Live stream: Westfield Sports High to face Hills in NRL Schoolboys blockbuster on Thursday (NRL Schoolboy Cup)

Famed rugby league nursery Hills Sports High kicked off their NRL Schoolboys Cup campaign with a spectacular comeback win over Westfields. RELIVE the action from our LIVE STREAM.

Famed rugby league nursery Hills Sports High kicked off their NRL Schoolboys Cup campaign with a spectacular comeback win over Westfields Sports High.

Down at halftime, Hills Sports High fought back to defeat Westfields Sports High 18-12 in a thrilling Schoolboy Cup Round 1 clash at Aubrey Keech Reserve.

For Hills Sports coach Scott Jones, the comeback was “a real character-defining win.”

Westfields began well but couldn’t hold off a fast finishing Hills. Pic: Jeremy Piper.

“I would have loved them to be more clinical but it meant more to me that they found a way to come up with the win,” Jones told News Corp.

“Westfield had all the momentum and all the ball and we were really struggling to get out of our own half, so you’ve got to pay massive credit to their defence and their will to turn up for each other.

“We had eight boys from our top 20 not play due to injury, illness and attendance issues, but the boys just found a way to get it done.”

It was Panthers SG Ball blockbusting second-rower Harry Hassett who opened the scoring for Hills Sports in the fifth minute of the game, but Westfields struck back shortly thereafter with explosive centre Solomone Saukuru scoring a try to bring the scores even.

Saukuru went on to steal the show in the first-half, picking up the ball off a Hills error to run the length of the field and score another four-pointer.

It was a tight contest throughout. Pic: Jeremy Piper.

Hills pipped Westfields in a thriller. Pic: Jeremy Piper.

But Hills refused to lie down and just moments into the second half, off the back of an intercept, flying winger Hayden Stevens barged his way through defenders to score on the left edge, bringing the scoreboard to 12-10.

Then it was Hills crafty fullback Blake Metcalf who weighted the perfect kick to winger Siaosi Kaliti, who plunged over for the final try of the match.

For Jones, his Round 1 best on ground was, “without a doubt”, powerhouse front rower Sam Squire.

“I liken him to Paul Gallen. A lot of the stuff he does goes unnoticed. He’s an absolute workhorse, he doesn’t miss tackles and every carry is as good as the one before,” he said.

“I also thought Siaosi Kaliti was outstanding, it’s his third year and he really carried us today.”

Very little separated the two sides. Pic: Jeremy Piper.

PREVIEW: Stars galore as NRL Schoolboys rivals face off

Schoolboys Cup powerhouse Westfields Sports High will face a tough introduction to the Peter Mulholland Schoolboys Cup – lining up against a Hills side bursting with SG Ball experience on Thursday afternoon.

For Hills Sports High, experience won’t be an issue, with four players – Harry Hassett, Billy Scott, Moustafa Dirani and Luron Patea – all featuring in this year’s Penrith Panthers SG Ball premiership season.

The top-line league stars will be front and centre when Hills Sports High kicks off their Peter Mulholland Cup campaign against Westfields at 1pm in a match exclusively live streamed by The Daily Telegraph.

Hills players Billy Scott, Blake Metcalfe, Jonathan Ibrahim and Cassius Tia. Pic: Jonathan Ng

Hills will also be boosted by Roosters stallion five-eighth Cassius Tia and Raiders SG star No. 7 Blake Metcalfe and coach Scott Jones said “the boys are prepared best they can be”.

“Our captain Billy Scott has been part of our leadership group in our rugby league and also in the SRC, so he’s a true leader and is really looking forward to it.”

“He made his debut for Panthers Jersey Flegg on Friday night so he’s got an extra bit of experience under his belt.

“Harry Hassett, who will play in our back row, he’s been tremendous and our lock, Moustafa Dirani, is the same, always at training, always at school. They’re true leaders of our team.

“And then you throw in Blake Metcalfe who was our captain last year. I’m very lucky to have the level of experience and leadership this year.”

Despite the experience Hills will bring to the clash, Westfields Sports High coach Troy Weeden said his side “has no excuses heading into it”.

“There’s a long-standing rivalry between the top four schools, it’s always a good challenge and you expect them to be quite solid,” Weeden told The Daily Telegraph.

“Hills are a very experienced group, Blake Metcalfe in the backs has had a few good years, Cassius Tia had a good SG Ball series.”

“They’ve been together as a school unit for a while, I think it’s sort of their second year running with these kids playing together so they’ll be liking their chances.”

Westfields Sports High are full of confidence ahead of the match. Pic: David Swift.

Weeden said he is confident his side will be well led with this year with lock Kit-Kamisi Laulilii, who captained the Magpies Harold Matthews team to a premiership earlier this year.

“There’s a lot of leadership in Kit and the kids really respond to everything he says to them,” Weeden said

“He’s been a leader among this group since he came to the school in Year 7.

“He’s quite good to have around the younger ones and I think he’s the right man for the job.”

“We’ve lost a couple but the kids we’ve got coming in, I think they’re going to do a good job for us.

TEAMS

Westfields: 1. Luke Laulilii 2. Mohamed Alameddine 3. William Craig 4.

Solomone Saukuru 5. Aiman Yaghi 6. Blaize Talagi 7. Lachlan Galvin 8. Denzel

Schaafhausen-Mino 9. Tallyn Da Silva 10. Sam Tuivati 11. Jeremiah Leatigaga 12.

Sosefo Finau 13. Kit Laulilii 14. Heith Pritchard 15. Markkuz Ofanoa 16.

Ricardo Oloapu 17. Sebastian Piukala 18. Mark Williams 19. Bryce Anae Roberts

Hills: 1.Blake Metcalfe 2. Hayden Stevens 3. Peteru Pritchard 4. Alaa

Lababidi 5. Siaosi Kaliti 6. Jonathan Ibrahim 7. Lorenzo Talataina 8. Henry

Finau 9. Billy Scott 10. Sam Squire 11. Harry Hassett 12. Liam Aarons 13.

Moustafa Dirani 14. PJ Sosaiete 15. Riley Watson-Miletic 16. Alex Fonoti 17.

Callan Phillips 18. Marc Tannous 19. Jordan Bunt