First XV rugby: Hastings Boys’ High School Super 8 final hopes hinge on Saturday results

Action in Wednesday's Polson Banner First XV rugby match in which Palmerston North Boys' High School reclaimed the bragging rights with a 30-7 win over Napier BHS. Photo / Palmerston North Boys' High School

The Hastings Boys’ High School First XV have it all to play for in a showdown against regular Super 8 rugby champions Hamilton Boys’ High School that could decide if they are in or out of the final.

With Palmerston North Boys’ High School confirmed as top qualifier with a 30-7 home-ground win over Napier Boys’ High School in Palmerston North on Wednesday – claiming the historic traditional schools match prize for the first time since 2019 – third-placed Hastings must win in Hamilton on Saturday.

But at the same time, with Hamilton missing the final for the first time since 2011, Hastings will also be relying on New Plymouth Boys’ High School to score an upset Moascar Cup challenge win to knock Rotorua Boys’ High School out of the running.

The possibilities emerged with Hastings ending the hopes of defending champions Tauranga Boys’ College in a six-tries-to-four, 41-27 win in Hastings last Saturday, while Rotorua ended Palmerston North’s unbeaten run with a 19-15 win in Palmerston North.

The likelihood of Hastings getting a sniff looked forlorn when they lost twice in their first four games, including a controversial last-second, single-point loss to Rotorua last month, also in Hastings.

Hastings, who haven’t won the Super 8 since sharing the honours with Hamilton in 2017, needed a big effort on Saturday, ahead 14-5 after 20 minutes but being down 20-19 at halftime and 27-19 five minutes after the break.

With a big effort from the forwards particularly, Hastings scored the last 22 points, including two to tries to No 8 Panapa Peia and one to prop Isireli Qaranivalu, to go with the first-half five-pointers to flanker P.J. Peivi, lock Eli Southwick and wing Raef Robinson in the first half.

First five-eighths Tana Faumuina kicked a penalty goal and three conversions.

Napier Boys’, already out of a chance of qualifying, with four losses in five games, beat New Plymouth 27-10 in Napier, after leading 15-0 at halftime.

Napier’s tries were scored by loose forwards Carlo Mienie and Ollie MacLachlan, fullback Joe Jury-Senitu, and wing Angus Lovatt, while first five-eighths Will Lovatt kicked a penalty and two conversions.

But the sky blues had it much tougher backing up on Wednesday, during one of the biggest exchanges in New Zealand schools sport.

Defending the banner after retaining the bragging rights in a drawn match in Napier last year, Napier Boys’ conceded three tries in being down 19-0 after 22 minutes, before their only try was scored by No 8 Carter Pirie, converted by Will Lovatt, before going to halftime down 22-7.

Meanwhile, in the Central North Island Schools competition, Lindisfarne College, having already played all eight games, sit out the last two weeks waiting to see whether they will play leaders St Peter’s Cambridge or second-placed Feilding High School in the semifinals.

On Tuesday in Hastings, they had a 62-12 traditional fixture win over Masterton school Rathkeale College, which this year opted out of the CNI competition and are currently placed fourth in the Wellington schools Premier competition.

Lindisfarne are also preparing for a First and Second XV trip to the UK and France in September.

Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today and has 52 years of journalism experience, 42 of them in Hawke’s Bay, in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues and personalities.