Boys' High fighting fit ahead of Japan trip

Rotorua Boys High School 1st XV player Michael Vaeno dotted down during their win over Auckland Grammar in Rotorua yesterday. Photo/Ben Fraser

THE Rotorua Boys' High School 1st XV will leave for Japan this weekend with an impressive final preseason win under their belts.

The Boys' High School side will represent New Zealand at the Sanix World Youth Rugby Tournament in Japan after earning the right by winning last year's National 1st XV Rugby Secondary Schools Championship.

Yesterday's pre-season game saw Rotorua Boys' gain revenge on Auckland Grammar 1st XV, who had won the side's previous encounter, with a 26-0 victory.

Able to field a full-strength side, coach Ngarimu Simpkins praised the way his charges started the game.

"I think that was probably the best start that we have had in a game, since I've been at the
school anyway," said Simpkins, who has been director of rugby since October 2014.

"We were really clinical around the rucks and just had really strong go-forward."

The hosts scored two quick tries early to put the visitors on the back foot.

"Grammar are a really good side, and we expected that, so this was a great pre-season hit out really."

Rotorua Boys High School 1st XV player James Tofa looks to offload during the match. Photo/Ben Fraser

The only downside for Simpkins came late in the game.

"We lacked a little bit of discipline in the later stages of the game," he said. "We lost to
them last year, so it's nice to get a win over them. But they will definitely get better as the year goes on and they will definitely be up there in the 1A competition, but we are really pleased that, from our point of view, we had a hard hit-out before we go to Japan.

"We're still not the finished product, but we will just keep ticking away."

Skipper Matangireia Yates Francis opened the scoring for Boys' High, with Reuben Te Kani-Taylor, Jake Quinn and Michael Vaeno also touching down.

It's been a successful preseason, with other wins also coming over Feilding High School and a massive 96-0 victory over Otahuhu College.

"Every game we've got a bit out of. It's about time in the saddle and getting the boys used to our systems."

The 1st XV squad leaves for Japan on Sunday.

An annual event, the Sanix World Youth Rugby Tournament features top secondary schools teams from Japan and around the world.

This is the third time Rotorua Boys' High School has represented New Zealand at this
tournament and in 2003 was the first New Zealand team to win.

Following the tournament the team has been invited to play a match in the Iwate Prefecture, in the middle of the tsunami affected area in the north of Honshu.