Future sports stars in action at school tournaments

Whanganui Collegiate prop Keagan Hanekom on the charge in his side's win over Nouvelle Caldonie on Day 1 of the Lindisfarne College Under 15 rugby tournament in Hastings. Photo / Warren Buckland

Dozens of school sports tournaments are nearing the business end throughout the country.

Defending national Under 15 invitational rugby tournament champion Hastings Boys' High School has kept alive its hopes of retaining the title it won in 2019 by beating Palmerston North BHS 14-10 in a quarterfinal at the five-day tournament in Christchurch.

PNBHS had made it through pool play unbeaten, but Hastings had to fight back after a Monday morning 10-18 loss to Auckland Grammar with a 37-12 win over Pukekohe school Wesley College later in the day and a 27-3 win over Wellington school St Pat's Town on Tuesday.

On the back of today's win, HBHS meets Auckland school Westlake College in one semi-final on Thursday, while Auckland Grammar plays host Christchurch Boys High School in the second of the two matches to decide the qualifiers for Friday's final.

Napier BHS had its third loss in four games and plays Wesley College in a 13th-16th playoff. It opened with an 8-7 win over Christchurch school St Bede but was beaten 34-0 by Westlake and 15-5 by host school Christchurch BHS to complete pool play. Today it was beaten 18-17 by New Plymouth BHS.

In Hastings Lindisfarne College and fellow Hastings St John's College each suffered losses today on the first day of Lindisfarne's 19th Under 15 tournament in Hastings.

Lindisfarne was beaten 22-15 by defending champion St John's Hamilton, while Waikato school St Peter's beat St John's Hastings 45-12.

Whanganui Collegiate beat Nouvelle Caledonie 44-7 and Auckland school King's College beat Wairarapa school Rathkeale College 48-12.

The tournament continues today with first-round winners St Peter's and King's matched at 11am, with St Paul's Hamilton and Nouvelle Caledonie in the other early game. At 1pm, Lindisfarne plays Whanganui and St John's Hastings plays Rathkeale.

Meanwhile, both Hawke's Bay schools in the 32-teams Lotto Premier boys national schools football tournament at Park Island, Napier, are out of the running for the major placings.

Lindisfarne College, having qualified for the tournament for just a second time, is in Thursday's 9th-12th place playoffs despite winning four of its five games on the first three days.

It beat Wellington side Rongotai College 3-0 and Westlake 1-0 on Monday and St Bede's 4-1 on Tuesday, before 0-1 loss to Auckland side St Kentigern.

In an 8th-16th pool playoff today it beat St Peter's Auckland 4-2 after a penalty shootout.
Napier BHS opened with losses to Wellington College (2-4) and Auckland school MacLean's College (2-3) but bounced back with wins over Whangārei BHS 2-1, Rathkeale 2-1 and St Pat's Silverstream (6-1), headed for a 17th-20th place playoff on Thursday.

Surviving to the top four semi-finals were St Paul's (Hamilton), Scots College (Wellington), Hutt International and Tauranga College.

The last tournament, three years ago and also in Napier, was an all-Auckland affair won by Sacred Heart College, with Napier BHS and Hastings BHS eliminated from the title race at the top 16 stage.

Hockey – Napier

Hawke's Bay schools Iona College, of Havelock North, and Napier Girls High School are set for a Thursday-afternoon quarterfinal in search of the Marie Trophy for the 16-32 positions at the Premier schoolgirls hockey tournament in Napier.

Each won in the fourth round, Iona beating Palmerston North Girls High School 2-1 and NGHS beating Orewa College 3-0.

The top eight quarterfinals in the Federation Cup championship are St Cuthbert's v Rangiruru, St Margaret's v Whangārei GHS, Wellington GHS v Wairarapa College. And Westlake v Christchurch GHS.