FHS gear up for season with trip to Gold Coast

Fielding High School's 1st XV has an upcoming trip to Queensland to help them gear up for another strong season.

The team, coached by Sam Moore and Rick Francis, will take 26 players to the Sports Super Centre at Runaway Bay on Queensland's Gold Coast in three weeks.

There the team of young and experienced players will play four games in 10 days, as they did three years ago.

Before that, they play Rotorua Boys' High School 1st XV at Feilding High at 11am on Saturday.

A week later Feilding takes a team to the Condor schools sevens at the Grammar-Carlton club ground in Auckland.

Many of New Zealand's top schools will be there, but Feilding is the sole Manawatu side.

Half of last year's 1st XV are back, including captain Hamish Northcott, centre Saul Chase, New Zealand under-17 midfield back Jamie Perigo and NZ under-17 prop Regan Hunt.

Other promising players are fullback Jerome Thomas, prop and vice-captain Josiah Smith, lock Andrew Howie, year 11 flanker Caleb O'Fee, hooker-loose forward Eddie Cranstone and loose forward Ben Whale.

A player new to the school from Wanganui High School is highly promising 17-year-old flanker Douglas Horrocks.

This season, Feilding also have inter-school matches against Napier, Hastings and New Plymouth Boys' High Schools, Rongotai College, Mt Albert Grammar and Francis Douglas Memorial College.

Francis said Feilding were "keen to play, any time" against Palmerston North Boys' High School 1st XV, a match that didn't happen last season.

- © Fairfax NZ News