Reports and results from our 2021 season.
Report by the Captain of Code
HBHS once again proved why we are such a dominant force in school boy rugby. With COVID-19 once again affecting New Zealand, it meant most seasons were cut short. Fortunately, most teams were able to finish their main seasons, but Winter Tournament Week matches were cancelled. Our school's success in the sport is not solely dependent on the players. Coaches, managers, trainers and parent supporters all help make the HBHS Rugby code run as smoothly as it does. Therefore, I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the 2021 season.
Firstly, I would like to report on our junior teams. Our Under 14A team had an amazing season but due to the cancellation of Winter Sports Week, they were not able to play in their annual Super 8 competition. Nonetheless, they finished their season as runners-up in the Waikato Secondary School Under 15A Division. Regardless of the result, it was a massive achievement for the boys to make the final, considering they are in a division playing against teams an entire year older than them. I would like to thank the coaches Mr McKenzie and Mr Moorby for their efforts which resulted in a great season.
The Under 15A team also had their National competition cancelled, but the boys did not let this get in the way of having an amazing season. On top of going undefeated in every exchange they were involved in, they won their final which made them the champions of the Waikato Secondary School Division 3 competition. A massive congratulations to the entire team and the coaches, Mr Miller and Mr Katene.
At HBHS we take pride in excelling at all levels of sport, and recognising their achievements. The U65 team had a fantastic season and took out the competition making them the champions of the Waikato Secondary School U65 Division.
The HBHS 2nd XV is a special team within our school and it provides a great pathway for those aiming for the 1st XV in the future. This year, the 2nd XV was a fairly young team but they showed nothing but determination and hard work. The team went unbeaten throughout their Super 8 campaign to retain the shield for the second year in a row. I would like to thank the coaches Mr West and Maxie Kemara and congratulate the team as a whole for their achievements.
The HBHS 1st XV
As with every other team, the 1st XV also experienced a short season. Regardless of this, we were still able to have a great season. Each year we set one goal and one goal only. To win the Super 8 title. To achieve this goal, we knew that a tremendous amount of hard work and pain must go into it. With this in mind, there was no better way to start our season than with a Boot Camp. Four days of training at Waihi beach. People can easily be mistaken and assume that the âlongest dayâ was the only hard dayâs work. However, this was not the case. Our coaches, Mr Hotham, Mr Asplin, Mr Kirkham and Mr Popping managed to squeeze every single drop of energy we had in our souls within those four days. Four days of pure fitness, alongside a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. Thankfully, it brought us together as a squad and our brotherhood was already unbreakable. Coming out of this boot camp, the boys were eager for some footy. Pre-season games included Westlake Boys' High School, Mount Albert Grammar School, Hamilton Boysâ High School 2nd XV, St. Paul's Collegiate, and the 100th exchange against Auckland Grammar School. Fortunately for us, we were able to knock over all of these teams giving us lots of confidence heading into our Super 8 campaign.
Within the Super 8 campaign, some of New Zealand's top schoolboy teams clash head to head in battles which often lead to sore bodies the next day. The results were as follows:
1st XV versus Super 8 schools:
New Plymouth: Won 36 - 29
Palmerston North: Won 36 - 3
Rotorua: Won 21 - 19
Napier: Won 32 - 7
Tauranga: Lost 12 - 13
Gisborne: Won 50 - 5
Hastings: Lost 13 - 18
A tough couple of losses throughout the Super 8 campaign had us shook, but there wasnât a single player or coach who didnât believe in the team. We bounced back each week and learnt from our mistakes which was a main factor in our successes. We pushed through the round robin and made it into the final in which we faced Hastings, the team who had beat us the week prior. Playing away from home can be seen as a disadvantage for some, but we flipped it over, and viewed it as an advantage. We all played for our family and friends at home who couldnât make it on the day and that really drove each player to leave all their efforts out on the field. The first half of the game did not go our way as we conceded a try in which they converted. They also knocked over a penalty kick making the half time score 10 points to 0. The second half began and itâs as if a switch was flicked and all the boys were now ready to dominate. A great passage of play got us in their 5 metre zone where we would pick and go. Our big prop Moses McGoon got the ball and decided to carry 4 defenders over the line with him to score our first points. A great conversion from our Co-Captain Taha Kemara had us right on Hastingâs tail at 7 points to 10. Within 5 minutes of our first try, Hastings conceded a penalty which meant it was time for a lineout drive. A strongly set drive set a great platform for Co-Captain Sean Ralph to launch off the back and score right in the corner. A tough conversion just drifted outside the posts making the score 12-10. We were now in the lead and Hastings was rattled. We were not prepared to take our foot off the throttle and defended miraculously for the remainder of the game until Lachie McCarthy gained us a penalty right before full time. We opted for a scrum to run the clock out which meant Marley Murphy could fire the ball back to Taha Kemara who would kick it out to officially end the game, making us the Super 8 Champions for the 14th time.
From the team, we would all like to thank Mr Hotham, Mr Asplin, Mr Kirkham, Mrs Clark, Mr Popping, and Paul Head for all the hours and effort you put into making this team as successful as it was. We would also like to thank our generous sponsors Porter Group, Lodge Real Estate, Top Town Tyres, and Laser Plumbing.
Thank You.
By Gabe Robinson
Colts Rugby
The 2021 HBHS Colts team again competed in the Waikato Under 21 Club Rugby competition. Our goal from the outset was to make the Top 4 which was challenging not only due to the greater size and age of our opposition, but also the draw giving us 5 of the 7 fixtures away from home. After losing our first game of the season to a strong Hautapu side led by 2020 Old Boy Rique Miln, the boys disposed of Morrinsville 27 - 0, Leamington 29 - 12, Hamilton Old Boys 38 - 10 and Fraser Tech 27 - 12 which qualified us as 4th. Goal achieved! We then moved through to the second round which consisted of playing the other top four sides to determine final seedings for the semi finals. Following first up losses to Marist and Fraser Tech, the equation was simple; beat Hautapu at home to avoid Marist in the semi-final. The boys played a strong game of rugby leading the entire game with Hautapu scoring on the 80 minute mark to make it look a little less comfortable. Goal achieved! This now required us to beat Fraser Tech away to secure a WRU U21 finals spot for the first time in HBHS Colts history. The boys were switched on from the outset after a great weeksâ preparation. Cory Lansdown scored the opening try off a well-worked line-out. Cory grabbed himself another meat pie shortly before the half time break before Fraser Tech converted their first line break on the half time whistle. We again grabbed the early momentum in the second spell which I was able to convert to a 7 pointer. With Ab Harrison scoring shortly after under the poles the stage was set for a massive victory. With 2 minutes to play they managed to exploit our rush defense on an edge with the winger in the clear. I chased him down on the line to hold him up but was adjudged as making a seat belt illegal tackle. The resulting penalty try and yellow card made no difference with history being made with a comfortable 24 - 14 scoreline. To turn history into legacy we now needed to beat the âunbeatableâ Marist in the final! After a breakfast and jersey presentation from Xavier Roe, the current Chiefs halfback and former HBHS Colts player, the boys were fizzing to get stuck into the green machine. After some early mistakes and unforced errors, we found ourselves down 0 - 13 midway through the first half. But, after maintaining possession and displaying patience with the ball, a centre field attacking bomb was fielded by Braeden Dehar who bolted away to score. Joel Hazelton then followed this up with a try from a line-out drive and Kipoe nailed the conversion from the sideline in front of our large and boisterous spectators taking us into half time leading 17 - 13. With a prime opportunity to place further scoreboard pressure being missed early in the second half and only two reserves listed on the day, the tiring big Marist pack were bolstered by five forward reserves all well over 100kg on the 55min mark. This included a couple of monster 130kg Tongan props and, with Jacob Graham already replacing Loka Fale due to injury, it was left to Daisuke Shirai to come on and nullify the impact of these huge men. Although our much better conditioned forwards outplayed their pack over the first 60 minutes, we could not match these fresh goliaths who exerted immediate dominance. A scrum penalty try and rolling lineout maul from another scrum penalty sealed it for the Marist side in the final quarter. Final score 17 - 31. We were the better team for 60 minutes which gave us some comfort as we watched their jubilation on receiving the trophy. I would like to thank all the squad for their collective efforts throughout the campaign and the coaches Mr Andrew Hay, Mr Barney Killian and Mr Inga Tamou for their sacrifice and commitment. Special mentions to Morgan Gardiner for his 1st XV call up, Otama Roberts and Jacob Graham on their selection in the Under 18 Chiefs trials and to Joel and Levi Hazelton, Nathan Jordan and myself for making the Under 17 Harlequins team.
By Jack Tuck
2021 HBHS Colts Captain
Rugby Awards
1st XV (Winners Super 8) Best Back/s: Taha Kemara. Best Forward/s: Tahlor Cahill. Best Team Man/Men: Zealin Prime.
2nd XV (Winners Super 8) Best Back/s: CJ Kaua and Mac Russ. Best Forward/s: Liam Anderson. Best Team Man/Men: Kyan Trebes and Tama Hodgson.
Colts (Finalist WRU Colts) Best Back/s: Dredon Wharawhara and Kipoe Lio. Best Forward/s: Jack Tuck and Joel Hazelton. Best Team Man/Men: Otama Roberts and Nathan Jordan.
Senior Black (Semi-finalist WSS Division 1) Best Back/s: Aidon McKain. Best Forward/s: Hoki Williams and Haimz Leef. Best Team Man/Men: Hohaia Keogh and Aki Tupou.
Senior Gold (Fifth WSS Division 1) Best Back/s: Joshua Wilson and Curtis Saxon. Best Forward/s: Aaron Hemi and Cooper Beveridge. Best Team Man/Men: Josiah Moetara.
Senior Blue (Semi-finalist WSS Divison 2) Best Back/s: Nikau Tawha and Levi Cressy-Baggott. Best Forward/s: Serjioh Sarsfield. Best Team Man/Men: Samuel Walker and Serjioh Sarsfield.
Senior Red (Finalist WSS Division 3) Best Back/s: Heath Palaone. Best Forward/s: Toby Smith. Best Team Man/Men: Christian-Lee Pogai.
Senior White (Semi-finalist WSS Division 4) Best Back/s: George Blake and Hamish McRobbie. Best Forward/s: Hennie Roux and Joseph Lorimer. Best Team Man/Men: Taiawhio Cunniffe.
Senior Purple (Semi-finalist WSS Division 4) Best Back/s: Angus Reeves. Best Forward/s: Neil Van den Berg. Best Team Man/Men: Duggie Valler.
Under 15A (Winners WSS Division 3) Best Back/s: Hiraka Waitai-Haenga. Best Forward/s: Keaton Reti and Jake Rabarts. Best Team Man/Men: Mangaroa Mark and Ziggy Coleman.
Under 15B (Semi-finalist WSS Under 15A Division) Best Back/s: Ollie Parkinson. Best Forward/s: Astyn Te Whare. Best Team Man/Men: Cain Lilo.
Under 15 Black (Runners-up WSS Under 15B Division) Best Back/s: Peni Havea. Best Forward/s: Isaac Peachey. Best Team Man/Men: Stephan Grove.
Under 15 Red (Fifth WSS Under 15B Division) Best Back/s: Anaru Deane. Best Forward/s: Isaac Limbert. Best Team Man/Men: Gordon Alefosio.
Under 14A (Finalist WSS Under 15A Division) Best Back/s: Samisoni Tapui. Best Forward/s: Huritetaha Barlow and Alex Arnold. Best Team Man/Men: Turongo Tamaki and Harema Macown.
Under 14B (Finalist WSS Under 14A Division) Best Back/s: Riley Turner and Maiaorere Harmon. Best Forward/s: Corban Dunlop. Best Team Man/Men: Jack Ramsey.
Under 14 Black (Semi-finalist Under 14A Division) Best Back/s: Koewyn Kearins-Te Whare. Best Forward/s: Samuel Kingdon. Best Team Man/Men: Josh Gilmore.
Under 65 (Winners WSS Under 65 Division) Best Back/s: Ethan Morris and Ryan Walker. Best Forward/s: Jacob Burnell and Lachlan Harridge. Best Team Man/Men: Taylor Sherlock and Quinn Norton.
Under 14 Red (Seventh WSS Under 14B Division) Best Back/s: Finesi Bourne. Best Forward/s: Dallas Douglas. Best Team Man/Men: Taine Grover.
Under 55 Black (Fifth WSS Under 55 Division) Best Back/s: Sam Marcroft. Best Forward/s: Ryan Delany. Best Team Man/Men: McGregor Morrison and Tom Wynne.
Under 55 Red (Seventh WSS Under 55 Division) Best Back/s: Liam Gwilliam. Best Forward/s: Orion Overton. Best Team Man/Men: Riley Bennett.
Under 55 White (Semi-finalist WSS Under 55 Division) Best Back/s: Harper Bourke. Best Forward/s: Jack Thornley and Charley Wahanui. Best Team Man/Men: Luka Urlich Broadhead and Kurt Fuller.