Napier Boys' grab last gasp win on 150th Jubilee weekend

NBHS' Angus Prowling fights to rip the ball off his Palmerston North opposition.

Pupils and fans rushed the field when the Napier Boys' High School First XV scored on fulltime to defend the Polson Banner with a 22-18 victory over Palmerston North Boys' High School on Saturday.

The match, Napier's first in this year's Super 8 rugby competition, took on massive significance with the host school celebrating their 150th Jubilee over the weekend.

Sid Drinkrow leaves a Palmerston North tackler grasping at thin air. Photo / Paul Taylor

The Sky Blues rode the emotion right from kickoff and centre Adam Curran opened the scoring in the sixth minute when he picked the ball up from the ruck and went 60 metres for a try.

Napier were able to break the line or at least make metres on most carries because of their size and physicality advantage up front.

But Palmerston North were finding some success with the ball as well, mostly by shifting it around those big bodies and attacking out wide.

They opened their account in the 11th minute with a penalty goal to fullback Sam Coles after Napier were caught offside.

There were NBHS old boys and young on the sideline. Photo / Paul Taylor

The visitors took the lead when a trick play from an attacking lineout put hooker Eli Oudenryn in to score.

Napier upped the ante and second five eighths Sam Kanthavong scored out wide following sustained attacking pressure to make it 12-10 in the 23rd minute.

Coles missed a relatively simple penalty attempt a few minutes later, and the score remained the same through halftime.

Napier first five eighths Luke Thomas extended the lead to five in the 44th minute with a penalty goal but Palmerston North responded with the try of the game.

The play started near halfway – after a series of stunning offloads the ball found number eight Joe Simpson-Smith to score out wide and tie the match.

A big crowd gathered to watch the intense rivalry. Photo / Paul Taylor

Palmerston North had stolen back the momentum and took the lead in the 57th minute with another penalty to Coles.

Napier laid siege to the visitors' tryline over the final 10 minutes and had a try ruled out for obstruction as well as a knock on close to the line.

Skipper and number eight Max Ratcliffe finally got over off the back of an attacking maul, triggering wild celebrations.

He said the fans definitely got his side home to victory in the last five minutes.

"The whole sky blue brotherhood were behind us, we dug deep and got the result that we wanted in the end," Ratcliffe said.

Jan Chappell, all the way from Christchurch, and Margaret Goldsmith, of Cambridge, enjoying a cuppa at the ladies high tea, one of the many events for the 150th jubilee celebration.