Hawkes Bay Schoolboy Rugby
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Only got there about five minutes into the second half and it looked to be pretty much all Palmy for most of the time I watched. They looked way more classy out in the backs whilst Napier looked to be several notches below their best right throughout the team. Too many turnovers conceded plus plenty of handling errors, some lineout woes, a number of missed touch finders and a Palmy scrum that got on top with about twenty minutes to go all contributed to a disappointing result. Napier seemed to be struggling along whilst I awaited their customary big finishing effort but today was not their day. Things seemed to get worse after a penalty directly in front from about thirty metres was missed when the score was NBHS 05 - 12 PNBHS and it was all down hill from them on despite having the chilly northerly breeze behind them.
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The NZ Schools', NZ Barbarians U18 and NZ Maori U18 teams have been named. See this post.
As I predicted, not a single Hawke's Bay player in the NZ Schools' team.
The three that are in the Barbarians U18 team - Joel Russell, Josh Augustine and Shaun McNaughten fully deserve it (maybe they are the ones to get poached), and there are two in the NZ Maori U18 team, Maiti Leef and Oscar Ritchie.
But probably our best player this year, Angus Prouting, isn't in any of the squads. I can only imagine that that is because he was injured when Napier Boys' played their last two games, because it just doesn't make sense. Although, if they follow the teams the whole season, he shouldn't have missed out. It's frustrating to see a good player like him not getting picked, but what is new.
Ta$man Soanai-Oeti, Luke Thomas and CJ Mienie unlucky, too.
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We seem to be underrepresented again, compared to the long lists from other parts of the Hurricanes region. Not that we dominated school rugby this year, it's more the comparative strengths that makes our list of invited players rather small. Or maybe I should say that the lists of players from other provinces are rather long, particularly Wellington seems to be overrepresented again.
It boggles the mind that Darren Larsen is still in charge.
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Poo seems to be fairly well rewarded for PNBH and Fielding's relatively good years.
Wellington rewarded because the Canes and Wellington are the same thing.
We’re shafted again because we always are. Which makes me wonder yet again while you lot still support that piece of tutae franchise. 😉
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With now being confirmed that Napier Boys' halfback Joel Russell indeed hasn't been named in the Hurricanes U18 squad, because he's in the Blues 18 team, I'm starting to fear that Napier first-five Luke Thomas has been poached, too. The only two franchises who haven't published a list yet are the Chiefs and Highlanders.
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@stargazer That just confirms the intel we got earlier was indeed correct. Sad to say but good for Russell when weighing up Blues overtures against the remote possibility that Darren Larsen might have changed his all too apparent selection policy.
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Didn't know where else to post this. Sad news.
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Results pool games:
Napier Boys' v
- Tauranga Boys': 24 - 33 (L)
- Christchurch Boys': 27 - 22 (W)
- Sacred Heart College: 22 - 28 (L)
Safe to say they won't get far in the tournament. It's a pity, because there are some really good players in that squad (Augustine, CJ Mienie, Russell, Luke Thomas in particular). Not sure about some of the other players.
Death of enduring educationalist draws tributes from past and present schools
