Raukura's 1st XV after winning the Super 8 title against Hamilton Boys' High School on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
Raukura's 1st XV after winning the Super 8 title against Hamilton Boys' High School on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
For the first time in more than two decades, Rotorua Boys' High School rugby teams have won a Super 8 double, securing both the 1st XV and 2nd XV titles.
Raukura's 1st XV was named the 2022 Super 8 champions after a thrilling final against Hamilton Boys' High School in Hamilton on Saturday.
At the end of the 70 minutes, Hamilton Boys' High School was leading 19-13 but a try by Sione Tupou in the final play closed the gap to 19-18.
With a conversion left to end the game, Raukura's Kees van der Heyden successfully made the kick to secure a one-point win.
The day before, the school's 2nd XV team won their final against Hamilton Boys' High School 24-13 in front of the school at Raukura on Friday, remaining unbeaten in their season.
Raukura's 1st XV Super 8 title is their third since the competition's inception - the first-ever Super 8 title in 1998, a second in 2001 and their current one.
A proud Raukura principal, Chris Grinter, said it had been a "very special" couple of days, congratulating "all our players and especially the dedicated and talented coaching and management groups of both teams".
"With the win on Saturday the school has, for the first time since 2001, taken out the Super 8 double - a special feat and a wonderful milestone for the school, our rugby programme and of course these two successful teams," Grinter said.
"A wonderful and somewhat precious Super 8 achievement," he said.
Raukura 1st XV captain Brooke Mitchell, centre, and team members Max Hutchings, left, and Sione Tupou after winning the Super 8 Rugby title on Saturday. Photo / Supplied
For the 1st XV team, the achievement was even sweeter, reclaiming the coveted Moascar Cup from Hamilton Boys who took hold of it after their win over Raukura on June 25.
Before then, Raukura had held the Moascar Cup, known as the Ranfurly Shield of schoolboy rugby, since August 22, 2020.
Raukura's 1st XV head coach Ngarimu Simpkins said securing the win over Hamilton, which has won 14 of the last 17 Super 8 titles, was well-deserved.
"Hamilton are a great side. We have been on the other end a number of times, so it's nice not only for the boys to get the win but also for our families and supporters.
"It has been a few seasons since we have been able to put a badge on the [Super 8] shield, so it's fantastic to be able to make history for the 2022 team," Simpkins said.
"Playing in big games comes with big trophies and they're not much bigger than the Moascar Cup. It's nice to be able to bring the trophy home to Rotorua and we will celebrate that."
Although the Super 8 competition has finished, Raukura's 1st XV season is far from over as they gear up for the first knockout game as part of the qualification for the National Top Four this weekend.
They will play Tauranga Boys' College 1st XV this Saturday for the Bay of Plenty final.
"All finals are big games and this will be no different, we will need to be clinical and just as passionate as the game against Hamilton Boys' if we want to be victorious," Simpkins said.
