Whangārei Boys' High School 1st XV rugby team eyes history against Manurewa

Whangārei Boys' High School's first XV will need to show the same mana on Saturday as seen here performing the haka before their away game against Rangitoto on July 27. Photo / Alan Bee - BeeScene

When Whangārei Boys' High School's 1st XV rugby team takes the field on Saturday against Manurewa High School, they will have already ticked off a major milestone.

As the first whistle sounds through the school grounds at 12pm, the schoolboy team will have started their first home semifinal in their four-year history in the North Harbour 1A first XV competition.

But Whangārei Boys' High School (WBHS) will be hoping to achieve another piece of history on Saturday. Should they win, the team will advance to its first final against either Westlake Boys' High School or Rangitoto College next Friday at North Harbour Stadium.

To do so, WBHS must overcome the only team they haven't beaten this season in Manurewa High School. In the two games in 2019 between the two sides, WBHS were dealt a 22-12 loss in the first round and a 14-8 loss in the second.

WBHS' Luke Trigg (with ball) will be hoping to break Manurewa's line in a similar fashion when they play for the third time this season on Saturday. Photo / Alan Bee - BeeScene

WBHS came close to winning the latter with an apparent try under the posts right on fulltime only for it to be disallowed, which gave Manurewa the win. Apart from a loss to tough opponents Westlake, WBHS won the rest of their nine games which has earned them a semifinal on home turf.

"We guaranteed a home semifinal with a round to go which was good, it took the pressure off last week," WBHS coach Harry Darkins said.

WBHS beat Rangitoto, 20-18, two weeks ago to secure the home semifinal before beating Orewa College, 27-10, on Saturday. Taking motivation from their two losses, Darkins said the team was chomping at the bit.

"The boys are absolutely pumped, we've had two really good trainings this week and they know how important a home semifinal is.

"It's the first home semifinal we've had in competition so it's really exciting and they want to make some history in making the final and they are very focused on achieving that."

Darkins said the team had reviewed the tape from their two losses against Manurewa and he knew the boys needed to capitalise on their opportunities.

"We've spotted some weaknesses we can exploit and we'll look to implement that on Saturday and keep the ball away from their big forwards."

WBHS number eight Jordan Dwight (with ball) will have an important part to play against a formidable Manurewa forward pack. Photo / Alan Bee - BeeScene

The school team will be hoping to see the return of second-five Kian Kake, who had been sidelined for about five weeks after he broke four of his front teeth in a head clash. Darkins said Kake's return would be a boost to an already strong backline.

"[Kake] is a big, strong ball runner and he's quick on his feet so we've definitely missed him over the last few weeks so it'd be good to have him back."

If WBHS win on Saturday, they will play in the final which will be a curtain-raiser to the North Harbour/Counties Manukau Mitre 10 Cup game on Friday at North Harbour Stadium.

WBHS' neighbours, Whangārei Girls' High School (WGHS), started their own 1st XV competition campaign on Monday night in the first round of the three team competition. WGHS played Kerikeri High School in Kerikeri in a game which featured a number of Northland under-16 and under-18 representative players.

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WGHS started the stronger of the two sides using the width of the field to create space before bustling number eight Fiona Wira-Kohu got the scoring underway. Wira-Kohu was a stand out player crossing the line for her second try not long after Kerikeri's Carol Mohi went over the line.

Leading by 19-5 lead at halftime, WGHS looked odds on for a win before Kerikeri launched a comeback and found themselves with a conversion to win the match. With the ball sailing just wide, the game ended in an exciting 24-24 draw.

Next Monday will see Kaitaia College travel down to play WGHS at the WBHS fields at 4pm.