Fakaongo Le'aamanu, Auckland Grammar School v St Kent's College. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Fakaongo Le'aamanu, Auckland Grammar School v St Kent's College. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Auckland's 1A first XV rugby is the toughest and most talent-laden schoolboy rugby competition in the world, according to several of its coaches.
The 2022 competition, which starts this Saturday, is also a potential launching pad for All Black and professional careers at one end of the spectrum, while atthe other end the goals can be more esoteric, with some schools seeing it as a powerful educational and community relations tool.
However Matt Howling, coach of defending champions Kelston Boys' High, wonders if the standard might be getting too high.
"It is great to play in such a strong competition," Howling said. "But it is getting so professional and to such a high standard that it is probably becoming detrimental to wider participation in the code.
"First XV rugby should not be the pinnacle, it should be just the start for players. But our neighbouring clubs are struggling to fill their U-21 teams, while few players who don't make first XV continue playing the game when they leave school.
Kelston have about eight players with at least some first XV experience back on deck. Player to watch will be first-five Xavier Tito Harris, who has been training with the New Zealand Sevens team and can be an explosive runner.
Kelston have won all their pre-season games against the likes of Gisborne Boys' High, Napier Boys' High and Westlake Boys High and are away to Sacred Heart in their season opener.
Pick of the first round matches is the battle between Mt Albert Grammar and Auckland Grammar (at Mt Albert).
Mt Albert Grammar is celebrating its centenary this year with this match part of "Centenary Week", facing the school from which they were originally formed.
Auckland Grammar has won or shared the title a record 66 times since 1896 - but not since 2014. Their pre-season results included a 57-0 loss to Rotorua Boys' High.
Ben Ake (L) and Riley Williams, Auckland Grammar School v St Kent's College. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Auckland Grammar declined to be interviewed about their first XV rugby team and the season ahead.
In an email, headmaster Tim O'Connor said: "We appreciate other schools may want to comment generically on the 1A competition, but we prefer to retain the same schoolboy focus on all sports the school offers, rather than a focus on rugby. Therefore don't typically comment on queries of this nature."
Nick Leger, head of rugby at Mt Albert Grammar, said it would be a mistake to write too much into any team's pre-season loss.
"Pre-season can be difficult," Leger said. "You are seeing what player can and can't do."
"But it is the schools with good rugby foundations that are usually pushing for the semifinal spots."
He is expecting competitive games typified by small margins and few blow-outs.
Mt Albert Grammar last won the competition in 2016.
Of this year's contenders, Tangaroa College, Liston College and Dilworth have never won it, while Mt Albert Grammar and Sacred Heart are the only teams which have never been relegated to 1B.
Winning is not everything
Dilworth coach Gareth Pickering is among those who thinks the Auckland1A competition is the world's most talent-laden and he speaks from the experience of having coached schoolboys for eight years in the northern hemisphere.
But he argues winning is not everything.
"When we talk about schoolboy rugby, the first word is more important than the second," Pickering said. "We want to produce good and useful young men. Our role is education first, rugby second.
Dilworth v One Tree Hill. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
"It is very hard at the start of the season to predict a winner, though the winner tends to come from a very small group.
"We will be happy to have a really competitive season. Our prime aim is to build a positive culture with a meaningful rugby experience for the boys. If you can get that right, the results will take care of themselves."
There are similar sentiments at Tangaroa College, where coach Saua Leaupepetele has just three returning players from last year, and only one of them a starter.
His task is to select a squad from a Year 13 cohort of just 30-40 boys.
"If it was based on results I wouldn't have a job," Leaupepetele said. "But we were proud to get five boys into the reps last year when they would not otherwise have been on the radar.
"We are a community team, and want to bring the community back to Tangaroa College. Rugby is a great vehicle to do that. Some of our best wins come off the field."
St Peter's coach Dave Thomas said the quality of coaching was a prime reason the competition's standard remained high despite a massive turnover of players.
"Every season is a real coaching challenge given you lose at least half your players," Thomas said. "And teams need to be on their game – anyone can beat anyone on their day."
St Peter's, 2018 winners, enjoyed pre-season wins against St Paul's Collegiate (Hamilton) and Rotorua Boys High.
Aorere players huddle at the end of a match against Dilworth. Photo / Photosport.co.nz
Meanwhile changing demographics in Papatoetoe may challenge rugby's traditional status as part of the fabric of school life. Aorere College, with a roll of 1520, is now 23 per cent comprised of 23 Fijian Indian. It has no second XV this year, but six football teams.
First round draw, all games 2.30pm Saturday (home team first):
St Kentigerns v St Peters Mt Albert Grammar v Auckland Grammar Sacred Heart v Kelston Boys' High Aorore College v Dilworth Kings College v Liston College Tangaroa College v De La Salle
