Hastings BHS beat Scots and other First XV rugby matters

• By Adam Julian
• Photos by Andy McArthur

Stoic Hastings Defy Scots despite a red card

Hastings Boys’ High School completed a successful pre-season with a 33-17 victory over Wellington Premiership Champions Scots College in Strathmore this afternoon.

Hastings, 2017 and 2019 national champions, have won their last three matches against Wellington College, Feilding High School, and Scots. The Super 8 side suffered narrow defeats to 2023 1A Auckland finalists Sacred Heart College and St Kentigern College.

Hastings was forced to play for an hour undermanned against Scots after their openside flanker was sent off for a dangerous tackle. It was a careless rather than malicious incident that unfortunately left the referee no choice.

Hastings’ defence proved resilient, twice holding Scots up over the line and forcing a forward pass when outflanked.

Hastings troubled Scots’ midfield defence. Winger John Lameko and first five Tana Faumuina were able to create chances at a click of a thump. Faumuina boasts a prodigious left foot, and he was able to both clear under pressure and attack with his kicking.

With 15 minutes remaining, and only ahead 19-10, Hastings won a scrum close to their line and Lameko galloped 40m. With Scots backpedalling Lameko saw Reed Paewai unmarked on the opposite sideline. A majestic crosskick hit the blindside flanker on the chest for an easy run in. Lameko then had the cheek to nail a sideline conversion.

The opening exchanges didn’t suggest such quality expansion was on the cards. Props Isireli Qaranivalu (Hastings) and Tobias Mene (Scots) crashed over for close-range tries after persistent pick-and-goes.

Scots would be rueful they didn’t capitalise on the opportunities created immediately following the Hastings red card. Despite lively displays from Jake Lawson and Richard Jones, Hastings only conceded one more try before the interval and another late in proceedings from a charge down. Hastings led 12-10 at halftime.

Scots strength appears to be their loose forwards.  Reweti Ngarimu, Brandon Lo and Joseph Sailo, whose brothers Issac and Epa were in the First XV, were dynamic in the carry and linked effectively with others.

Hastings midfielders Yuri Rowlands and Triumph Voice were bigger than their opposites, running with purpose and punch and each scoring a try.

Hastings reserve Marcus Leach had the final say at 26-15 when Paewai turned provider with a touch of finesse after a forceful run.

Hastings is coached by former Hawke’s Bay representatives Jason Shoemark and Karl Lowe (100 games, 21 tries, 62 wins). Manager Jason Bird was also a halfback for the Magpies.

Next week Scots travels to Napier Boys’ High School while Hastings opens their Super 8 campaign against New Plymouth Boys’ High School.

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New Plymouth Boys Maintain Bragging Rights in Taranaki

New Plymouth Boys’ High School retained the Max Carroll-John George Trophy on Wednesday with a 27-7 victory in the annual Taranaki grudge match.

New Plymouth has won the annual contest ten years in a row and 23 times since its inception in 1996. The last time Francis Douglas prevailed was in 2014 when they won 20-17 at Yarrow Stadium. The team featured current Hurricanes Jordie Barrett and Du’Plessis Kirifi.

It was clear New Plymouth was the more physical side with their defence and accuracy at the tackle a standout. The scrums became uncontested. Halfback Harry Fevre, son of former Taranaki halfback Craig, distributed quickly in the inclement weather and kicked accurately. Loose forwards Beau Henderson, Nate Werder and Jack White were tigerish.

New Plymouth’s points were scored by winger Viliame Rova (2), Soane Aholelei (prop), and substitute Jason McGregor. Fevre kicked two conversions and a penalty.

Francis Douglas scored their only points in the second half through hooker Hawaiki Manutai. A sideline conversion was kicked by Jerram Sinclair.

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Paraparaumu Premier One Question Answered

A message from Smithys Bar in Paraparaumu after the Monday Club Rugby column highlighting Paraparaumu’s Premiership qualification:

“The 1st XV of 1989 was the first and possibly only team to make PREM1, coached by Bill Russell and John Bocock. That team that year went on a tour of Australia playing in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, and Surfers Paradise. The nucleus of that squad formed two years prior and played an unbeaten season for the 3XV, beating the college 2XV twice in games. They were coached by Brent Adams and Simon Harris. They videoed every game and watched the rights and wrongs on a Monday during their lunch break. Ahead of time for a 1987 team. They were well coached and drilled, which put them in good stead for the first XV season a couple of years later. The 1990 team qualified for Prem One but elected to play down as half the squad had left from the previous year.”

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Gisborne Boys Champion Passes

Gisborne Boys’ High School mourned the loss of former teacher and legendary First XV coach Brian Cairns aged 81 on May 4. Mr Cairns was an old boy of Gisborne Boys’ High and taught at the college from 1973 to 2005 with two years at Palmerston North Boys’ High. He was head of physical education, senior master, assistant principal, and deputy principal in his tenure. Cairns coached the First XV from 1977 to 1981. In that span, Gisborne won 79 out of 91 games, including the Moascar Cup for the first time in 1980 when they defeated St Stephen’s School by 32-6 at the Rectory.  Three All Blacks, Robert Kururangi, Victor Simpson, and Gordon Macpherson passed through at this time.

Cairns was heavily involved in surf lifesaving (with the Waikanae club) and cricket. He was a life member of the Poverty Bay Cricket Association and Gisborne Surf Life Saving. He was the father of four, grandfather of ten and husband to Anne.

His son Tom Cairns is the Rector of Gisborne Boys’ High. Tom coached the First XV for over a decade. In 2007 Gisborne won the National Top Four tile defeating Mount Albert Grammar School 35-24 in the final. Future All Black Charlie Ngati scored a record 20 points. In 2011 Gisborne won their only Super 8 title. Tom coached Poverty Bay in the 2021 Heartland Championship winning the first Bill Osborne Taonga match. Prop Jarryd Broughton, then New Zealand’s heaviest rugby player weighing somewhere between 170 and 189 kg, scored two tries from the bench in a 33-26 win against Mid Canterbury.

Tom is a familiar face at Hurricanes and New Zealand Secondary Schools rugby champs.

Brian’s funeral was held at Gisborne Boys on May 9. Virtus repulsae nescia (Courage knows no defeat).

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Silverstream Stay Unbeaten in Tranzit Festival 

St Patrick’s College, Silverstream is the only unbeaten Wellington school after two rounds of the Tranzit Coachlines First XV Festival. On Saturday Silverstream edged Gisborne Boys’ High School 20-18 at the Rectory. Silverstream captains Thompson Tukapua (First Five) and Drew Berg-McLean (Flanker) scored tries for the visitors with Tukapua adding two conversions and fullback Liam Slight knocking over two penalties. For Gisborne, try-scorers were hooker Tyrone Mauheni and centre Quaydon Chaffey-Kora. First-five Ruan Ludwig slotted two penalty goals and reserve centre Impala Waipara a solitary conversion.

Silverstream plays Palmerston North Boys’ High School in the last round of the festival in Palmerston North at 12:30 pm this Saturday. The match doubles as the annual traditional fixture which Silverstream won 32-30 in 2023 with now OBU halfback Ollie Cuff scoring 20 points. Palmerston North enjoys historical ascendency in the match that started in 1931. Palmerston North has won 52 times compared to Silverstream’s 32. There have been four draws.

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Siale Lauaki has been selected to make his Hurricanes debut on Friday night. Here he is above scoring a try for St Pat’s Town a couple of years ago against Scots College in their semi-final.