Young players show their skills

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A FIRECRACKER of a game kicked off the second week of the Fulton Hogan secondary school rugby competition on Wednesday.

Gisborne Boys’ High School under-15 colts beat the first 15 of Campion College 19-5 in a senior competition game under lights at Rugby Park.

With some Boys’ High colts out through injury or other school commitments, coaches Jamie Hutana and Richard Brown were worried about how their team would go. Some players were playing out of position, and the team had to back up on Saturday (today) against Rotorua Boys’ High.

The previous week the Colts had recorded a big win against the Lytton High first 15, while Campion had lost narrowly to Uawa u18s.

First-half play lacked nothing in intensity, and the colts led 14-0 at halftime, thanks to tries from Fin Henstock and replacement loose forward Jordan McFarlane-Rofe, and conversions to Tawhai Tanirau-Wickcliff.

Fortified by the halftime advice of coaches Mark Naden and Guy Middleton, Campion put the heat on the colts and turned pressure into points with a fine team try to livewire No.6 Joao Velloza.

He, Mason Nepe, James Lindsay and Thomas Hart were the standout performers in a Campion forward pack who battled throughout.

Dean Pohatu and Tonihi Raureti were the pick of the backs. Pohatu led his backline like a seasoned pro. Raureti had an amazing game on defence, marking Iziah Noanoa, who scored five tries last week.

Although Noanoa had a strong game and made some telling runs, he could not break the Campion defence.

The score stayed 14-5 for most of the second half, play swinging from end to end.

Boys’ High colts went further ahead through a wonderful individual try to McFarlane-Rofe, who got the ball 35 metres out and went past four Campion defenders to touch down in the corner and take the score out to 19-5.

Standout players for the colts were forwards Niko Lauti, Khian Westrupp, McFarlane-Rofe and Henstock, and backs Noanoa, Tanirau-Wickcliff and Paumana Gemmell.

On Thursday night, two u15 games were played — between GBHS Crimson and GBHS Red, and GBHS Green and Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Nga Uri a Maui.

Setting the mood for the nightThe first game set the mood for the night with a try in the first four minutes to Boys’ High Red speedy winger Chirac Brown.

After that it was one-way traffic in the other direction, and Boys’ High Crimson ran out 51-10 winners.

They led 22-5 at halftime, thanks to tries from Tuteari TeRauna-Lamont (two), Israel Warnock and Lyric Baty-Akurangi, and a conversion from TeRauna-Lamont.

The second half was just as fast. Both teams showed good continuity and were not afraid to use the ball.

The 100-plus spectators were treated to a try-fest from the Crimson team, who ran in five more tries — to Kauri Waitoa, Baty-Akurangi, TeRauna-Lamont, Hemi Connelly and Punch Noanoa. Anaru Paenga-Morgan kicked two conversions.

Boys’ High Red scored one of the best tries of the night when they turned the ball over five metres from their own try-line and Chirac Brown beat four defenders and showed blistering pace to run 95 metres to score.

Red showed tremendous spirit. They never gave up and had many good attacking phases, showing good control with ball in hand.

Standout players for Red were Jay-Jay Stevens-Mark, who made over 20 metres every time he got the ball, and Tiare Hunter, Tyler Brown and Bryan Howard.

Standout performances for Crimson came from Kayde Reedy, who made numerous tackles that halted Red players in their tracks, Moko Kiwara, Amos Roddick, Paenga-Morgan, Warnock, TeRauna-Lamont, Waitoa and Connelly.

A tense drawA tense 22-all draw between GBHS Green and secondary school rugby newcomers Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Nga Uri a Maui was the match of the night.

Nga Uri a Maui are a composite team with players from Horouta wananga.

By the time this game started, the crowd had grown to over 150 people who were thrilled by a contest in which both teams were willing to put their bodies on the line.

Boys’ High Green scored just inside the first 15 minutes, thanks to some slick footwork and pace from Ani Tangira.

Five minutes later, Green’s Romeo Williams scored a try after a long build-up and sustained pressure on the Nga Uri a Maui line.

Green scored again in the 27th minute through winger Caleb Billington, who glided in untouched. With Weston Poutu’s conversion, Green led 17-0.

On the stroke of halftime, Nga Uri a Maui scored their first points. They threw everything they had at the Green line and showed good ball skills and sharp passing to outmanoeuvre the Green defence and put Hena Ruha over for a try.

The halftime encouragement of the Nga Uri a Maui coaches seemed to do wonders for their team. Within five minutes of the kick-off they had their second try, through fullback Manaia Aupouri after some hard forward drives and swift passing. The score was now 17-10.

Boys’ High Green tried everything to break the Nga Uri a Maui defence and increase their lead but the tackling was resolute.

At one stage it looked as if Boys’ High had found a way through, but the ball was spilled.

Thirteen minutes from time, Caleb Te Whare scored for Nga Uri a Maui. The conversion attempt missed, but two minutes later Nga Uri a Maui went ahead for the first time in the match.

Manakiao Maxwell split the defence and ran 70 metres to score next to the uprights. He converted his own try, and Nga Uri a Maui led 22-17. Could they hold on?

With two minutes left on the clock, Western Poutu scored out wide for Boys’ High Green to level the scores. Poutu’s conversion attempt sailed to the left of the posts.

Before referee Hugh Fitzgerald blew for fulltime, Boys’ High were required to defend strongly, and the game ended in a draw.

Standout players for Nga Uri a Maui were Nikita Noanoa, Ngakorau Nohotima, Maxwell, Adrian MacDonald and Mahaki Soloman.

For Boys’ High Green, Whaitiri-Temiha twins Kahu and Karauria caused confusion in the opposition every time they got the ball.