Rotorua Boys' won with a last-play penalty after their prop reached for the ball in a scrum, sealing victory over Hastings Boys' with a clutch final kick.
The Hastings Boys’ High School First XV’s hopes of a place in the 2025 Super 8 rugby competition vanished in a second as they were beaten 34-33 by Rotorua Boys’ High School in a controversial “Hand of God” ending to their game in Hastings on Thursday.
With time up andthe home side leading 33-31 in what was expected to be the last play of the day, Rotorua’s loosehead prop used his hand to scoop the ball back in a scrum, near the halfway line.
It denied Hastings the ball and a chance to boot it out to end the match, and what would have been a fourth win in five matches.
The referee, unsighted on the other side, reset the scrum, which Rotorua won, running the ball and setting up a second phase, at which a Hastings player was penalised after patting the ball down as it was cleared by Rotorua halfback Arthur-Pep Chisholm.
The penalty goal was kicked by second five-eighths Tukotahi Richards-Te Whau, and the referee blew the whistle for fulltime.
Rotorua Boys' High School's "Hand of God" incident in the final scrum of the game helped them beat Hastings Boys' High School. Photo / Whakaata Maori
Rotorua had won the Moascar Cup by beating Hamilton Boys’ High School in a challenge five days earlier and, without the silverware at stake, looked to have Hastings under control when leading 28-12 at halftime.
In the end, the difference came down to the Rotorua No 12, who slotted all six attempts at goal, landing four conversions and two penalty goals.
Hastings first five-eighths Tana Faumuina kicked two conversions and three penalties. Both sides scored four tries each.
Hastings co-coach Jason Shoemark hadn’t seen the Hand of God incident, which was shown live by Whakaata Maori, but told Hawke’s Bay Today the players had talked about it.
“They were pretty emotional about it.”
But, realising the result could not be changed, they were “just hitting their straps” and looking forward to the remaining two games, and the qualifying rounds in the national First XVs championship.
Rotorua coach and former All Blacks hooker Hika Elliot, who was on the opposite side of the field and did not see the incident, said Hastings had committed similar infringements earlier in the game without penalty.
He did not believe it would be fair to say the incident had cost Hastings the victory.
Hastings had kept their hopes alive last weekend with a 50-12 win over Gisborne Boys’ High School, also in Hastings.
Ahead 19-5 at halftime, they had scored eight tries, including two to regular captain and hooker JJ Lilo-Iosefo in the second half.
Unbeaten defending champions Tauranga Boys’ College inflicted Napier’s third loss in three games, with a 31-24 win in Tauranga.
Palmerston North Boys’ High School maintained their unbeaten record with a 38-10 win over New Plymouth Boys’ High School in Palmerston North.
The big match of the unbeaten teams is when Palmerston North play Tauranga on Friday, at the same time as Napier play Hamilton in Napier.
A week later, Napier get the first challenge in Rotorua’s defence of the Moascar Cup.
In the Central North Island Schools competition, Lindisfarne College, of Hastings, bounced back to winning form on Thursday with a 44-14 win over Francis Douglas Memorial College in New Plymouth, after leading 34-0 at halftime.
Lindisfarne have six wins from seven games, having had their first loss when beaten 45-26 by 2024 national Top 4 semifinalists Feilding High School in Hastings last Saturday.
It was a twisting and turning game, with Feilding leading 19-0 at halftime and Lindisfarne fighting back with two converted tries, and later still being in touch at 33-26 after Noah Rogers scored an individual try to go with his three conversions.
Lindisfarne had a tough week, having played Whanganui Collegiate in Whanganui on June 11.
St John’s College Hastings, with losses in all five games to date, play Wesley College in Hastings on Saturday.
