Kelston BHS 2020 Future Focus

School: Kelston Boys High School
Comp: 1A Auckland
Region: BLUES
2019 Ranking: No.13
2020 Ranking Range: 1st-8th
2019 Rep Players:

Ray Su’a, Sam Howling, Tuuaga Ioane, Lenny Soseu  (BLUES U18)
Senta Luaki, Zyon Maiu’u, Corey Natano – Cassidy, Cephus Salaivao, Dominic Gagaeolo, Dorian Guagatao, Kobe Scutt, Sam Howling (BLUES U17)

2020 Returning Rep Players:

Sam Howling

2019 Best Win:  Kelston BHS 28 – 23 Sacred Heart College

This was the first game of the season for this young group of boys and they were all Year 11’s in 2018 and all came through again as Year 12’s. Kelston BHS fielded 10 Year 12’s, 3 Year 13’s and 2 of those were Young Year 13’s and 2 Year 11’s in that starting 15. My first thought and the reason I wanted to see these boys play, was because they were all so young and I knew that this was going to be a big growing year for them as a squad. I wanted to see how these boys would do as a group against a very solid and well coached team like Sacred Heart College.

Kelston BHS did a lot of great things and a lot of dumb things at the same time which is what 1st XV rugby is for the most part. The boys are all still young and learning, trying to get out of that young way of thinking because they were not far off being in U15’s. 1st XV Rugby especially in the 1A is very very hard and the players still growing and learning the game find it hard to adapt sometimes, more so when there is not a lot of experience. Kelston boys in this game had boys that clicked to the level right away and others that took longer. Having a Captain in Ray Su’a was very important to this group of players and winning this game right at the end in the last minute was a great boost and lesson learned.

2019 Worst Loss:  Kelston BHS 7 – 23 Auckland GS

OK the next week game 2 of the season. Now to the flip side of the boys still learning this 1st XV level was a game they should have won, but the “U15 attitude boy mentality” was what these boys went out with they got out played. What I mean by that is, Kelston BHS went out there trying to physically dominate by getting the big hit, flying into tackles, playing selfish one man running rugby, throwing 30/70 offload passing going to ground and forgot they were playing against 1st XV players that know how to play rugby.

This game was full of individuals trying to do it on there own and whenever they had some really good moments when they played as a team, one guy would want to be the Hero and they would waste that opportunity. The worst thing was that in that last 15 mins of the game for some reason they wanted to play as a team so late in the game. All the boys, all on the same page and they were awesome, really had Grammar going backwards back peddling trying to catch up. Older more experienced teams would have played like that from the start OR! would have changed up at halftime and got the win, but this was a young team still learning, games like that happen.

Key 2019 Losses:

Ray Su’a, Naufahu Whyte, Tu’uaga Ioane, Lenny Soseu

Key 2020 Players:

Faith Kelekele, Junior Fausia, Kaleb Emile-Vaoga, Sam Howling, Kobe Scutt, Tala Taape

Team Strengths:

The strength for this team is easy, almost everyone returns from the full 24 players. From a team of Year 12’s finishing 6th on the table last year with a 7 – 4 record all coming back this year with a strong Coaching staff, I see them as strong contenders not just in the 1A but also a team that could go to the Top 4.
3 Props return, a Hooker comes back, Locks come back, Loose trio all come back could be the best in the country as a trio. One of the best Half Backs in the country comes back with solid 1st 5/8, a returning midfield back and solid back 3 return as well, its just all over the park. I also think they will stack their bench with Year 12’s and Year 11’s to build them up for next year.

Team Worries:  

Only thing I worry about this team is the discipline of this team. They are a big, athletic and physical side that can easily dominate you physically BUT they can also get lost in that mindset. The boys have to realize that winning the game physically doesn’t mean being a “Tough Guy” or the best at “Throw’n Dem Handz” and they need to know the difference. As I have watched them over the years I personally think it is easy to get them off their game plan because they do not like it when they are challenged physically but also they dont know when to stop and realize, that you are they are already winning the game physically! What happens is it then turns into a fight and a Yellow card then it falls apart from there. They have SO much experience now that I hope they can control and support each other to hold back.