The Polson Banner is among the oldest interschool rugby prizes available in New Zealand, pitting Palmerston North Boys' High School and Napier Boys' High School against one another in 1st XV action every year.
The archrivals have contested the Polson Banner annually since 1904. The original silk banner was donated by the 1902-12 NBHS headmaster, A.S. Polson, and has the colours and the crest of the two respective schools on the reverse sides. The scores for each year's match has been embroidered on the banner over the years.
The ledger stands 64-46 in Palmerston North BHS’s favour, with six matches drawn. Napier BHS won the 2017-18 clashes but their bid for a Polson Banner hat-trick was denied last year by PNBHS in a gripping, see-sawing encounter, which also saw crucial Super 8 points up for grabs.
Watch the 2019 Polson Banner match in SidelineApp's On Demand video archive.