Schools rugby: Napier fingers crossed home Super 8 final

Like father, like son, as Lindisfarne College flanker Tori Randell (with ball), son of 1995-2002 All Black and former national captain Taine Randell, lines up the St Peter's Cambridge defenders in a match won by St Peter's in Hastings on Saturday. Photo / Paul Taylor

The Napier Boys’ High School First XV moved a step closer to a possible Super 8 schools home final with a big win over New Plymouth Boys’ High School and an aligning of the stars today.

The seven-tries-to-four, 41-29 win in Napier, coming back from 19-10 down at halftime, was just part of the equation, which was also shaped by Hamilton Boys’ High’s failure to get a bonus point in a 21-7 win over Gisborne Boys’ High in Gisborne, and a 21-17 home win for Hastings Boys’ High over Tauranga Boys’ College.

Napier and Hamilton are now each on 25 points at the top of the table, with Napier, having beaten Hamilton this season for the first time in 12 years, getting the nod for the home final if the status quo remains after the final round-robin round next Saturday.

Napier will have its game against Palmerston North Boys’ High midweek in Palmerston North, doubling as its annual Polson Banner match.

But they could be looking for Hastings to do some business in a Waikato trip to play Hamilton, in what will also be a challenge for the secondary schools’ Ranfurly Shield equivalent, the Moascar Cup, which both Hastings and Napier last held in 2020.

Fullback Jacob Cotter and prop and captain Tasman Soanai Oeti each scored two tries for Napier Boys’ Highin their game, with the others going to halfback Joel Russell, hooker Juan Ross and wing Charlie Nash, with first five-eighths Luke Thomas kicking three conversions, all in the second half.

In Hastings, the home side’s tries were scored by flanker Vincent Kite, lock Oscar Ritchie and wing Raef Robinson, all converted by fullback Mokau Lambert.

Meanwhile, Lindisfarne College scored three tries in a Central North Island Schools competition match against St Peter’s Cambridge in Hastings but were beaten 35-19, the visitors preserving their slim hopes of a semifinal place but Lindisfarne left with still just a single win. It was 14-7 to the visitors at halftime.

The Lindisfarne points came from tries to prop Sam Rasmussen in the first half and replacement George Kilsby in the second, with Jonty Roil scoring in between.