Regional Rugby Round-Up – Sunday, 26 September

Hurricanes Boys 1XV Championship Title Decided

Something of an upset occurred at McLean Park in Napier on Saturday afternoon, when Napier Boys' High School (playing a direct physical game) defeated Hastings Boys' High School by 14 points to 10 in the Final of the Hurricanes 1XV Boys' Championship for 2021.

(Napier Boys' High School are 2021 Hurricanes Boys' 1XV Champions)

At half-time in the match, Napier held a narrow seven point lead (7 points to 0), with Hastings only travelling into Napier territory once in the first 35 minutes, often kicking the ball away while in possession.

The second-half saw a better performance from the Super 8 finalist, with Hastings coming back to secure a 10 points to 7 lead with one minute to play. In the dying moments of the game, Napier scored a converted try and in doing so secured a famous victory for their school. 

Mammoth Match To Come In Central Region Shield

Following big wins to Manawatu and Wellington in the second round of the Central Region Shield, it will be a mammoth match between these two sides next week to determine which team wins the Shield for 2021.

On Saturday, in Palmerston North at the Sport & Rugby Institute, Manawatu capitalised on a 21 points to 3 lead against the Hurricanes Heartland team, to roar away and win the match by 61 points to 8, scoring nine tries and eight conversions.

(Wellington won their second fixture against Hawkes Bay - photo courtesy of Stuart Baird)

However, it was a tougher match for Wellington against Hawkes Bay at Lyndhurst Park, with the visiting team only seven points behind at half-time (7 to 14) having scored one converted try to two. Wellington scored 28 unanswered points in the second-half to win comfortably in the end, 42 points to 7.

Both sides have maximum competition points, which means that home advantage for "the Grand Final" comes down to points differential, with Wellington securing that position with a superior nine point differential compared to Manawatu. However, agreement has been reached between the two sides for the match to be played in Palmerston North.

In the other match next week, the two teams without a win in the first two rounds (Hurricanes Heartland and Hawkes Bay) will face-off for third place in Napier.

Centurions & Whanganui In Prime Position In Shield Tussle

Based on results after two rounds of competition in the Trustbank Central Secondary School Shield, it looks like either Centurions RFC (Wellington) or Whanganui will claim the coveted trophy next weekend. 

(Wairarapa-Bush were held scoreless against the Centurions RFC - photo courtesy of Mike Lewis)

Both teams have victories after two rounds, with Whanganui having the easier path to securing the 2021 title, with next week’s match against winless Horowhenua-Kapiti. Meanwhile, the Centurions side will have to travel to Napier and defeat the Saracens from Hawkes Bay, who had a comfortable 40 points to 10 win over Manawatu today. Both the Wellington Samoan RFU and Saracens RFC sides still have a mathematical chance of winning the Shield.

Whanganui eventually prevailed over a determined Wellington Samoan RFU team by 24 points to 22 on Saturday, while the Wellington Maori team had their first win of the competition, defeating Horowhenua-Kapiti 38 points to 12. At Lyndhurst Park in Tawa, the Centurions kept Wairarapa-Bush scoreless, winning by 33 points to nil.

(Whanganui defeated Wellington Samoa by 24 points to 22 at Spriggens Park, Whanganui)

2021 Under 16 Tournament Gets Underway

In the first match of the revised Under 16 Tournament for 2021, Poverty Bay hosted neighbours Ngati Porou East Coast to Gisborne in Division B on Saturday, where both sides played attractive rugby in superb conditions. Poverty Bay led the match by 15 points to 7 at half-time and went on to win by 39 points to 10, gaining five competition points.

(Poverty Bay secured their first win in Division B of the 2021 Under 16 Tournament)

The other match played this weekend in Division B between Horowhenua-Kapiti and Wellington Development saw the Wellington side win by 52 points to 12, after leading 26 points to 10 at half-time.

(Wellington defeated Horowhenua-Kapiti in Division B - photo courtesy of Club Rugby)

The first round of matches in Division A were played on Sunday afternoon, with Manawatu inflicting a heavy defeat on Wellington by 52 points to nil, after leading 33 points to nil at half-time. In the other match, Wairarapa-Bush led Hawkes Bay at half-time by 10 points to 5, but could not maintain their lead in the second spell, losing by 10 points to 40.

(Published : 26/09/21)