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Heartland Schools Qualify for BNZ Condor Sevens

Feilding High School today qualified for the BNZ Condor Sevens defeating Palmerston North Boys High School 36-22 and taking the bragging rights over their old foes in the process.

New Plymouth BHS were too strong for Central in the Taranaki qualifier winning 24-12 and Napier Boys' High School defeated their 'B' side 36-5 to win the Hawke's Bay event.

The three will join 13 other schools in Auckland in December for the right to be crowned New Zealand Seconday Schools Sevens champion and with one eye on the Olympic Games in Rio 2016 where the sport makes its debut.

Feilding High School, playing well as a team and showing a strong defensive line throughout the day, had won through to the final at Ongley Park with Zane Crook and Semesi Masirewa dominating the scorecard.

However, PNBHS started strongly in the final scoring two quick tries but Feilding spread the ball wide and used their speed to strike back to lead 17-10 at half time. In an exciting second spell Boys’ High locked the scores at 22-22 however Feilding scored two late tries to secure the win 36-22 and book a spot at the Finals.

Feilding captain Jamie Perigo said that the regional competition gave his players a chance to show their skills in the shortened version of the game and they will look to emulate the 2004 side, who featured All Black flanker George Whitelock and Highlanders lock Nick Crosswell and finished runners-up to Mt Albert Grammar School, when they head north in December.

New Plymouth BHS were untroubled at Yarrows Stadium racking up an average of almost 40 points in their pool games against Hawera, Inglewood, Waitara and Ruapehu and won their semi 36-0 over Francis Douglas Memorial College.

Central also had a big win, 33-0 over Hawera, in their semi but the 2010 Taranaki champion repeated their efforts and will head to the Condor Sevens for the first time since 2008.

Over 200 students played for the Saracens Cup at Park Island in Napier, including girls teams from Flaxmere College and Hukarere Girls' College. Flaxmere easily won both games 32-5 and 45-0. Women's rugby sevens is also on the Olympic programme at Rio 2016.

Almost 30 secondary schools from rugby heartland attempted to qualify for the BNZ Condor Sevens to be held at the College Rifles Rugby Football Club on Sunday 4 December and Feilding, Napier and New Plymouth join Whangarei Boys’ High School as the finalists to date.

Further regional tournaments will take place in North Harbour next Wednesday (13 April) and eight other provinces throughout the year.

Kelston Boys’ High School (Auckland) are the defending Condor Sevens champions having defeated Mt Albert Grammar School 26-17 in the final last year.

BNZ Condor Sevens Qualifiers
Hawke's Bay: Napier BHS 36 Napier BHS 'B' 5
Manawatu-Horowhenua: Feilding HS 36 PNBHS 22
Taranaki: New Plymouth BHS 24 Central 12

Ends