Waitaki Boys High School leads the Highlanders First XV competition and has been rewarded by having three players named in the Southern Regions secondary school team announced yesterday.
The eight players from Otago and North Otago named in the Southern Regions team for next week's New Zealand tournament in Auckland are: Lee Allen (South Otago), Tyronne Davies (Waitaki), Matt Faddes (South Otago), Joe Latta (Otago Boys), Miles Medlicott (Waitaki), Jayden Spence (Dunstan), Sam Sturgess (Waitaki), and Blair Tweed (Otago Boys).
Davies (17) and Medlicott (18) are the Waitaki Boys inside back combination and have played a key role in creating opportunities for their exciting backline.
Davies lives in Oamaru, but Medlicott comes from Waimate and is a boarder at the school.
Sturgess (18), a hooker, comes from Manawatu and settled in Oamaru with his family last year.
He has played at No 8 for the Waitaki team but is expected to go back to his specialist position in the regional team.
"The boys have earned their place in the team," coach Peter Rowland said.
"But they have been helped by other players in our team."
Waitaki has a strong pack that includes players of talent such as Craig Robinson (prop), Matt Duff (openside flanker) and Jason Kingan (lock).
Rowland is confident Waitaki can beat Otago Boys in the final round robin game at Littlebourne on July 22.
There is a break in the competition for two weeks during the school holidays.
"Littlebourne is a mud heap, but I think we can beat them," Rowland said.
"I have watched a couple of their games and they are definitively beatable."
Waitaki has a well-balanced team with a solid set of forwards who have produced good ball for a backline which likes to move the ball.
Otago Boys has a strong pack well suited to playing on its puggy home ground.
Latta (lock) and Tweed (blindside flanker) are hard-working forwards who deserved selection for the Southern Regions team.
Otago Boys produced its best form of the season when it beat Kings 35-7 in the interschool game at the University Oval last week.
At the end of the round robin, the top four teams will play a further round robin, with the top two teams contesting the final on August 22.
A similar pattern will be used with the middle four and bottom four teams.
Points after 10 of the 11 round robin games are: Waitaki Boys 43, Otago Boys, South Otago 41, Dunstan, Southland Boys 40, Gore 23, Central Southland College 15, Kings 14, Verdon College 11, Kavanagh College 9, St Kevins, John McGlashan 7.
The other key game in the next round is in Invercargill between Southland Boys and Dunstan, which are fourth equal with 40 points.
The losing team will go down to the middle grade.
