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Sevens Reaches From Middlemarch to Moscow

The global sport of Rugby Sevens, highlighted by the launch of RWC Sevens 2013 in Moscow, has a local flavour in New Zealand this month.

Hamilton Boys’ High School defeated Cambridge High School 19-17 to qualify for December’s BNZ Condor Sevens while schools from both Counties-Manukau and Otago will attempt to do the same next week.

The BNZ Condor Sevens is the national secondary school rugby sevens and 16 schools will contest the 25th running of the tournament at the College Rifles RFC in Auckland on Sunday 4 December.

Windy conditions at Cambridge Memorial Park on Wednesday saw Hamilton BHS and Cambridge score three tries each, however Hamilton were more successful with the boot.

"We’re totally rapt as we only had two training sessions beforehand but basically it was our 1st XV team so we worked it out quickly," said Hamilton Boys High School captain Alex Suttie.

The Waikato tournament also saw a girls division. Hamilton Girls High School and Fairfield College were tied at half time in the cup final before Hamilton took the lead in the final minutes of the game to win 15-12.

"We're happy we're undefeated, it's the first year we've taken part so it's pretty mean," said Hamilton Girls High School captain Toni Hall.

Hamilton BHS, winners of the Condor Sevens in 2006 and 2008, join Auckland Grammar School, Feilding HS, Kelston BHS, Mount Albert GS, Napier BHS, New Plymouth BHS, Rosmini College and Whangarei BHS in qualifying for the BNZ Condor Sevens.

Meanwhile, Wesley College and Manurewa High School are the favourites for the sole Counties-Manukau slot to be decided at the Colin Lawrie Fields in Pukekohe on Wednesday 21 September.

Six-time champions Wesley, whose old boys include current stars Seilala Mapusua (Samoa), Sekope Kepu (Australia), Siale Piutau (Tonga) and New Zealand Sevens players Frank Halai and David Raikuna, lost out to Manurewa in the 1st XV competition this year.

Girls and under-15 divisions are also being held at Pukekohe with the first game kicking off at 10am and finals scheduled for 1pm.

The Otago qualifier, which will also produce one team for the Condor Sevens final, is part of the Rural Rugby Sevens and Country Fair in Middlemarch on Sunday 25 September.

The teams, who include St Kevin’s College, Otago BHS, King’s HS and Kavanagh College, will be arriving on one of the world’s most scenic railways, the Taieri Gorge Railway, and New Zealand Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens is also expected to be in attendance.

The remaining qualifiers - Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, Southland, Tasman and Wellington - will be found throughout October.

Recent winners of the Condor Sevens

2005 Wesley College 26 Mt Albert Grammar School 7
2006 Hamilton BHS 21 Feilding HS 5
2007 Gisborne BHS 26 Mt Albert Grammar School 14
2008 Hamilton BHS 10 Mt Albert Grammar School 5
2009 Mt Albert Grammar School 12 Wesley College 5
2010 Kelston BHS 26 Mt Albert Grammar School 12