Want to know who the next Beauden Barrett or Kieran Read will be? In his new weekly column for the Herald, schoolboy rugby expert Herschel Fruean singles out the best First XV matches of the weekend, and some rising stars to watch. Fruean will travel New Zealand looking for the
First XV rugby: All You Need To Know about weekend's best matches and players
NZ Herald
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Rocky Olsen of Whangarei Boys. Photo / Supplied
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It's a hard game to call with both sides having claimed wins over each other this year.
Westlake Boys' boast the likes of Jock McKenzie, Chalyton Frans and Finau Paea, all big-time scorers, not to mention key players David Toia at hooker and Brook Robson at halfback.
Meanwhile, Whangarei Boys' are led by Rocky Olsen, who has proven very capable of putting up big score lines.
Olsen and teammate Max Brunker pack a punch as a duo with so much talent on attack. With those two on the run, life is made easier for Javarne Porter to pick off holes and gaps that are sure to open up.
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Jordan Dwight will be one to watch at No 8 with a history of making solid run ball opportunities.
Should Westlake Boys' get out to an early lead they're likely to secure the win but if confidence sets in for Whangarei Boys', we could be in for a close finish.
1A semifinals
St Kentigern College v Sacred Heart College at St Kentigern College - 2:30 pm;
King's College v Auckland Grammar at King's College - 2:30 pm
The most intriguing match in the 1A semifinals will undoubtedly be between Sacred Heart College and St Kents.
King's College and Auckland Grammar always have tradition but this year St Kentigern College have been on the watchful eye of the public.
Earlier this year, the ruling was made that St Kentigern College would stand down six of their new recruits to play the first six games of the season.
In the 1A, having a depleted team of any kind is tough to play with. St Kentigern only made it to the semis but they also only lost one game throughout this season to King's College.
At the start of the season, St Kentigern College played Sacred Heart in one of their six games where the new recruits weren't available and pulled off a 20-19 win.
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Sacred Heart College should really take this game and move into the finals but they still have had the problem of beating St Kents, even without having to face their opposition's full college roster.
When you are in a sports competition of any kind there is always that one team that you just can't get past and for Sacred Heart College, that's St Kents.
Down South
Rotorua Boys' High School v Tauranga Boys' College in Rotorua - 12:30 pm; Palmerston North Boys' High School v Napier Boys' High School at Massey University Field - 12 pm
There are some key games in the Chiefs and Hurricanes regions this weekend.
Rotorua Boys' will have to play their biggest rivals Tauranga Boys' College, while Palmerston North Boys' are set to play Napier Boys' High School.
Rotorua Boys' are favourites in the game against Tauranga, but it won't be easy.
Both teams this year have shown talent with a number of players being selected to the U18 Chiefs team this year.
Palmerston North Boys' just beat Napier Boys' a few weeks back with Ruben Love having a huge game and winning back the Polson Banner. But can they win just because they won a few weeks back? Yeah, they should. But will it happen again?
Otago Comp Final
• Otago Boys' High School v Kings High School in Dunedin at Littlebourne - 1 pm
Central North Island Final
• St Paul's Collegiate v Whanganui Collegiate in Hamilton, St Paul's - 12 pm
UC Championship
• Nelson College v Christs College in Nelson - 12 pm
• St Bede's College vs Christchurch Boys' High School at St Bede's College - 2:45 pm
The South Island have their biggest matches in the Deep South with Kings High School eyeing a big win over Otago Boys'.
King's High School have been so strong in the younger grades over the past four years but there's a sense the tables are about to turn.
The matchup between Giovani Leituale of Kings High and Max Brown of Otago Boys' will be one to watch and could be the two guys on their teams that could win the game in the end.
