Defending Ross Shield Hawke’s Bay Primary Schools rugby champions Napier have been held to a 10-10 draw with Hastings East on the first day of the annual five-day tournament in Wairoa.
Napier, gunning for a 4th title in a row, in the weight-restricted competition that dates back 120 years, led 10-5 until Hastings East, in the colours sported by eventual All Black Israel Dagg when he was the player of the tournament in 2002, scored an unconverted pushover try on fulltime.
Following a parade of the six teams through Wairoa, the tournament of three games a day at Lambton Square started with Dannevirke beating Wairoa 22-21 in a keen battle between two country sub-unions from opposite ends of the region.
Dannevirke led 12-7 at halftime, and Wairoa scored 2 converted tries in the second half, leading 14-12 and later 21-17, before Dannevirke won the match with a try three minutes before fulltime.
In the last match of the day Hastings West beat Central Hawke’s Bay 47-7.
Draw for Wednesday: 12.30pm, Dannevirke v Hastings East; 1.30pm, Hastings West v Wairoa; 2.30pm, Central Hawke’s Bay v Napier.