Want to know who the next Beauden Barrett or Kieran Read will be? In his new weekly column for the Herald, schoolboy rugby expert Herschel Fruean singles out the best First XV matches of the weekend, and some rising stars to watch. Fruean will travel New Zealand looking for the
Rugby: The Scout - The best of the weekend's First XV rugby
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Jordan Thompson-Dunn of Hastings Boys' High School. Photo / Supplied
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Top dogs go down in Hamilton
Hastings Boys' High School, the No 1 team in the country, were winning games but only just. They remained perfect throughout the whole year and were on the road to winning the Super 8 taking to the field on Sunday with something to prove.
Hamilton Boys' were not only playing for a home win but also to stay in contention for a Finals spot. Rotorua Boys' High School, on the other hand, were four tries and a win away from jumping over Hamilton to play Hastings in the finals next weekend.
Needless to say, there was a lot riding on Sunday's game.
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'Defence, defence, defence' - That was the title of this game from start to finish with both sides making it known to each other that nothing was going to come easy.
It was one of those games where the score wasn't a true reflection of how the game was played.
Hamilton were so good in holding the ball, making plays along the line with quick ball movement and finding open space on the edge.
Although Hastings were the first ones to clock up points with a penalty right in front, that was the end of their scoring.
From then on, Hamilton started to play with heavy defence that was fast to contact. Captain Hakaria Richards-Coxhead was important on both sides of the ball - leading up the defensive line and also being a key playmaker on offence.
Hamilton would go phase after phase making line punches through the guidance of halfback Noah Hotham and Taha Kemara.
Kemara was very aggressive taking his backline to the point of attack and carrying it into tackle, with a few lines breaks and small pop passes to his teammates into space.
Hamilton Luke Ale also made some very impressive carries that bent the defense and created problems for Hastings.
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Even though Hastings players such as captian Jordan Thompson-Dunn and Latrell Ah Kiong keeping their team in the race, Hamilton scored first under the post.
After just 45 minutes, it was 19-3 to Hamilton and Hastings only then started to pick up their game up and momentum.
They played solid controlled rugby with Mercedes Hodge coming up into the line from fullback and working the right-hand side of the field in attack
Winger Joeli Rauca, who was starved of the ball in the first half for Hastings, got three runs in the second half which turned into breaks.
But by then the game was too far gone and a red card in the final five minutes didn't help Hastings chance before the final whistle sealed a 26-3 to victory to Hamilton.
Around the country
St Peter's College in Auckland dug deep to hold their 12-0 halftime score over Sacred Heart College to continue their hunt for a top four finish in the 1A competition.
Auckland Grammar, on the other hand, lost in the last minute to St Kentigern College to put themselves in a bad spot in the rankings.
Kelston Boys' High School, who is in the hunt with Auckland Grammar and St Peter's College for a top-four finish, beat Mount Albert Grammar School 14-3.
The win for Kelston puts Sacred Heart College on 36, Auckland Grammar on 35, St Peter's College and Kelston on 34 with one more game to play.
Next week Sacred Heart play Dilworth School which they should win, Auckland Grammar School play Liston College which they should also win and St Peter's College will play De La Salle College with Kelston playing King's College.
Meanwhile, St Andrew's College suffered their second loss in a row to Christ's College after not losing a game all season. They went down 28-10 to Christ's College and are not in a good position on the ladder with next weeks game a must-win against St Bede's College to stay in contention of making the top four in the UC Championship.
In the deep south, Kings High School had a huge win over rivals John McGlashan College winning 17-11 in a match that could have gone anyway at any time. The Kings High School scrum dominated the game with some changing moments that lead to tries.
