School News

Up early but didn`t sleep too well mainly due to Fraser Armstrong`s heavy breathing . Dreamt about today`s game. Breakfast of egg, ham and salad. Thank goodness for cornflakes! 9.15 am walk through moves on the fields. A few untried combinations today and things take a while to gel. The dirty dirties (the players not stripping today) have their name changed to the filthy few. Their job is to help Mrs Clark and Tama with gear and setting up for practice. 11.00am rubs begin with a light snack at 11.30. We start to get strapped by the Doc (Tiwini Hemi) at 11.45. We walk across to the stadium at 12.15 and begin our warm-up. Our game vs Toin Gakuen H.S. kicks off at 1.30 and we are stunned by an early try and conversion from our feisty opposition. A few minutes later they score again but we stay composed and Adam Burn talks about the importance of first up tackles. From the kick off we quickly get back into the game with some telling runs from the big boys – Joe Walsh, Hugh Blake and the Grassroots Trust player of the day Fraser Armstrong, who also scored a 1st half try.

Game report vs Saga Technical High School (Japan)

Hamilton BHS play very well today to win 65-0. In the forwards, captain Nick Ross made many telling runs and dominated the lineouts. Flanker Bruce Jones and prop Fraser Armstrong also had very strong games. In the backs, the midfield combination of 2nd 5 Josh Fa’agalu and centre Joseph Webber were always dangerous. Tries went to Te Wehi Wright (2), Kane Jacobson, Kallum Andrews, Josh Fa’agalu, Isaako Peato, Fraser Armstrong and Jesse Dodunski was named Grassroots Trust player of the day after grabbing 4 tries and having a tremendous all round performance at fullback. Josh Smith added 5 conversions for a final score of 65-0.  Tomorrow is a well deserved rest day.
 

Photo:  Te Wehi Wright running down sideline for a try.

I wake to the peaceful sounds of Te Ate’s snoring harmonies again. The dorms are a bit of a mess this morning. Alex has got Ben back for handcuffing his headgear to the bed by pouring jelly between his sheets. Victor must be the messiest team member. His bunk looks like a disaster zone and even the other Tok boys are embarrassed. Blake and Jacob are addicted to Facebook updates and are going through some kind of ‘cold turkey’ as our company leaders have collected all the phones. Finally out of bed and off to breakfast at 7.20am.

Tough night, at Te Ate cuts down a small forest with his snoring. As if Ben Finau doesn’t talk enough during the day - he also sleep-talks for most of the night. Got up at 7.00 and tried to clean up the dorm. Unfortunately, tidiness is not a high priority for Joey, Victor and Jackson, so pretty much a waste of time. Breakfast at 7.50am and then individual work-ons until team meeting at 10.10.

Woken early by the LMCs (Lazy Man’s Club) or fat boys as we prefer to call them, getting up at 6am for an extra fitness session with Tama. They have been working extras most days to get their skinfold measurements down. Glad not to be in that club! I sleep until 6.50 and then get up for breakfast.

We all wake early this morning. It’s Finals day! In seven hours we play the Sanix World Schools Grand Final against Ivybridge College from England. We have a quiet breakfast and then we’re in for our team meeting. We go down to the gym for our run through. Our plan is to run the big English team off their feet. We’re reminded and practice the change in plays. We are smooth and accurate. Then we’re back to the dorms for down time. Most of us just chill on our beds with music. The normal pre-match routines begin. Rubs, showers, strapping, food and gear up. We walk over to the stadium for the final time and get into our warm-up. It is sharp and intense. We move back in the shed and put the jerseys on. We look in each other’s eyes and embrace with man-hugs. We go out on the field as the announcer introduces both teams. Line up and national anthems are played. Haka and kick off.