Rugby: Best school sides come to town

Adam Julian believes Otahuhu have their best team since 1998, when they reached the semifinals of the top Auckland competition. Photo / Thinkstock

Rotorua Boys' High School hosts the National First XV Championships Top 4 from tomorrow, with some of the nation's best young rugby talent.

Rotorua Daily Post reporter Ben Guild chatted to the Rugby Channel's Landrover First XV rugby researcher Adam Julian about what can be expected from the four top teams: Hamilton Boys' High School, Scots College, Auckland Grammar and Christchurch Boys' High School.

Julian believes Hamilton Boys' will start as favourites due to their experience and large forward pack, but countered that by saying he thought Auckland Grammar were the best side in the country due to a devastating backline run by the wonderfully named Wiseguy Faiane.

Their fullback - Shaun Stevenson - is the first player since former All Black Ben Atiga to play 50 matches for the school.

The Top 4 co-educational teams are also in action: Otahuhu, Feilding, Cambridge and St Kevin's.

The fairytale story there is St Kevin's of Oamaru, who beat Waitaki Boys' High School three times this year - extending their margin of victory each time despite having only about 250 boys at the school.

Julian believes Otahuhu have their best team since 1998, when they reached the semifinals of the top Auckland competition.

The previous year they wore the Auckland crown, behind a last minute drop goal from Orene Ai'i and a barnstorming performance from the young man who was to become known as the Michael Jordan of rugby league - Ali Lauitiiti.

Otahuhu beat St Kentigern College this year with a 100m effort on full-time, and pushed all four of Auckland's top four teams to the limit this season.

Julian tipped Cambridge's Luke Jacobson - brother of former New Zealand Secondary Schools captain Mitchell Jacobson - as another player to watch. The first of the co-educational semifinals kicks-off on Friday morning at 10am, with finals to follow on Sunday.

National First XV Champs Top 4

Auckland Grammar
*51 All Blacks (the most of any school in New Zealand)
*Three-time winners of the Top 4
*Last won in 1992 under the captaincy of Jeremy Stanley, who played rugby and softball for New Zealand
*Last All Black: Benson Stanley

Christchurch Boys' High School
*45 All Blacks (2nd most in the country)
*Only team to win the Top 4 three times on the trot
*Beat Otago Boys' High School to qualify as the South Island representative

Scots College
*First time at Top 4
*Silky first five-eighth TJ Va'a is the son of former Samoan international Earl Va'a
*Notable former player: Victor Vito

Hamilton Boys' High School
*Defending Top 4 and world champions
*Three-time Top 4 winners
*Qualified for Top 4 seven out of the last eight years
*2008 captain: All Black Tawera Kerr-Barlow