Rugby: HBHS make top four for second year in a row

Hastings Boys' High tighthead prop, Josiah Metcalfe-Tavita, charged over for two tries on Saturday. Photo/File

There's no doubt the Hastings Boys' High School 1st XV rugby team boasts the necessary levels of professionalism to capture the national secondary schools title this week.

The Kianu Kereru-Symes-captained side had just retained the Hurricanes title and qualified for the national top-four competition for the second consecutive year with a 47-17 victory against another previously unbeaten team, St Pats Silverstream of Wellington, in Palmerston North on Saturday but there was little in the way of jubilant and loud post-match celebrations.

Kereru-Symes and his troops were already looking ahead to their top-four campaign which begins with a match against Blues champions St Kentigern College in Palmy on Friday.

"We made a great start but could not keep it up for 70 minutes. We've got to work on that for the top four," Kereru-Symes told the media scrum at Central Energy Trust Arena.

He was spot on too. His team did well to establish a 26-0 lead within the first 13 minutes but leaked 12 points in an eight-minute period later in the first half.

Do that against the better teams they will face this week and they won't achieve their goal of improving on last year's second placing at top four.

"We got a bit quiet and complacent and they scored off our errors," classy No 8 and player of the match Devan Flanders explained.

"This is another piece to our puzzle but we've got two more games yet," Flanders added referring to the return trip to Palmy.

Second five-eighth Danny Toala, who like Kereru-Symes and fellow prop Josiah Metcalfe-Tavita, was close behind Flanders in the tussle for player-of-the-match honours was quick to point out Hastings' defensive-line speed wasn't always as sharp as it could have been.

"We need to put more pressure on our opponents. We held back waiting for them to run at us."

Toala did well to slot six of his eight attempts at goal in a tricky wind and apologised for missing his last kick.

"I wasn't thinking as well as I should have. I was just happy to put the ball over the touchline and the game to finish.

"But I'm proud of the boys because Silverstream are a pretty good team. It's a pretty good feeling to reach the top four again and hopefully we will go one place better this year."

Hastings manager Jason Bird agreed their start laid the platform for the win. He was impressed with the manner Kereru-Symes and Metcalfe-Tavita, who played his first game in three weeks and scored two tries during his powerful 50-minute shift, worked well off each other.

While Toala was right about the adjustments which needed to be made to their line speed Hastings also need to respect the ball more. The seven turnovers conceded in the second half were too many.

Also, if it is as windy as it was on Saturday, in Palmerston North this week they might want to consider less long lineout throws. Too many of these were judged not straight by Hawke's Bay referee Stu Catley who gave another polished display.

During their 19-game unbeaten streak this season Hastings have scored 981 points while conceding 95. Outstanding winger Kini Naholo scored his 40th try of the season despite being well marked.

Openside flanker Josh Southall, who played alongside nine of the Hastings players in the Hurricanes under-18 team in July, had a huge workrate for St Pats Silverstream.

Friday's other top-four semifinal will see Chiefs champions Hamilton Boys' High School take on South Island champions Southland Boys' High School.

Scorers:
Hastings Boys' High School 47 (Josiah Metcalfe-Tavita 2, Lincoln McClutchie 2, Kini Naholo, Liam Udy-Johns, Jeriah Mua tries; Danny Toala 6 cons), St Pats Silverstream 17 (Neyla Masina, Kienan Higgins, Todd Svensen tries; Harrison Boyle con). HT: 33-12.