Trident High School's Under 19 Girls team remain the unknown factor for the Condors selection. Under coach Tania-Rose Taikato they will be a real threat to the top seeds of Tauranga Girls' College and Rotorua Girls' High School.
In the boys' qualifier it is a tight race between Tauranga Boys' College and Western Heights High School for the second qualification spot. Rotorua Boys' High School is again expected to be too strong as No 1 seed. Late injuries in the Te Puke team may make for a tougher mission for them to cause an upset.
"It is great to be able to host such high-calibre teams in the Bay of Plenty and have other schools from outside the Bay keen to participate," Bay of Plenty Secondary Schools manager Ian Parata said.
"This year we have Gisborne Boys' High School Under 14 side, Rosmini College Under 15 Boys Development side, Under 19 Girls Development side Piopio and Under 15 Girls Open and Under 19 Girls Development teams' from Nga Wahine Toa attending the tournament.
"We know a weekend of sevens rugby creates a buzz in the schools and we look forward to seeing secondary school sevens rugby continue to grow as it has done thus far."