Napier Boys' High School captain Tasman Soanai-Oeti leads the haka. Photo / Ian Cooper
Napier Boys' High School captain Tasman Soanai-Oeti leads the haka. Photo / Ian Cooper
The Hastings Boys’ High School First XV will be looking for their first Super 8 schools win of the season when they host Gisborne BHS in Hastings on Saturday.
Hastings were beaten by Palmerston North BHS in their opening match, in Hastings, and then by Napier BHS in Napier lastSaturday.
The match starts at noon, and is one of four rugby matches between Hastings and Gisborne boys’ High Schools in Hastings tomorrow, with second XVs, under-15 and under-14 teams all in the fray.
Meanwhile, the Napier BHS First XV, unbeaten in Super 8 rugby this season with wins against Gisborne, Rotorua and Hastings, will be in Tauranga to play Tauranga Boys’ College, hoping to keep their record intact heading to what is looming as the big match against Hamilton BHS in Napier next week.
Lindisfarne College First XV also have a home match in the Central North Island Schools competition, also starting at midday, against Feilding High School and are hoping to bounce back from a heavy defeat against Whanganui Collegiate last weekend.
Lindisfarne’s only win in five matches in this year’s competition was against fellow Hastings side St John’s College, and Feilding have had three wins in five games.
Hastings Boys' High School fullback Mokau Lambert in last Saturday's match. Photo / Ian Cooper
St John’s College, who have had one win, are away to St John’s Hamilton, who have had three wins.
Meanwhile, Ray White Premier rugby reaches a crucial stage for MAC and Hastings Rugby and Sports at Flaxmere Park, with each side yet to win after two of the five rounds in the six-team Maddison Trophy competition, the loser likely to end all-but out of the running for a place in the July 8 semifinals.
The big match of the weekend will be at Whitmore Park, Napier, between top two sides Napier Tech Old Boys and Taradale. Tech have had 12 wins and a draw in 13 matches, a record including Taradale’s only loss this season.
In the other match Napier Old Boys Marist play Waipukurau side Central at Tremain Field, Park Island, each aiming for at least the third and fourth positions in the semifinals.
