Rugby: Hamilton Boys to share Super 8 title

Hamilton Boys' High School celebrating the win on Saturday, despite confusion over the result. Photo /Supplied

Hamilton Boys' High School 1st XV has been told this week they must share the Super Eight Rugby shield they won at the weekend with Hastings Boys' High School, who went home dejected after a misinterpretation of the rules on Saturday.

After a hard-fought game in Hamilton ended in a 12-12 scoreline, there was initial confusion over how the winner should be decided if the final was a draw. Hamilton were told they had won the shield as they scored the first try in the game - even though Hastings came through their season unbeaten.

Turns out that decision on Saturday was wrong. That rule applies only in matches which aren't a final. A tie at full time in the final means the title is shared - no extra time, no first-try rule.

This initial confusion was resolved on Monday after clarification came from a Super Eight principals' meeting and Hamilton were told they must share the honours with Hastings as overall champions of the Super Eight division.

Hamilton Boys' 1st XV performing their pre-match haka before the final. Photo /Wendy Moffitt

After the final, Hamilton Boys' Facebook page reported that the team had won the title, having scored the first try. Commentators were upset at the rule that at the time people believed handed Hamilton the win.

"What? No extra time?? Just decided on who scored the first try?? That's ridiculous. Well done HBHS though," one said.

"Sounds a weird way to decide a competition? Hastings beat [Hamilton] last week to register a no-loss competition. A draw gives a win overall to [Hamilton]??? Hastings remain unbeaten and lose? Go figure that!"

According to the New Zealand Schools' Rugby Union, rule 5.1 states that a tie at the end of a semifinal match will result in the winner being determined by a sequence of four rules, "The team that scored the first try in that game" being one of the four rulings.

However, due to this being a final, rule 5.2 comes into act and it states that "A tie at the end of a final match in any championship will result in the title being shared."

Hamilton's co-coach Greg Kirkham believed the result was shared to begin with.

"Both Nigel [Hotham, co-coach] and myself thought it was a shared title after the game but a number of spectators and Sky commentators said that we had won because we scored first. The refs did their job but they weren't involved in deciding a winner.

"Clarification has come through from the Super Eight principals' meeting, that this is the correct result; a shared title between us and Hastings," Kirkham said.

Hastings 1st XV manager Jason Bird understood at the time that his team has been defeated due to a previous rule, however upon confirmation on Monday morning from the Super Eight principals meeting, the school was told that they would share the title.

The news was greeted with applause at school assembly.

"At the end of the day it doesn't change the result. It was a fantastic game to watch and now we'll move on and focus on getting through the regional knockout competition," Bird said.

Kirkham also followed the same lines, saying the Hamilton team is now focused on representing the Waikato in the Chiefs regional competition, after beating St Johns College on Tuesday 49-8.