Hihi and his opposite, Mitchell Forbes, are second-year head coaches. Stream's four returning players include skipper and openside flanker Jackson Mendoza and fullback David Tokalautawa.
The reserves include 2022 starting halfback Ollie Cuff while powerful No.8 Braydon Soi will, as he did last year, come off the bench.
GBHS openside flanker Braith Ingram, No.8-turned-lock Reuben Whaitiri and Ingram's fellow co-captain second-five Puna Hihi all started in the 28 point-loss at Napier. They learned lessons that day and have continued to do so since.
Stream have made six changes to the side who played HBHS a week ago, Mendoza again deputising for captain, head boy and first-five Maui Winitana-Patelesio.
The search for combinations, rather than injury, is behind Gisborne replacing the lock whose try stunned Wellington College six minutes into last week's proceedings:
Tipene Wilson is out for Whaitiri, the No.8 against Wellington College. Reserve No.8 Luke Bidois, who scored twice in the second half that day, is to start.
Liam Beattie is in for Kauri Christie at halfback and Quaydon Chaffey-Kora will move from centre to the right-wing. Kaiaio Tangira-Kerekere shifts from fullback to centre, Gibson Poi will wear No.15.
Tangira-Kerekere, Bidois, Beattie and lock Joe Kemp all came off the bench last year against St Patrick's Silverstream and are highly motivated.
Left-footed first-five Te-Reimana Gray is thoughtful. While parity and the edge up front is the job of Ingram's pack, Gray, Beattie and Hihi must establish control and direction. Hihi can and does steam into and through, if not over, would-be tacklers midfield and in this phase-by-phase game, that is enormously important.
The skilful and elusive - such as left-wing Timuaki Stewart - have not vanished from modern rugby, but their opportunities and effectiveness hinge to a key degree on the momentum that muscular ball-carriers such as Hihi, Bidois and Whaitiri can generate.
Local fans' last look at GBHS on home soil saw Auckland's De La Salle get out to 29-10 after Boys' High had led for two-thirds of the game. Tangira-Kerekere scored at centre that day, as did fetcher Ingram, and to a man Gisborne Boys' defence was committed and accurate for the majority of the match.
They led 5-0 and 10-0 with long periods of gutsy defence before and after, but the Auckland crew scored every point after that.
Ingram said the Boys' High forwards were on a mission to gain possession, to hold on to it and build momentum over a minimum of five phases of play.
The black and red cannot tire tomorrow. Fitness, structure and nerve must hold for 70-plus minutes.
With the Super 8 tournament to open here at the Rectory against Napier BHS on May 20 and Palmerston North BHS to front at Stream's No.1 ground next Saturday, both teams have this chance to match pattern to work ethic and game-sense to trust before weekly competition starts up.
Forbes said: "We're a younger team than we were last year, but play with individual flair, and that's why the big work-ons for us at this stage of the season involve combinations and consistency.
"Of players to watch for, Jackson's a workhorse at No.7 with blindside flanker Simati Liala close on his heels - they're a great pair - and Thompson Tukapua at first-five."
Hihi wants his side to stick to their systems - pay attention to detail, with the result taking care of itself.
"We haven't seen much of them, but we know that they'll be physical up front and classy in the backs."
Refereeing tomorrow's game will be Napier BHS old boy and apprentice signwriter Max Lancaster, 22.
GBHS: Malosi Luafalealo, Noah Torrance-Cribb, Franco Ludwig, Joe Kemp, Reuben Whaitiri, Jimmy Moore, Braith Ingram (co-captain), Luke Bidois, Liam Beattie, Te-Reimana Gray, Timuaki Stewart, Puna Hihi (cc), Kaiaio Tangira-Kerekere, Quaydon Chaffey-Kora, Gibson Poi. Reserves: Jahn Karakia-Niwa, Ratu Nairoroi, Tipene Wilson, James McKay, Kauri Christie, Safin Tuwairua-Brown, Kahurangi Leach-Waihi.
St Patrick's Silverstream: Heath Tuifao, Kobe MacDougall, Maclean Forbes, Levi Morgan, Blaine Knapman, Simati Leala, Jackson Mendoza (c), Alex Hewitt, Kian O'Connell, Thompson Tukapua, Soakimi Manulaiatea, Elijah Solomona, Jeremiah Peleseuma, Inoke Kula, David Tokalautawa. Reserves: Jericho Wharehinga, Noah Krijnen, Drew Berg-McLean, Braydon Soi, Ollie Cuff, Harry Stoupe, Liam Slight.
