Rugby: RBHS sevens win national under 15 honours

Rotorua Boys' High School have added another trophy to their rugby success after their under-15 sevens team were crowned national champions.

Coached by ta moko artist Richard Francis the side overcame a determined Hamilton Boys' High School side 19-17, on a hard and dry Neil Hunt Park.

Francis said the side's opening game of the two day tournament was against Gisborne Boys' High School.

He said the side started strongly and didn't let their opponents into the match, beating them 22-10.

Rotorua played two more games on day one beating Trident High School 42-5, Te Kura Kaupapa o Mauao 50-0 and Kerikeri College 32-0.

The coach said the side showed good discipline on day one and he was able to try out a number of combinations prior to the finals day.

Francis said day two saw the home side take on Hastings in a tight tussle, managing to "starve" the side of possession eventually taking the match 12-0.

In their semifinal match against Gisborne Boys' the red and blues showed their dominance again, despite letting the visitors grab the first try. Rotorua eventually ground out an impressive 26-7 win.

The final was a real thriller, Francis said, with Hamilton grabbing a seven-pointer but the home side showed great patience with the ball to eventually go into the halftime break 12-7.

Hamilton levelled the score early into the second spell but Francis said the team didn't panic.

"Possession was the key and eventually [Hamilton] broke and we scored a great team try under the posts to lead 19-12."

Hamilton crossed the line out wide right on fulltime. However, the visitors were unable to convert the try to give Rotorua the win.