Rugby: Rotorua ready for Top 8 battle

Saturday's Top 8 match between Rotorua Boys' High School and Hamilton Boys' is shaping up as a war of attrition.

Both sides have relied on staunch defence to make their mark this season, with Rotorua Boys' turning back a large Wesley College side 19-8 at home last week to win their place alongside the Super 8 and defending national champions for a place in the Top 4.

Hamilton Boys' High School eased their way through the Super 8 competition, sealing the title without getting out of first gear in beating Palmerston North Boys' High School 21-3 earlier this month.

They followed that up by crushing Central North Island champions St Paul's Collegiate 57-3 at Marist Park on the weekend, looking every inch the Super 8 and Sanix World Champions.

Rotorua Boys' coach Bruce Buckton described Hamilton Boys' as the benchmark but said his players were ready for the challenge.

"We're lucky with this group.

"They're pretty level-headed and Super 8 gives you the opportunity to understand what happens if you don't turn up mentally," Buckton said.

"We're confident if we can retain our possession that we can attack.

"We're not going to win the game by defending all day, but if we can get 50 per cent, we are in for a humdinger of a match."

Saturday will mark the ninth time in 10 years that the school has advanced to this stage of the national competition, with last season's loss to Tauranga Boys' the sole anomaly. Despite that, Rotorua Boys' has not made the Top 4 since 2006.

First five-eighth Ma'ake Taulahi looms as a key player for Rotorua Boys' considering his form in recent weeks.

He is strong for a pivot, and had Bay of Plenty Rugby Union staff commenting he was ready for premier rugby while he carved up an overmatched Tauranga Boys' College side at Nicholson Field in mid-August.

He followed that performance up with a brace against Wesley last week and will be dangerous with a plethora of attacking options to choose from.

The two sides have split the pair of games they have played this season.

Rotorua Boys' won the first meeting on their way to claiming the Chiefs Cup, with Hamilton Boys' kicking away to win 37-17 in the Super 8 competition.

Buckton said Hamilton Boys' had not been at full strength when his side toppled them in their first encounter, but added that took nothing away from his players' defensive attitude and desire.

The home ground advantage in schoolboy rugby is huge, so Buckton hoped a large number of Rotorua supporters would make the trip, especially since the Top 4 competition will be hosted in Rotorua.

The match begins at Hamilton Boys' at noon on Saturday.

The other Top 8 matches will see Otago Boys' High School play traditional rivals Christchurch Boys', Scots College face Palmerston North Boys' High School and Auckland Grammar take on Westlake Boys' High School.