Strong Rebound – Joshua Moorby

In the National Top Four semi-final Joshua Moorby lined-up a penalty to tie the match with five minutes to go. Hamilton BHS trailed Hastings BHS 13-10, but a goal and a draw would have been sufficient to propel Hamilton into the final. The ball struck the post and Hastings advanced to the decider.


“I was guttered to miss that kick. I thought about it for a long time because I knew it was a big moment in a close game. I believed we could have won, but after that miss I kind of knew it was all over,” Moorby confesses.

A few months later Moorby is a double national champion. He was a member of the touch and sevens sides that captured National glory for Hamilton in Auckland in the past fortnight. The National touch title was a special bonus.

“I hadn’t played much touch before but I was encouraged to join the top team after a few injures. It was tough learning all the new moves, but I really enjoyed it,” Moorby says.

For the third year in a row Hamilton and Rotorua BHS clashed in the final. Unlike the previous two years Hamilton prevailed 8-7, despite trailing 4-2 at halftime.

“There was an element of ‘here we go again,’ but we dug deep and wanted it more. It was a special win,” Moorby enthuses.

Hamilton scored the winning try with about five minutes to go and hung on.

“There is a really keen rivalry with Rotorua. I am not sure how it started, but the matches are always really close,” Moorby says.

A week earlier Hamilton eliminated Rotorua in the semi-finals of the Condors 28-26.  Hamilton thrashed Feilding High School 29-5 in the final after earlier eliminating hosts Sacred Heart College 14-5 in the quarters. Moorby scored both tries in that latter match and his searing pace saw him selected for the tournament team. Curiously Joshua’s brother Cameron is a burly prop.

“Pace comes from my Mum’s side. I was surprised I was the only Hamilton player to make the tournament team. I thought our captain Kieran Lee would definitely get in, especially given some of the other teams had more than one player,” Moorby says.
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Moorby intends to stay in Hamilton next year. It will take a lot more than a goalpost to stop this lad.

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