Rugby: Whangarei topple rivals

Whangarei Boys' High School 1st XV captain Caleb Aekins looks to go on attack against Rosmini College. Photo / Michael Cunningham

The Whangarei Boys' High School 1st XV's season just keeps getting better.

After securing the 2015 Northland Midweek 1st XV crown earlier in the year, WBHS toppled Auckland's Rosmini College - the North Harbour 1A champions - in an 11-5 nailbiter yesterday to set themselves up for a match against the Auckland 1A champions, St Kentigern College, in Auckland this weekend.

Ecstatic with the historic win, WBHS coach Mark Kapa said his boys could not wait to take on the Auckland's best.

"I think it's the first time ever that the school's been involved in making it to this final so we're really excited to represent Boys' High and Northland.

"This win today's been for the old boys' of the school really. I think that's the key for us and just keeping up the tradition of the school. I'm just proud of all these boys."

Grinding out the win through some sloppy wet weather conditions on the sodden Rugby Park pitch, WBHS managed to shut down Rosmini's chances of getting over the advantage line with their spirited forward pack.

Slipping over on defence as well as on attack, Rosmini's penalty count went sky high towards the end of the match which allowed WBHS to clear the ball out of their half and make the most of the extra possession and territory gain inside the dying minutes.

Bustling their way up field with various pick and go's and penalty kicks due to Rosmini's lapse in discipline, WBHS held on to make history and boost their confidence going into the showdown versus St Kentigern's on Saturday.

With plenty of ball being spilt due to the slippery conditions, WBHS held Rosmini off their line on multiple occasions in the last quarter by forcing errors and turnovers to remain ahead at the fulltime whistle.

WBHS will face St Kentigern's in this Saturday's Blues regional final. The winner of that decider will represent the Blues' region at next week's national Top 4 tournament in Rotorua.

"I'm so proud that we've beaten the North Harbour champs, so we're looking forward to Saturday," Kapa said.

"We know it's going to be a really tough ask because it's going to be hard and fast down there. We now need to have a look ahead and see how they play but we know that they'll be big and physical and we'll just go as hard as we can."

WBHS play St Kentigern's on Saturday at 2.45pm and the match will be screened live on SKY's Rugby Channel.