It is an entry into the lion’s den for St Hilda’s Collegiate School and Otago Boys’ High School at the national Condor Sevens tournament in Auckland this weekend.
The schools qualified for the tournament after regional finals at the end of the rugby season, and have been training hard for the past few weeks.
But it will be a tough road up against some big, strong North Island sides. A lack of solid match play will be the biggest obstacle to overcome.
Otago Boys’ High School coach Ryan Martin said the side had played some games against the senior Otago side which had been beneficial.
"But the biggest issue for us is we do not have any tournaments to play in. We’ve played a few games but it is really hard to replicate tournament play through training," Martin said.
Otago Boys’ has been drawn in the same pool as Hamilton Boys’, St John’s College, also from Hamilton, and Western Heights High School, from Rotorua. Hamilton Boys’ won the tournament last year.Otago Boys’ did not go last year but finished fifth in 2014, its best finish.
Loose forward and first XV captain Isi Tuivaga and young back Tevita Asi are key players for the side. With just three games on Saturday, Otago Boys’ will not have to be so reliant on endurance. It is planning to play an abrasive, patient game.
St Hilda’s Collegiate beat South Otago High School to qualify as the regional champion and has been training hard.
It is in the same pool as Tauranga Girls’, St Mary’s College, from Wellington, and Mt Roskill Grammar.
It went to the tournament last year where it did not make it out of the pool. The side has five players back from last year’s team: captain Ali Adams, Olivia George, Hayley Shallard, Meg Timu and Holly Wright. The coach is John Hedges.There are only four teams from the South Island in the girls’ section.
The tournament is played over two days, starting tomorrow, and will be broadcast on Sky television.
● The St Hilda’s Collegiate’s cricket team will begin its campaign today in the NZCT secondary schoolgirls finals today at Lincoln’s Bert Sutcliffe Oval. The side will take on Palmerston North Girls’ High School in its opening game today.Otago Boys’ will play in the secondary schoolboys final on Monday, also at Lincoln.
