Rugby Sevens: Top 16 target for Boys' High

Whangarei Boys' High School's U15 sevens team finished 6th at last year's tournament. Photo / Supplied

Whangarei Boys' High School will be running with the big guns when they tackle New Zealand's elite secondary schools sevens competition tomorrow.

Being held at Kelston Boys' High School in Auckland, the NZ Secondary Schools Sevens Finals, commonly known as the BNZ Condor Sevens, take place from December 4-6 this year.

An event made famous by the late Jonah Lomu, who played for Wesley in the early years of the tournament, Whangarei BHS coach Harry Darkins said the school's under-15 and open grade sides will be looking to create a success story of their own.

Euan Sapwell is expected to bolster Whangarei Boys' High School's Open team's pace out wide. Photo / Alan Bee

"We're looking to qualify first in our pool to make the top 16," he said.

"We've been training for the last three months. The boys have been working really hard."

Needing to quash the threat of Waihi College first up on Saturday, Whangarei BHS's open team will then have to repel the might of Gisborne BHS - a traditionally strong rugby school - if they're to qualify top of their pool.

"We're feeling pretty confident that we can go through ... you just need one or two things to go your way and you're in with a sniff, that's the way it is with sevens," Darkins said.

Meanwhile, the under-15s have an ideal draw, coming up against Francis Douglas Memorial College, Mt Roskill Grammar School and Howick College in their pool matches tomorrow.

Praising the efforts of his assistant coach Jason Hanna, Darkins said "we're all organised and sorted, and the boys are chomping at the bit".

"Judah [Andrews], Euan [Sapwell] and Mitchell Dean... those guys are going to be big for us, but we're going to need a big team effort. We've definitely got the talent in there, we've just got to do the business really."

For the first time ever almost 70 schools will compete over the three days.

Tomorrow the North Island U15 Sevens Competition will take place, followed by the boys' and girls' open competition on Saturday and Sunday.

Live Coverage of the open boys' finals day will screen on Sky Sport's Rugby Channel from 12pm on Sunday.

Defending champions Hamilton GHS and Rotorua BHS will be out to defend their titles in what promises to be another competitive tournament and many of the stars of tomorrow will be showcasing their skills as sevens rugby gears up for the sport's first inclusion in the Olympics next year in Rio.