The Polson Banner match between Napier and Palmerston North boys' high schools produces some of the best - as in Tyrone Thompson in 2018, now a 2023 All Blacks XV squad member. The two schools drew 12-12 in the latest match on Wednesday. Photo / NZME
The Napier Boys’ High School first fifteen now has to wait for its Hastings counterpart to do the business on its behalf while waiting to see if its Super 8 final on August 5 will be home or away.
It follows Wednesday’s dramatic end in a last-round match which doubled
as the Napier BHS annual Polson Banner clash with Palmerston North BHS in Palmerston North – a 12-12 draw after Napier led 12-0 with seven minutes to go.
If Hamilton BHS in Hamilton beats Hastings in Hamilton on Saturday, in a game that doubles as a Moascar Cup challenge, the final will be in Hamilton, but if Hastings wins Napier expects to have a home final against Tauranga Boys’ College.
In Wednesday’s game, halfback Joel Russell scored Napier’s first try, which was followed by a conversion by first five-eighths Luke Thomas and then a try to Richie Magele.
Napier lead 12-0 after 20 minutes and fell short of its target only in the last act of the game, a home-side conversion enabling Palmerston North to force only the 7th draw in the Banner’s 119-match history.
