New GBHS coach Jefferson expecting tough encounter

Follow the leader: Dylan Hall will captain Gisborne Boys’ High School’s first 15 this season. Picture by Paul Rickard

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FORMER Poverty Bay Heartland rugby captain Mark Jefferson has taken over from Tom Cairns as Gisborne Boys’ High School first 15 head coach.

“Tom is in charge of rugby overall at the school so having his experience will be invaluable,” said Jefferson, whose side go into tomorrow’s first home game, against Kelston Boys’ High School, on the back of a 47-10 win against Lindisfarne College last week.

“I don’t know a lot about Kelston but they have been traditional rivals and I’m expecting a tough match,” Jefferson said.

“I expect them to have a big strong pack with good outside backs. It would be good to get a big crowd for our first home game.”

Jefferson, who will be in charge of the attack, has a good off-field team around him — with Ryan Tapsell in charge of defence, Jamie Swift working on conditioning and Cairns concentrating on set pieces.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge of taking the team,” Jefferson said.

“We’ve got 11 boys back from last year, who will all be bigger and stronger, and will benefit from having played last year.

“We’ve also got a first five-eighth from Rotorua, Quinn Collard, who is held in high regard. Dylan Hall (openside flanker and head boy) will captain the team.

“We’ve also got Billy Priestley (hooker) and outside back Moses Christie, who had good seasons last year, back this year.”

Priestley and Quade Tapsell (who has left school) were selected to play for the Hurricanes under-18 team who beat their Crusaders counterparts 25-10 in a Super Rugby curtain-raiser last year.

Boys’ High first 15 and second 15 take on their St Edmund (Australia) opposites on Tuesday at Rugby Park, 4pm and 6pm.