Rugby: Kelston eyeing five in a row at Condors Sevens

By by Campbell Burnes

Herald online·

25 Nov, 2014 10:39 PM3 mins to read

Kelston Boys High XV Photograph by Richard Robinson.

This weekend is about the drive for five as the home-town Kelston Boys' High School seek an unprecedented fifth Condors national secondary schools open boys' sevens title.

Coach Brent Semmons has again assembled a solid squad that has seen plenty of sevens action over the last few weeks in preparation. Playing at their home field, as they have done for the last three years, will be an advantage.

"Sleeping in their own beds and having that familiarity with the grounds will be helpful," says Semmons.

"But it's going to be a hard tournament. This might be the hardest one we'll play. I'm not sure whether we've got the X-factor player this year, so teamwork is going to be all-important."

A quick glance at the tournament MVP since 2010 when Kelston started this impressive streak is instructive: Pita Ahki (2010), Lolagi Visinia (2011), Tui Lolohea (2012) and Nathaniel Apa (2013) have all kicked on to bigger things after starring at New Zealand's most prestigious schools sevens event.

Visinia has helped Kelston with their preparations over the last few weeks. His brother Seb will skipper the side. Three of that MVP quarter will be on hand for the finals day on Sunday as guests of honour at a lunch, to be attended by Sir Gordon Tietjens and his All Blacks Sevens squad, gearing up for the Dubai event.

Kelston have four returning from the 2013 side. Most have come out of the 2014 First XV, other than Peter Scanlan and Junior Puaga, out of the gun First XIII league team.

Watch out too for strapping wing Bruno Tuivai and First XV captain Luke Cunis, seeking to sign off his school sporting career in style.

Kelston have acquitted themselves well in various sevens tournaments, including last weekend when they competed against senior provincial sides in Northcote. They didn't win, but the experience gave them priceless hard sevens competition.

There will be threats to their hegemony, notably from Wellington's Scots College, featuring TJ Va'a, the Umaga-Jensen twins and Connor Garden-Bachop, not to mention St Pat's Silverstream, coached by Scott Waldrom.

Look out for Hamilton Boys' High, coached by Nigel Hotham, who is returning to the school where he coached the First XV to the Moascar Cup in 2002.

Within Auckland, there is Otahuhu, which won the Auckland schools sevens tournament last month, perennial contenders MAGS, and St Kentigern, who will play their first Condors.