2018 North Harbour Secondary Schools Grade Finals

The 2018 North Harbour Secondary Schools Grade Finals were held at North Harbour Domain 1 and 2 at Marist NH RFC, on Saturday 25 August in good but windy conditions with 1000 spectators in attendance through the morning and early afternoon.   In the Open B grade, Mahurangi 1^st XV had a great season unbeaten throughout, had the better of their rival Westlake 2^nd XV in both rounds and continued that great form in the final after several seasons being the regular runner-up, defeating Westlake 48-8 with the highlight being five tries to first-five Kade Banks.   The Open C final was won comfortably by another unbeaten side, the former AB Craig Dowd coached Long Bay College 1^st XV putting their worthy opponent Whangaparaoa College 1^st XV away 32-12.  There was a thriller in the 5A final with second-seed Takapuna edging regular finalist Rosmini 27-22.  In the 6A final it was tied 10 all for most of the game but Westlake A broke the dead-lock late in the game to win 17-10 over Orewa.   Westlake Green put the foot down early in the 7A final to put old rival Rosmini on the back foot and come away with a comfortable win 30-12 to take the silverware.

In the B grade finals at the top-seed schools, the Open C Plate was drawn 31 all between Massey 2^nd XV and Kristin 1^st XV, Kaipara had the better of Mahurangi 17-0 in the 5B final, Albany Barbarians with no less than 4 schools from the Albany Basin in a composite team beat Westlake B in the 6B final and Orewa 7^th won the 7B final over Rangitoto.

Westlake 1^st XV travelled north, really north to sunny Kaitaia to defeat the local college 53-0 in the Blues region play-off to qualify for the semi-final against the Auckland Champion St Peters College, to decide the Blues Region qualifier for the Boys division in the NZ School Top 4 finals next month. Westlake host St Peters at 1pm at Westlake BHS on Saturday 1 September.  With no Northland finalist, Takapuna 1^st XV go directly into the Co-Ed division Blues Region semi-final to face Auckland’s qualifier Mt Albert GS at Takapuna GS again on Saturday 1 September at 12pm, for the Co-Ed division in the NZ School Top 4 finals.  Aorere Girls are the Blues Region qualifier for Girls division NZ School Top 4 finals at Palmerston North.