Schoolboy rugby: Napier Boys’ v Hastings Boys’ annual twin-cities match goes down to wire

Napier Boys' High School captain Tasman Soanai-Oeti is congratulated after the crucial last try in Saturday's 24-18 first XV Super 8 competition win over Hastings Boys' High School in Napier. Photo / Ian Cooper

It was a day to celebrate for Napier Boys’ High School First XV captain and prop Tasman Soanai Oeti as his team marked their first home game in 10 matches this season with a 24-18 win over Hawke’s Bay rivals, Hastings Boys’ High School.

Soanai Oeti scored the match-winning try on the Napier field and was presented with a new cap afterwards for passing the milestone of 40 matches during the extended away programme, including five at a tournament in Japan.

It is a near-unbeaten run, including three wins from three games in the Super 8 schools competition among boys’ schools in the central North Island from Hamilton to Palmerston North.

Napier are away next week to Tauranga Boys’ College, but it is the match seven days later on June 24, against Hamilton Boys’ High School in Napier, that looms as the Super 8 match of the season.

The clash will have added spice with Napier wanting some payback after Hamilton snatched the national first XVs title from Napier’s grasp in the dying seconds of their final in Palmerston North last year.

But for Hastings, winners of the annual clash in Napier two years ago and last year in Hastings, and up 15-10 at halftime, it was a second loss in two Super 8 matches this season, despite being on attack for much of the second half.

The subs bench, mainly those subbed-off, rise to the occasion to celebrate the winning try. Photo / Ian Cooper

Rain forecast earlier in the week for the afternoon stayed away, but so too did some of the expected crowd, and it was Hastings who scored first with a penalty goal to fullback Mokau Lambert.

Napier bounced back with unconverted tries to first five-eighths Luke Thomas, in a 40-metre move sparked by a charge down by flanker Khan Stevenson and hooker Juan Ross.

But Hastings returned the favour with their only two tries, one to wing Crichton Crawford and another to flanker Taufaeteau Kaufononga, which was converted by Lambert three minutes before halftime.

With the sun behind them, Hastings were on attack deep in Napier territory for the first 18 minutes of the second half, in which the hosts were a man down.

But they were unable to add to the score before Napier halfback Joel Russell flicked the ball on the short side to second five-eighths CJ Mienie who set off on a 40m run, brushing off five to six tackles in a decisive break that put his side on attack and led to a try to prop Richie Magele, who charged over after a tap penalty.

Fullback Jacob Cotter converted but Hastings responded quickly with a second penalty goal to Lambert to regain the lead at 18-17, before Napier surged back and scored the winning try, also converted.

Winning coach David Russell described the win as a scratchy performance but with improvement by the team each week.

He and assistant Tai Te Rito had sensed the Hastings XV was starting to feel the strain from being unable to score while on attack for such a sustained period in the second half.

“The key thing was they needed to be patient,” said Te Rito. “Once they were back in the 22 [at the other end], they knew what the roles were and they were able to finish it off.”

There were big performances from most in the forward packs, including Hastings No 8 Shaun McLaughlen and Napier lock George Prouting and No 8 and his brother Angus Prouting, both from southern Hawke’s Bay.

Hastings halfback Mike Brown was able to deliver clean ball and create a number of options but those were often thwarted further out by a strong Napier defence.

SCORES:

Napier Boys’ High School 24 (Luke Thomas, Juan Ross, Richie Magele, Tasman Soanai Oeti tries; Jacob Cotter 2 conversions) Hastings Boys’ High School 18 (Crichton Crawford, Taufaeteau Kaufononga tries; Mokau Lambert 2 penalties, conversion). Halftime: 10-15.

Other games (home team first): Palmerston North BHS 15 Hamilton BHS 40, New Plymouth BHS 17 Tauranga Boys College 50, Gisborne BHS 22 Rotorua BHS 42.