Sevens: Powerful forward chance for Levin tourney

Marino Mikaele-Tu'u in action (left)

Don't be surprised to see Marino Mikaele-Tu'u's name in the Hawke's Bay Sevens team to play in Saturday's Central Region tournament in Levin.

Hawke's Bay's sole New Zealand Secondary Schools rugby representative this year, Mikaele-Tu'u was the only Hastings Boys' High School player selected in the tournament team after HBHS finished second at the weekend's national Secondary Schools Condor Sevens tournament in Auckland. Hamilton Boys' High School beat HBHS 24-0 in the final.

HBHS manager Steven Small said Mikaele-Tu'u impressed with his duties as a forward and also with his powerful runs out wide when HBHS were on attack.

"I thought we might have had one or two others named in the tournament team as well," Small said referring to winger Hunta Marsh, sweeper Tom Agnew and Mikaele-Tu'u's versatile twin brother Antonio.

"While we got gassed in the final I was proud of the boys and the way in which we raised a few eyebrows on the way to the final," Small said.

The Tafai Ioasa-coached HBHS team reached the final with an unbeaten run. On Saturday they opened their campaign with a 40-5 drubbing of Southland champions St Peters of Gore before completing pool play with a 36-0 thrashing of Feilding High School.

In their top 16 clash HBHS pipped St Pat's Town of Wellington 17-14. HBHS manager Steven Small said his troops were up 17-7 when St Pat's scored a converted try on the fulltime hooter.

Before yesterday's final HBHS beat Mount Albert Grammar 29-14 in their quarterfinal and Feilding High School 22-5 in their semifinal.

"Tafai [Ioasa] did an outstanding job as coach and displayed the benefits of his vast experience gained during his days in the All Black Sevens," Small said.

Ioasa is also the Hawke's Bay Sevens coach and will name his team for the Levin event, which doubles as a nationals qualifier, later this week.