouth crew, if they beat RBHS this weekend, may well face 12 times-Super 8 winners Hamilton at HBHS in a fortnight - was as gracious in defeat as he had been competitive on the field.
“We had our chances but didn't take them. Our set-piece and back strikes were good at times; still, Gisborne's a resilient side, which the end result reflected,
“Credit to them for finishing strongly and coming away with the win.”