2017 School Rugby
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@Stargazer
Stargazer and Higgins I have followed you both on this site for a long time and love your passion for schoolboy rugby which in my opinion is the best to watch.
Higgins, Napier is always one of our closest rivals and I'm a bit chirpy because I have too many memories going back to the 70s when we felt had the team to beat and then we would go and lose nicely by not very much.
Do you remember the old college day when a lot of visiting school would arrive for a day and frequently be sent home with their tails between their legs after being beaten by Napier/ Te Aute/ Hastings/ Lindisfarne and some of the smaller schools.
Cheers. -
That's my recall too back in the mid to late 70s. Hastings always seemed to have a pretty good team but Napier generally snuck home. Back then Napier were going through a lean spell 1stXV wise and generally lost to Palmy and often Gisborne but usually managed to beat Wairarapa and Hastings (those being the four midweek games that I suppose are what would now be referred to as "traditionals"). From memory around that time (or maybe in the early 70s) Napier and probably Hastings played in the local Under 23 grade where clashes with MAC were always fiercely contested. Sometime around there the schools dropped back into the local schools grade when things were more even than they are now with St. Johns and Central HB (in the days of the Snee brothers) both being strong and Te Aute were always competitive but can't remember how Lindisfarne or Dannevirke rated. Karamu and Taradale generally played against the top schools 2nd XVs and Colenso sort of swung between the grades.
Nowadays I suspect most of the co-ed state schools are really struggling to even field any more than a couple of teams if they are lucky but I stand to be corrected on that. This falling away obviously lead to the formation of the Super 8 which allowed meaningful and competitive games for all those schools involved. The amount of travelling involved must be a strain on those taking part. I can only imaging how huge the number of kilometres Hastings has covered in a bus this year as they seem to have been here there and every where. They are involved in not only the Super 8 but also the Tranzit Coachlines Pre-Season series not to mention a good number of warm up games up north and even down in Wellington (saw HBHS smoke Wgtn College by 40 - after their 2nds killed Wgtn 2nds by 80 early in the season).
The mass interschool challenges at Napier was the Invasion against Palm Nth were every conceivable sport and a few others that weren't like scrabble and debating etc, played their opposition counterparts and from memory we had a smaller one with Hastings but with less sports and not all teams took place. Do they still take place???????
I have a few "adopted" grandkids who I have to front up and watch them play most Saturdays so I still see a lot of schools rugby. One of them is playing for St. Marys in the National Schoolgirls final in Palm Nth tomorrow morning but her father has not yet told me if there is a spare seat in the van so I might miss out. Then again they might just turn up at 6.00am to pick me up like they did last week for the semi-finals!
You get good value at schools rugby as it seems to have way less holdups and delays with scrums assembling and the crouch bind and setting process taking minimal time compared to the professional level. Similarly goal kicking is not a time consuming marathon often seen at the highest levels.
I don't get much of rest in summer as there is cricket, softball and motor racing all demanding my attendance!
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anyone happen to know how i can watch the battle of the hbhs's game from aussie plz pm me . Thanks
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@Magpie_in_aus said in 2017 School Rugby:
anyone happen to know how i can watch the battle of the hbhs's game from aussie plz pm me . Thanks
Me too, please.
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You could get some good local comps if you broke up the super eight and CNI comp. Add the strong schools to the Counties Waikato Comp with strong schools such as: Wesley, Manurewa, HBHS, St Pauls, St Peters, St Johns. Maybe add Rotorua BHS and Tauranga BHS to retain the strength with a second division as well.
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A very intense game. Both teams playing very well. At one point late in the 2nd half, Hamilton played 27 phases and looked close to scoring only to knock the ball on not far from the Hastings try line. Awesome defence from Hastings, who after that already looked the mental winners (they were leading 18-17). Back on attack, there was a final line-out, followed by a driving maul, finally dropping off the Hamilton defenders and Tavita-Metcalfe ran with it, supported by Toala, and pushed over the Hamilton try line.
There couldn't be a more deserving team. Unbeaten this year!
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@Stargazer it was crazy the whole 2nd half hastings was in hamiltons 22 for that one lineout maul. The D was amazing from both teams in that second half. Not having their usual halfback would have been a blow for hastings the other one was pretty slow and erratic. Well done hastings.
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@Magpie_in_aus I agree, they really missed Fakatava. He was huge on Friday in the semi. Not your standard small halfback, but a strong lad who's able to make powerfull runs and not afraid to take on the big boys. It's a pity that Naholo and Mua will move to other provinces, but very glad the HBRU have signed Flanders, McClutchie, Toala and Fakatava. I hope they can keep a few more of the Hastings boys in the province, particularly Tavita-Metcalf and Hape.
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Can't give a report on the boys final as we left before it started. The girls final saw St. Marys have too much power up front and a marginal size advantage in the backs all resulting in a game in which they were always in control and never really in danger of defeat. A string of penalties going St. Marys way also stymied any chance of Hamilton GHS stemming the flow and preventing them unleashing some of their quick backs to ask questions of the St. Marys defence.
A rather chilly wind could not dampen the joy of a proud father, a mother with tears in her eyes and two very proud grandmothers greeting the announcement of the player of the day. They shouted me a feed on the way back to Wellington!
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Hastings - From Zero to Hero.
The first time Hastings Boys' High School appeared on Land Rover First XV rugby was in 2011 and they were beaten 0-45 by Gisborne Boys' High School.
Hastings didn't feature again until 2014 when they lost again to St Patrick’s College, Silverstream. However 2014 was the start of their upward ascent. Joe Walding-Karaitiana was a key figure in driving their improvement. This outstanding young man was First XV captain in 2014 and is now based in Wellington playing for the MSP club, studying at Victoria University and working for Red Bull. Sky Sport College Rugby caught up with Joe in 2014 and reading the article below today provides some insight into Joe’s impact on Hastings rugby and how much Hastings have improved in the last four seasons.
Hastings Improving The Hard Way
Between 2006 and 2013 the Super 8 record of the Hastings Boys’ High School First XV was awful, bloody awful!
Hastings played 56 games in this period and lost 53 times by an average score of 38-10! Hastings lost 33 consecutive games between 2005 and 2010!
In 2013, Hastings was trounced 71-21 at the Gully by New Plymouth Boys’ High School. Joe Walding-Karaitiana cast a forlorn figure that day. Joe was seriously disillusioned about the state of Hastings rugby.
“That game was the worst feeling I have ever had in rugby, it was embarrassing. The Year 13’s didn’t like been told some home truths and the whole motivation of the team was absent,” he says.
Joe was a member of the 2010 Hastings junior rugby academy class. The program started in 2009 and three key members of the 2014 team, Mason Kean, Harlan Solomon and Ash Robinson were foundation members. First XV coach Tony McBride expands on the importance of the academy:
“In the past we would not have attracted players of this calibre to our school. The academy has meant we have increased the number of students at our school, but more importantly the quality of rugby players. The academy focuses on not just ability, but also values. Joe was named best player in both the years he was in the academy.”
Kudos from the academy was scant consolation to the bustling hooker throughout 2013. Joe explains just how bad things were for the First XV.
“The whole culture of the team was wrong. I can remember some days at training where only six boys would show up. In the pre-season - that started last year - a few of the Year 12 boys got together and decided we would take ownership of the team culture. We would work harder than we had done before.”
In 2014 Joe was named captain of the First XV and head prefect at the college. The First XV pre-season suggested that they would be stronger than they had been for some time.
Notable wins were achieved against Wellington College and Kelston Boys’ High School and last-minute defeats were suffered against eventual Wellington finalists, Scots College and St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream. In 2013 Hastings lost to those two schools by more than fifty points!
Joe says the victory against Kelston was really important. “We hadn’t beaten an Auckland school for a long-time so to do that gave us a lot of belief, especially given we didn’t play that well.”
The biggest game of the season for Hastings is the Hawke’s Bay First XV championship against Napier Boys’ High School. Win this fixture and a place at the National Top Four can be achieved. Before 2014, the last time Hastings had won the Napier game was in 2004! Joe recalls June 14, the day that Hastings at last beat Napier again.
“We won an awesome game 27-17. It was really competitive, but I always felt we had it under control. Everybody played well that day and at full time the relief and joy was amazing”
Joe had never beaten a Napier team in his time at Hastings. At Under-15 level he played in 0-43 and 0-48 defeats. In 2013 the First XV suffered a record 10-60 defeat!
Since ending the Napier drought Hastings have gone onto to win a further two games in the Super 8 against Tauranga Boys’ College, 39-23 and New Plymouth Boys’ High School, 69-0. More significantly however Hastings held National Champions, Hamilton Boys’ High School to a 17-17 draw!
Hastings results in the Super 8 are their best since 2005. Had Hastings not lost to Palmerston North and Rotorua in the last minute on Joe’s 18th birthday they might have even made the Super 8 final. Joe admits concentration lapses have been an issue this season.
“When we are switched on we have shown we can compete against any team in the country, but sometimes we just lose the plot. In the Rotorua game we conceded two tries in the last two minutes, we just have to improve our focus.”
A big focus for Joe this year was the Hastings development rugby tour of South Africa. In the term two holidays a squad of 28 players, including six members of the First XV, toured the republic and played four games. The results were pleasing with three wins achieved.
The only defeat was suffered against Paarl Boys’ High School in Capetown, 23-15; Paarl contested the Sanix World Youth championship final in Japan. The tour cost each player $4,200.
Joe says the highlights of the tour were a safari, the visit to poverty stricken children in Soweto and the haka performed on King’s Park in Durban to the Highlanders after they played the Sharks in a Super Rugby playoff match.
First XV coach Tony McBride elaborated on the impact that Joe has had at Hastings this year.
“Joe is a very impressive young man. He has the boys full respect. He is approachable and honest, but is prepared to do the hard yards. He is humble and listens to advice which is rare in modern youngsters.”
Hastings narrowly lost to Palmerston North Boys’ High School in the Hurricanes semi-finals, but it was their best season in a decade.
Joe was disappointed to miss out on selection for the Hurricanes under-18 camp, but he says he is proud of Hastings season. The Gully is ancient history now! -
@Magpie_in_aus said in 2017 School Rugby:
Hastings - From Zero to Hero.
The first time HastingsRead it on the Sky Sports College Rugby page, great story!
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The NZ schools to compete at the Inaugural World Secondary Schools Rugby Festival in South Africa next year are:
Hamilton Boys
Otago Boys
Napier Boys
Christchurch BoysIt's a pity, but no surprise, that Hastings is not one of the NZ schools going to SA, as - if I'm correct - it's about the same period that they'll play at the Sanix Tournament in Japan.
This tournament looks way more interesting than that Sanix Tournament though (tougher opposition).
Rugby: Paarl Boys ready to celebrate in style (News: 09 Oct 2017)
Paarl Boys Birthday Bash rugby festival participents announced: The festival well take place the week following Easter from the 2nd - 7th of April with two match days. The
