Hawkes Bay Schoolboy Rugby

[Higgins]

@Stargazer said in Hawkes Bay Schoolboy Rugby:

Full time: Rotorua Boys' 19 - 32 Napier Boys'

A second win to Napier Boys'. They seem to be improving with every game, so that's great. The drop-off between their starters and bench is noticeable though, but most bench players (not including Joel Russell, who usually starts) are in their first year and have few caps, so still much room and time to improve.

Angus Prouting was may MotM.

Small recompense for losing the Moascar Cup to them a while back (so I think anyway)

[Stargazer]

Games this week:

Wednesday 31 May 2023
Sports exchange
St John's (Hastings) v St Pat's Wellington - 11.30am

Saturday 3 June 2023
Central North Island
Round 4
Lindisfarne College v St John's, Hastings

Super 8
Round 1
Hastings BHS v Palmerston North BHS - 12.00pm

Livestream:

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Napier Boys' play this week as well, but I haven't seen it announced anywhere.

[Stargazer]

Only just discovered that there are highlights clips of the Super 8 games:

[Stargazer]

Games on Saturday 3 June 2023:

A local derby:

Central North Island
Round 4
Lindisfarne College v St John's, Hastings - 12.00pm

[Stargazer]

A first opportunity to see how good this year's Hastings' squad is.

Super 8
Round 1
Hastings BHS v Palmerston North BHS - 12.00pm

Livestream:

[Stargazer]

0 - 3 to PN after 5 minutes.

[Stargazer]

Hastings Boys' with most of the possession thus far. Great attack leading to a try in the left corner. Didn't see the jersey number of the try scorer and could quite hear the commentator when he said the player's name. Not converted.

5 - 3 Hastings

[Stargazer]

Another penalty to PN. It seems that that is the go-to approach by PN again. They've had that for a few years now. Always going for the three points; not trusting their line-out? Good kicker though.

5 - 6 PN

[Stargazer]

Great line-speed from Hastings Boys'. Their defence is working well thus far.
I'd have to see them against Napier Boys' to compare, but this Hastings squad doesn't seem to have really big players. Even their locks look tiny.

Or some of their backs are tall, of course, so the forwards don't stand out.

[Stargazer]

Penlaty goal scored by Hastings' fullback, Mokau Lambert.

8 - 6 Hastings

[Stargazer]

My first impression of this Hastings squad is that their skill level is reasonably good and tactically they play well. They can't really break through the Palmy defence though and that might possibly be due to lack of size. Having seen the jersey numbers now, it's mainly the flankers that are tiny and the props aren't huge.

Someone should tell Palmy Boys that you can win games with goal kicking but not bonus points.

This time their kicker misses a shot at goal.

8 - 6 Hastings

[Stargazer]

I reverse jinxed that. Very good try to Palmy Boys. Hastings Boys' falling off some tackles there. The conversion is good.

8 - 13 Palmy

[Stargazer]

That was shit reffing. Palmy player getting away with hands in the ruck and stealing the ball when he was not entitled to. They make a mistake though and now Hastings with the penalty. They're going for a line-out.

[Stargazer]

Ughh. Not straight.

[Stargazer]

Half time: Hastings Boys 8 - 13 Palmy Boys

[Stargazer]

Great attack by Palmy. Their 10 just stopped before the try line. Now going for the pick and go, and ... held-up. Penalty to Palmy, they tap, and score. Things aren't going well for Hastings Boys'.

8 - 20 Palmy

[Stargazer]

Hastings on attack now. Quite a few players have been subbed. Going for the line-out near Palmy's try line.

[Stargazer]

Line-out was good but Palmy steal the ball and go for a run. They knock on, but get a penalty. Not sure why.

[Stargazer]

And again a try to Palmy Boys.
When tiredness grows, skill goes. That also applies to Hastings Boys'. They're missing too many tackles and the Palmy players are simply bigger and are harder to stop.

8 - 25 Palmy Boys

[Stargazer]

Hastings' line-out is good. Pick and go close to Palmy's try line.