2022 School rugby
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For the first time in many years both semis are 50/50 games and could go either way. I don't think there is a clear favourite amongst the 4 teams.
Obviously I am hoping Hamilton BHS do well but getting to the Top 4 with this team is an achievement in itself. The 2020 team, especially, and the 2021 team were much stronger but didn't get that opportunity. Unfortunately Ollie Mathis, the openside and co-captain is out injured, so that is a big loss.
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Pretty impressive haka by the JMC team. Good to see something slightly different.
The young guy reffing this Top Four semi-final game, Jack Sargentina, has been only on the whistle four or five years or so, following in the footsteps of his old man who is a real good guy and who is known to visit the Wellington Football Club's Isherwood Lounge quite often. I was witness to one of the very first games Jack reffed when he had charge of an Axemen Under 85s game at Hataitai Park and he struck me as likely to go a long way in the game even then. -
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Results Top 4 semi-finals:
Friday 9 September 2022
Boys' 1st XV Championship Semi-finals
Westlake Boys High 17 - 40 Napier Boys High
Hamilton Boys High 48 - 14 John McGlashan CollegeGirls’ 1st XV Championship – Semi-finals
Auckland Girls Grammar 31 - 32 Manukura
Manurewa High 5 - 39 Christchurch Girls High -
@Stargazer said in 2022 School rugby:
@Bovidae No 50/50 games after all.
Yeah, I was expecting closer SFs. Westlake created plenty of opportunities but didn't take them. A combination of good NBHS defence but often poor passes and handling.
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Firstly, commiserations to Napier BHS. Their defence was superb during the game.
The game was fitting of a final, and from a Hamilton BHS POV, they have ground out wins in the close games in recent weeks. I thought this was going to be game of missed opportunities, but Napier scrambled really well. The tacklers on Hodgson in the corner were definitely offside though as there was a ruck.
It will be interesting to see how many players from both teams make the NZ Schools teams.
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@Bovidae If the Hurricanes selectors have any influence on selections, there will be very few players from Napier Boys in the NZ Schools team. Previous years have taught us that the NZ Schools selections are usually made before the Top 4 finals.
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@Stargazer There are not really many players with the X factor in the NBHS team. It is just a "good team" that is well coached and led and which plays with a fierce determination and defend their line with their lives.
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@Higgins Max Ratcliffe, Gus Brown, Tyrone Chrystal, Cory Berkett, CJ Mienie have all been great this season. Also prop Ta$man Soanai-Oeti, but I think he's too young.
If x-factor is the only consideration, the team is doomed. We don't just need the flashy players, but also workhorses (Ratcliffe being a typical example of that).
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@Stargazer Yeah, I liked the NBHS hooker. It will be Bason plus another for the NZ Schools team. Obviously there is a Barbarians team to be named too.
As the commentators mentioned, Cory Berkett was one of the halfbacks in the Barbarians squad last year. As a 1st 5, he is a very good kicker, but I'm not sure about the rest of his game. Ratcliffe is probably the best bet from the forwards. Brown is too short to be a genuine lock and his height means he can be exposed in the scrum as a TH prop. Richie Tupuailei will be one of the TH props. Anyones guess for the other props.
If you want some locks with height then both Nelson and JMC had a couple. I don't know about the Chch teams.
From the Hamilton BHS team, both Spencer and Tuivalala will make the Schools team. Mathis, Hodgson and Putoko will be in the conversation for either team.
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@Bovidae Josh Leach from Hastings Boys' is a very good lock, but yeah, didn't make the Top 4, so not much chance. Can't remember how tall he is, but he dominated games on his own at times.
How do you know that those players will be in the team? Do you have inside knowledge?
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No inside knowledge but history shows if you make the NZ Schools team as a Y12 like Spencer did, you are at very short odds to be selected as a Y13. Also Y12s who make the Barbarians tend to be in the NZ Schools team the following year if form warrants it.
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How long ago did they change teenage rugby to schools only? In the 90's I played U14,, took a tear off with no suitable team, U17 for two years and then up to U19's when I left school. All for club teams. This was in the Counties comp. At U17 the competitions were a mix of club teams and school teams with most school teams being 2nd XV's.
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What a great final. Yes, might be a bit old now seeing Hamilton in the final and winning but they are so good to watch. Napier, unlucky. Some absolute guns in that team but i think Hamilton have much better depth and it showed.
Also feel for St Pats Silverstream who drew and lost on tries to Napier only 2 weeks earlier. That one team alone shows that the Wellington comp could be coming back from extinction. They should have a number of boys pushing for higher honors, starting with the prop and big 2nd 5.
