Super 8 Clean Sweep for HBHS Rugby

In a dominant display, the HBHS 1st XV Rugby team have won the Super 8 title, beating Palmerston North Boys' High School 21 - 3 on the HBHS Number 1 rugby field on Saturday.  The HBHS team were never really threatened, and essentially shut Palmerston North out of the game with strong defensive play, accurate kicking and a couple of quick tries, thanks to Viliami Tuipulotu and Elijah Ale in the second half.  The half time score was 9 - 0 to HBHS, courtesy of Matt Lansdown successfully kicking three penalties.  The 1st XV join the 2nd XV as Super 8 title holders, after the 2nd XV put Hastings Boys' High School 2nd XV away 22 - 17 last weekend in Hastings.  This was the tighest match the 2nd XV have played in some time, and Hastings were always in with a chance right up until the end of the match.  In other rugby news, the HBHS 2nd XV Black team (a.k.a. The Mighty Third XV) will be defending their Waikato 1st XV Division 1 title in a repeat of last year's battle, against Cambridge High School in Cambridge this Saturday.  The team beat St John's College 1st XV 15 - 8 in a tense semi-final on Saturday.  The HBHS Colts will play off for fifth or sixth place in Division 1, after winning their latest match 34 - 0.  Congratulations to all of these teams on their results, and good luck to the 2nd XV Black team this coming Saturday as they chase a historic second title.

For more on the HBHS 1st XV game, check out the following article in the Waikato Times, courtesy of Sports Reporter Ben Strang:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/sport/10369162/Strong-defence-underpins-Hamiltons-romp-to-title