Want to know who the next Beauden Barrett or Kieran Read will be? In his new weekly column for the Herald, schoolboy rugby expert Herschel Fruean singles out the best First XV matches of the weekend, and some rising stars to watch. Fruean will travel New Zealand looking for the
First XV Rugby: All you need to know about the weekend's best matches and players
NZ Herald
4 mins to read
Rocky Taufateau St Thomas Canterbury College. Photo / Supplied
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Busy time for Otago
Otago Boys High School are in the heart of a busy week with three games in eight days. They beat Kings High School 44-0 on Tuesday, which was a big surprise as locals were predicting this would be the year Kings would break through and compete with the top Southern schools.
Yesterday, Otago BHS beat John McGlashan College 65-7 and on Wednesday will face their biggest rival Southland Boys High School, live on SKY.
Last week's top 15 ranking
1. St Kentigern College
2. Hastings BHS
3. King's College
4. Rotorua BHS
5. Otago BHS
6. Hamilton BHS
7. Kelston BHS
8. St Bede's College
9. Scots College
10. Christchurch BHS
11. Nelson College
12. Sacred Heart College
13. Auckland GS
14. Tauranga Boys College
15. Gisborne BHS
Wesley College open with win
A physical Wesley College side beat Wanganui Collegiate 31-28 on Saturday, with dynamic Thor Manase and Jesse Te Kani at first-five the difference makers.
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Wanganui's center Sione Osamu stood out and made Wesley College work to cover the midfield.
The loose forwards of captain Henry Kilmister at 6, Sam Sherriff at 7 and Semi Vodosese at No 8 didn't shy away from the tough stuff in the middle.
Big game at Grammar
King's College travelled to Auckland Grammar School and the spectacle did not disappoint, as the game was decided in the final minutes with Grammar winning 19 - 15.
The team has arrived, let the Haka commence! #GrammarvsKings pic.twitter.com/dyu7DNw4EW
— Auckland Grammar (@AucklandGrammar) May 18, 2019
With that win, Auckland GS will move into the Top 10 teams in the country and they have proven that even with the young team they have they are still in the run for a 1A Title.
The No 1 team in the country, St Kentigern College, had a good day against Dilworth School, winning 64-5.
In the UC Championship Nelson College (11) beat St Bede's College (8) in Nelson. Nelson College hasn't had the best start to the season but are back on track with this win against a very strong St Bedes team.
Big upset
The big upset of the day was St Thomas of Canterbury College beating Christchurch Boys High School (10) 40-12. Christchurch BHS were big favourites for the match, so to lose by 28 points was obviously a major surprise.
In the Wellington competition, the Prem 1 grading games are over and so we will see the newcomers Kapiti College, Aotea College, Hutt International Boys School, and St Bernard's College all making the cut for the top league.
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Other results
Napier Boys High 31 St Patrick's College 24, St Paul's Collegiate 15 Francis Douglas MC 10, Kings HS 73 Dunstan HS 12, Westlake BHS 67 Massey HS 5.
Auckland Southern Cross Campus 59 Mt Roskill GS 7, Palmerston North BHS 33 Wellington College 12, St Andrews 58 Waimea Combined 3
Christ's College 69 Mid Canterbury Combined 3, Southland BHS 90 St Kevin's College 3.
