Japan trip looms for Boys High
1st April 2011 10:07AM
Hamilton Boys' High School first XV are poised to make a third visit to the world schools rugby tournament in Japan next month, but the trip was hinging on a meeting at the school today.
Last year's national champions Mt Albert Grammar School, of Auckland, pulled out of the Sanix World Schools Tournament in Fukuoka following the earthquake and tsunami that devastated parts of Japan and sparked fears of nuclear contamination.
Hamilton BHS were only invited as an additional New Zealand entry in January and, while they have again been able to attract Waikato Grassroots Trust backing to make it financially possible, a meeting of staff, parents and players was today to decide whether the trip would proceed.
HBHS first XV coach Nigel Hotham said the tournament was in the south of Japan, 1700km from the damaged power plant in the north, and there was no earthquake or tsunami damage in Fukuoka or any reported radiation threats.
"First of all we wondered whether the tournament would go ahead anyway but we've been in touch with the organisers and they have decided to go ahead with it," Hotham said.
The team are due to leave on April 26 and must make a decision this week in order to meet a deposit deadline for airline bookings.
They finished fifth in their first visit to the tournament two years ago and won it last year.
Meanwhile Waikato secondary schools rugby will get under way next week with pre-season and qualifying games for all teams.
Competition doesn't start until next term but 16 teams will in the meantime play off to decide their divisions while St Peter's School, St Paul's Collegiate and Hamilton Boys' High first XVs, along with HBHS second XV, will play pre-season games against each other.
Organisers have this year decided to reduce the top division of the Waikato secondary schools competition, which HBHS first and second XVs do not play in, to just six teams.
The qualifying competition, which St Peter's and St Paul's also will not play in, starts on April 9 with 16 teams split into four pools of four. The top team from each pool, together with St Peter's and St Paul's, will form division one.
The second team from each pool, plus the top two third-placed teams (decided by midweek playoffs), will make up the second division and the rest will form the third division, with a decision still to be made as to whether there will also be a fourth division.
The divisions will play two-round home-and-away competitions, starting on May 14, followed by semifinals and final (August 14). The first division final will be curtainraiser to an ITM Cup match at Waikato Stadium.
All other secondary schools grades will start their competitions on May 7 at the start of the second term.
Meanwhile HBHS first XV will play St Peter's on Saturday week (April 9) and on returning from Japan will play St Paul's on May 14 as a curtainraiser to the Chiefs v Stormers Super Rugby match at Waikato Stadium in what will also be a televised match on the Rugby Channel.
St Peter's play Aorere College this weekend, HBHS on April 9, St Kentigern College on April 16 and Sacred Heart College at the end of a school holiday training camp.
HBHS step away from the Waikato competition and play in the Super 8 a few weeks into the second term.
They have already been in action, having played in a school centennial game two weekends ago against a team comprising recent old boys of the school, and last Saturday night they beat Manurewa High School 13-5 in atrocious conditions at Waikato Stadium.
HBHS have only six back from last year's first XV, but they include key backs Joe Webber and Regan Ware, and forwards Kane Jacobsen, Alex Suttie and Jacob Skeen.
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