2023 School Rugby

[Stargazer]

Southland Boys' are the Top 4 Boys' champions!

Westlake BHS 29 - 32 Southland BHS

[KiwiMurph]

@taniwharugby commentators said the Westlake centre and captain James Cameron was heading south - I presume to Crusaders.

[Stargazer]

Very convincing win for Manukura, who are the Top 4 Girls' champions!

Hamilton GHS 0 - 31 Manukura

[Stargazer]

Palmy Boys' finished 3rd in the Boys' Top 4.

Tauranga BHS 24 - 31 Palmerston North BHS

[Smudge]

@Stargazer Final was early so SBHS could get back home tonight.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02aokcJwAgp9qzeeB34FixMXmGgu7g8pHpa9msEPtB96eCiMPZbR8qy9ejYxqmrbHMl&id=100057649800961&mibextid=2JQ9oc

[JK]

Only watched WBHS vs Southland but another really good close game. Similar to all 3 Westlake games I watched of late. Gutted the westlake lads couldnt get it done this year. Another very good season and only 1 loss for the year.

[SouthernMann]

Who from the Southland set up looks like they could have a future? The Muliaina boys? The young Rutledge who missed the final, the second five who scored a stormer. Then there is Jimmy Taylor, the 16-year-old fullback and younger brother of Jack and Harry Taylor. Here is hoping some of these lads get themselves into the professional arena.

[Bovidae]

I was surprised to see that SBHS won the final. Quite the achievement, and the first SI school to win since CBHS in 2006.

It will be interesting to see how many of their players make the NZ Schools and Barbarians squads.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae Yeah, doing well at the Top 4 doesn't guarantee getting into the schools' squads, as Hastings Boys' found out in previous years.

[Bovidae]

Most of the squad will have been selected, and the majority won't have been at the Top 4. With no games on Sky anymore you don't get to see those players.

[taniwharugby]

@SouthernMann I liked the 8 for SBHS, tall, rangy good pace and balance, I think one of the Muliaina's was at 10? He looked handy too, as did the FB who has a good kick on him.

[Bovidae]

I expect both Sacred Heart and St Kents to be well represented. Rico Simpson, the Sacred Heart 1st 5 looked really good for the Māori U18s last year. There were a few Yr12s in the NZ Schools team last year as well.

[Bovidae]

The other thing about Southland BHS winning is that the Moascar Cup is back in the SI. Westlake held it for 2 days. I hope they got some photos.

[JK]

@taniwharugby said in 2023 School Rugby:

@SouthernMann I liked the 8 for SBHS, tall, rangy good pace and balance, I think one of the Muliaina's was at 10? He looked handy too, as did the FB who has a good kick on him.

Yeah I was impressed by the 8 too. Not huge but may still grow. Decent workrate!

[Smudge]

Good yarn here on the SBHS triumph.

Logan Savory

'It's crazy': Reflecting on an emotional national triumph

“Yes, we had injuries, but the three or four days we had in Palmerston North, I’ve never seen kids respond to that sort of stuff before. It was magic."

[Bovidae]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/132901382/parade-to-honour-southland-rugby-champions

[Stargazer]

Since there doesn't seem to be a relationship (anymore) between regional U18 camps and NZ Schools selection, I'm now posting this here.

Earlier, the players for the Crusaders U18 camp had already been announced:

2023 Junior Crusaders XV Announced

Fifty under-18 players will attend the camp from 3-6 October, including 12 who return for a second year. Selectors will then choose 35 players to travel to Blenheim for a 7 October fixture versus the Junior Hurricanes.

[Stargazer]

This is the list of players invited to attend the Hurricanes U18 Development Camp.

At the conclusion of the camp the playing group will travel to Blenheim on October 7 to play the Crusaders Under-18s.

Aspiring Hurricanes selected for Under-18 Development Camp

[Bovidae]

Jai Tamati moving to Manawatū.

[Stargazer]

@Bovidae I'm missing a few players, too. They could be injured, but I know that exactly these two players got a lot attention from scouts from outside the Hurricanes region. I hope the remaining franchises post their lists soon, too.