Hawkes Bay Schoolboy Rugby

[Higgins]

@Stargazer Wouldn't be so sure about that. Feilding gave NBHS a good run down there a month or two back and I was not all that impressed when I watched Silverstream beat Rongotai (at Rongotai). Having said that both winning teams could well have rested key players for games they could be expected to win using their bench players anyway. From memory Feilding could also have tipped PNBHS over too.

[Stargazer]

@Higgins You may be right; during preseason Feilding HS beat both St Pat's colleges and kept it reasonably close against Napier in July. They didn't play Scots College, I think. Strangely enough, they haven't played Palmerston North BHS this season as far as I know (the game is not in the match schedule they published early this year).

The Polson Banner game was a draw in Palmy. Hopefully, Napier Boys' can get the job done at home.

[Stargazer]

Saturday 19 August 2023

Hurricanes semi-final
Napier BHS v Palmerston North BHS
Kick-off 1.00pm at NBHS #1

Nothing on Napier Boys' socials yet about this game.

Palmerston North BHS say on their FB page that they're trying to stream this game on their YouTube channel but ask for patients in case they face some technical issues.

This is the link:

[Stargazer]

Napier Boys' line-up. No Angus Prouting, that's a big loss. Strange that Joel Russell has been named on the bench.

[Stargazer]

The stream works, thus far.

[Stargazer]

It's a bit like a spidercam from the side. Filming from a quite high point. Fortunately, it's not a static angle. The camera is following the ball and zooming in a bit now and then, although not enough to identify players.

[Stargazer]

Palmy line-out midway Napier's half.
It's not straight!

[Stargazer]

Napier get the scrum penalty and the halfback takes the quick tap, but the ref calls him back. He didn't take it at the right point.

Now they decide to go for a line-out, on Palmy's 10m line.

[Stargazer]

Great clearing kick from Palmy put Napier under pressure. The Napier 10/15 only just manages to kick the ball out, but not very far.

...

Scrum in Napier's 22. Napier has the feed.

[Stargazer]

The stream is buffering a bit. I guess more people are tuning in. Hopefully it doesn't get worse.

Napier line-out, just outside their 22.

[Stargazer]

Great break from a Napier player, but he runs away from his support and Palmy turn the ball over.

The Palmy player tries to kick the ball into touch, but doesn't succeed and Napier clear the ball.

Palmy line-out. They're hot on attack now.

[Stargazer]

Napier turn the ball over, but illegally.

Penalty Palmy. They go for another line-out, right on Napier's 22.

[Stargazer]

Sorry, that wasn't the 22m, but further away. I can't see the entire field.

This passage of play is a bit messy. Both teams a bit nervous, with so much at stake?

[Stargazer]

Napier win another scrum penalty. That's a good sign.

Ref has a conversation with the Palmy captain.

Napier go for the line-out, just insidde their half.

[Stargazer]

Overthrown. Palmy back on attack.

[Stargazer]

Turnover Napier. Great defence.

[Stargazer]

Bit of a break, with a Napier playing receiving some treatment from the medical staff.

The stream freezes ...

[Stargazer]

Endless buffering. Has the stream died?

[Stargazer]

Still buffering. Come on!

[Stargazer]

Phew, it's back. No idea whether there has been a score in the mean time.

Napier line-out on the midway line.

Barnstorming run from one of the forwards. Napier deep into Palmy's half now.