Rugby: Torriden counter expected

Ryan Martin.
Ryan Martin.
Otago Boys' High School coach Ryan Martin is expecting a torrid encounter this Saturday.

OBHS will host Southland Boys' High School in the regional final of the national schools top-four championship at the University Oval.

Kick-off is at 1pm and the game shapes as an even contest.

The schools have met once this year for a 21-21 draw.

That fixture was played in ''ugly'' conditions in Invercargill.

Recent form suggests the home team will start as the favourite.

OBHS had a comfortable 69-10 win against Waitaki Boys' High School in the semifinal, while Southland Boys' ground out an 8-0 win against John McGlashan College in the mud and the rain in Invercargill.

However, Martin said he was a ''little bit disappointed'' with the performance against Waitaki Boys' and felt Southland Boys' would present a very stern challenge.

''They have been going really well this season,'' he said.

''They will be extremely tough and we will have to put out a really good performance.''

While John McGlashan College pushed Southland Boys' close in the weekend, Martin said the match was played on ''a mud pit''.

The winner will go on to play the victor of the Canterbury final between Shirley Boys' High School and St Bede's College.

Both semifinals produced shock results, Shirley Boys' upsetting Christchurch Boys' High School 25-17 and St Bede's beating St Andrew's College 22-12.

The South Island champion will join the top three North Island sides in the national finals.

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