Skipper primed for Gisborne HSOB centenary match against Ngatapa

High School Old Boys' Zane Boyle on the charge against Ngatapa in a Poverty Bay Premier club rugby game at the Oval last year. Boyle and his teammates will do battle with the men in green on Saturday as part of the HSOB centenary celebrations.

George Halley is a Blue and White patriot.

And the second-year captain of the Earthworks Solutions High School Old Boys is all too well of the occasion as he and his team prepare for their HSOB centenary weekend clash with Ngatapa on Saturday.

“We’ve been looking forward to this and are really proud to don the colours for the centenary. It’s special to be captain and to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said 31-year-old Halley, six years a Premier Grade player.

“All of our boys love rugby, spending time at the club through trainings, games, social functions and helping out where we can. My twins Kobe and Luka play for our Under-10s now so, as with many of us, the Junior Advisory Board has become a big thing for our family, which is awesome.

“We’ve had great numbers at training, a good pre-season behind us and a lot of excited guys in the camp. There’s been a huge buzz around the club lately. This is our only chance at this.”

Halley and head coach Wayne Ensor’s 28 man-squad squad will play the Sione Ngatu-coached Larsawn Ngatapa on Oval 2 at 2.15pm following the 11am-1pm squash exhibition at the Surf City courts and centenary football match between CNG Plumbing HSOB Black Hearts and CNG Plumbing HSOB Eels on Oval 1 at 1pm.

Ngatapa titan Ngatu, their second-year coach and the Poverty Bay Wekas’ most capped player with 154, has deep knowledge of the clubs’ great rivalry

“HSOB always play tough rugby versus Ngatapa, so it’s cool to be invited to play them on their centenary,” he said. “One hundred years is a major for any club, and we’re honoured to be part of it.”

The match officials are Gisborne Boys’ High School’s Joel Pearse, assisted by Neville Barwick, Ray Young and Hona Huriwai.

HSOB: Franco Ludwig, Matekairoa McGuire, Xayvier Tamanui-Kingi, Nelson Brown, Zane Boyle, Sio Palusa, Ryan Jones, Siosiua Moala (vc), George Halley (c), Cohen Loffler, Bryan Howard, Rylan Tuwairua-Brown, Xavier Tuapawa, Te-Reimana Gray, Matthew Proffit. Res: Cody Ellis, Mango Halaifonua, Tevita Kavai, Tevita Maka, Jack Willock, Ollie Keepa-Fitzsimons, Michael Te Whata-McClutchie, Liam Beattie, Cory Reihana, Hayden Walters-Stuart, Sione Tamale, Scott Hatwell, Puhi Tau.

NGATAPA: Semisi Akana, Ben Johnson, Sam Hudson, Jack Twigley (c), Haeora King, Latrell Walker, Ben Robertson, Hamish Chrisp, Angus McKenzie, Patrick Brennan, Joseph Hamm, Te Pirihi Puke-Riki, Fasi Lauti, Jonathan Taylor, Moses Bulicakau; Res: Jack Fuller, Leon Kerr, Campbell Chrisp, James Law, Jock Dodgshun, Atonio Walker-Leawere, Joeli Ragoneliwa, Tim Haldane, Matt Shann.

GBHS First XV on the road for season-opener

Gisborne Boys’ High School First XV kick off their year with an away clash with Lindisfarne College on Saturday.

The team are being coached this year by GBHS 1995 intercollegiate world championship-winning squad member Mark Jefferson and fellow former Poverty Bay representative Wayne Ensor.

Jefferson coached the First XV in 2019 while Ensor was in charge of the Ngati Porou East Coast Heartland squad from 2016-2019.

The Lindisfarne clash will be followed by away games against Napier BHS (April 6) and Kelston BHS (April 15), and their first home game against Feilding High (April 26). They host Manukura (May 3) before heading into the first of their Super 8 clashes on May 24.

The squad for the Lindisfarne game are Tomasi Mataele, Tane Te Aho Heemi, Josh Aukuso, Tahana Bristowe, Storm De Thier, Samuel Fox, James McKay, Malakai Tea, James Hamblyn, Ruan Ludwig, Darius Kiwara, Timuaki Stewart, Kruze Hoepo-Casey, Kahurangi Leach-Waihi, David Gray. Res: Max Hammond, Leaasi Tupou, Kane Soto, Zandre Viljoen, Frazor Wainohu, Coen-Theros Brown, Kye Symes, Anakin Ormsby-Cairns.