New Zealand Schools coach Paul Tito in a huddle with his team. Photo / Bruce Holloway
New Zealand has always had an abundance of schoolboy rugby talent – but how it is best harnessed remains an enduring challenge.
That’s the view of New Zealand Schools coach Paul Tito ahead of matches against Samoa Under-18 on Wednesday (St Paul’s Hamilton, 4pm), Australia U18s (Waikato Stadium, Sunday 4pm) and New Zealand Māori U18 (St Paul’s, Thursday October 10, 4pm).
Tito, a former Hurricanes and Chiefs lock (and see his schoolboy credentials below) is these days better known as assistant coach with the Blues, while as a former New Zealand Schools player, also knows the drill from that side of the ledger as well.
Tito and his assistants have been very thorough in their search for the country’s best young players, trawling through the provincial unions and the Super franchises to make sure they haven’t overlooked anybody.
Piece by piece, Tito and his assistants Willie Rickards (Auckland Grammar) and Kieran Coll (St Thomas of Canterbury), have now been putting together this geographically sprawling jigsaw puzzle, with their squad in camp in Hamilton since Thursday.
The next three matches will be recommended viewing not just for the unavoidable league scouts, but also for those fans who might want to cultivate an informed opinion on the next generation of Kiwi rugby stars.
Meanwhile, the challenge for Tito is sorting out how exactly how they will play.
“Now we are into the nitty-gritty – the rugby stuff,” Tito said at the end of an extended weekend training workout with Darren Larsen’s New Zealand U18 Barbarians (which includes players who have already left school) at St Paul’s Collegiate. “This is the exciting stuff.”
Tito said his job was to implement plans to allow his players to find some kind of shape.
“But at the end of the day, they are selected to play for New Zealand Schools because we want to see their natural ability come out.
“We’ve had limited time to come together. Now we are trying to upskill, but still allowing the boys to go out and play with free spirit.”
And for Tito, these matches’ outcomes are every bit as important as style of play.
“New Zealand teams don’t like to lose. We are here to grow these guys and give them a great experience but we’ve got three test matches coming up and we want to win these games.
“You hear people say ‘results don’t matter’ but as we know as coaches, it is a big part of the game.”
Squad selection has brought together a diverse range of talent and playing background, with some taking instruction from professional coaches for the first time.
“We’ve got a few guys who have come in and thought, ‘wow, this is a level above where I have been before’ and have potentially struggled with it.
“But they are embracing the challenge. They are being challenged by the coaches to put their best foot forward and grow and develop and be better every day. So I think we’re coming together well.”
Tito also observed how New Zealand’s natural rugby flair could be quite unique.
“There are teams with big rugby programmes where players have been coached for a few years before hitting the First XV, so they play a lot of structure and look good in their teams.
“But you also see some guys in our team who are not over-coached and are just getting out there and expressing themselves in the way they do best. They can be brutal and carry clean in the basics of rugby.”
Weekend training in tandem with the U18 Barbarians has proved rewarding.
“It was really good for us because they have a few guys who have been out of school and have a few more scars on their back than we had, especially in the forward pack. So they use that to their advantage and good on them.”
In terms of positional play, Tito signalled the battle for starting first five was between Harry Inch (Nelson College) and Mason Vester (Tauranga Boys’ College).
Kelston’s Jarrel Tuaimalo Vaega was considered more “an X-factor midfielder” while Sacred Heart’s excitement machine Cohen Norrie was instead in the frame for fullback.
“They play out of position for their school because that is what is best for the school – but moving forward that is not necessarily our position of preference.”
Tito has full confidence in Year 11 midfield bolter Nico Stanley (Auckland Grammar) despite his relative youth.
“It’s not the first time and sure it won’t be the last time we’ve had a Year 11 selected. But he is a mature lad and we have had discussions with his school and his parents around his ability to play at this level.
“He’s a big athlete and we saw in big 1A games he really fronted up for Grammar. I saw a couple of those games live and he was potentially the best player on the park.
“He was selected in this team because he was rated one of the top three centres in the country. He reads well, he is big, he is a strong boy and if we didn’t think he was up to it he wouldn’t be there.”
The withdrawal of St Peter’s lock Tevita Tatafu means New Zealand Schools have lost their biggest weapon in the lineout.
In terms of what he is looking for in locks, Tito values versatility.
“At international level you are now seeing genuine ‘Two-metre Peters’. But today’s game they also have to be good in the collision area with carry, with tackle, and breakdown work as well. The skill-set of today’s athlete is far superior to what it was in my day.”
When this article was written, a captain still hadn’t been selected, though Tito said he had three in mind.
The immediate priority for Tito will be overcoming Samoa and then conquering Australia U18s, who will have had three matches under their belts before Sunday.
Last week the Aussies jousted among themselves in a series of trial games involving the leading U18 talents from around the country.
Then on Saturday, Fiji beat Australia 26-14 in the first of two test matches in Fiji. Fiji scored two tries quickly in a physical and fast tussle and couldn’t be overhauled in front of a boisterous crowd.
Australia’s strength appears to be in their backs, with the most eye-catching selection being strapping midfielder Zach Fittler, son of rugby league legend Brad Fittler.
FBC Sports are streaming the second Fiji-Australia match on Tuesday afternoon for overseas viewers for a fee of FJ$20 ($14).
For New Zealand School squad members wanting to know a little bit more about their coach when he was their age, Paul Tito was a member of the last New Plymouth Boys’ High First XV to complete a season undefeated.
In 1995 New Plymouth’s record was: Played: 23, Won: 22, Drawn: 1, Points For: 853, Points Against: 160. Top Points Scorer: Paul Handcock, 207. Top Try Scorer: Richard Byrant: 18.
The Taranakian school magazine that year noted: “Fish [Tito] dominated most opposition teams. Carries himself well around the field. An aggressive, hard-working lock who enjoys the physical confrontations. 1996 will see Paul become the mainstay of the First XV. Scored one try.”
Match schedule:
Wednesday, October 2 (St Paul’s Collegiate, Hamilton): NZ Barbarians U18 v Australia U18, 2pm. NZ Schools v Samoa U18, 4pm.
Sunday, October 6 (FMG Stadium Waikato): NZ Māori U18 v NZ Heartland U20, 12 noon. NZ Barbarians U18 v Samoa U18, 2pm. NZ Schools v Australia U18, 4pm.
Thursday, October 10 (St Paul’s Collegiate, Hamilton): Chiefs U18 v Samoa U18, 12 noon.
NZ Schools v NZ Māori U18, 2pm.
NZ Schools: Siale Pahulu (Saint Kentigern), Nico Stanley (Auckland Grammar), Cohen Norrie (Sacred Heart), Charlie Wallis (Auckland Grammar), Aio Keith (Kelston Boys’ High), Jarrel Tuaimalo Vaega (Kelston Boys’ High), Jake Hutchings (Rotorua Boys’ High), Mason Verster (Tauranga Boys’), Charlie Sinton (Tauranga Boys’), Aidan Spratley (Tauranga Boys’), Josh Findlay (Christchurch Boys’ High), Finn McLeod (Christchurch Boys’ High), Bede Giera (St Bede’s), James Moore (Christchurch Boys’ High), J.D. Van Der Westhuizen (Westlake Boys High), Bradley Tocker (Palmerston North Boys’ High), Thomas Jennings (Southland Boys’ High), Saumaki Saumaki (Nelson College), Harry Inch (Nelson College), Oliver Gibbons (Nelson College), Oliver Guerin (Hamilton Boys’ High), Liam Van Der Heyden (Hamilton Boys’ High).
Playing record: 139 wins, 19 defeats
Test record: 66 wins, 15 defeats
Head to head v Australia: 29 wins, 10 defeats
Head to head v Samoa: 7 wins, 0 defeats
Most wins in a row: 23, 1991-1997
Most test wins in a row: 21, 1998-2007
Biggest win in a test match: 100-0 v Tonga, 2000
Biggest defeat in a test match: 23-4 v England, 1979
Biggest win overall: 112-5 v Australian Schools Division 2, 1992
Biggest defeat overall: 37-11, Waikato U20, 2012
New Zealand U18 Barbarians results (13 wins, 5 losses)
2012: Australia, won 24-5, Auckland
2012: Samoa, won 70-6, Auckland
2013: Auckland U18, won 37-19, Auckland
2014: Australia, won 39-21, Wellington
2014: Fiji, won 22-16, Wellington
2015: NZ Schools, lost 20-18, Palmerston North
2016: Australia, won 28-17, Auckland
2016: Fiji, won 46-20, Auckland
2017: Tonga, won 33-19, Palmerston North
2017: NZ Māori, won 28-24, Palmerston North
2018: NZ Māori, lost 21-20, Wellington
2018: Fiji, lost 15-10, Wellington
2019: Australia, lost 30-17, Hamilton
2019: Fiji, won 52-22, Hamilton
2022: Fiji, won 50-14, Hamilton
2022: NZ Māori, lost 37-26, Hamilton
2023: NZ Schools, lost 57-22, Hamilton
2023: NZ Māori, won 41-5, Hamilton
New Zealand Māori U18 results:
2016: Bay of Plenty Māori, won 103-0, Wellington
2017: Tonga, won 38-26, Wellington
2017: NZ Barbarians, won 28-24, Palmerston North
2018: NZ Barbarians, won 21-20, Wellington
2018: Fiji, won 20-15, Wellington
2022: NZ Schools, lost 27-24, Hamilton
2022: NZ Barbarians, won 37-26, Hamilton
2023: Northland U19, won 62-0, Hamilton
2023: NZ Barbarians, lost 41-5, Hamilton
Did You Know? The first New Zealand Schools international was against Australia (who started in 1973) at Eden Park in 1978. New Zealand prevailed in a tight tussle featuring no future All Blacks, 7-6. The New Zealand skipper was Miles Valentine from Auckland Grammar. In 2012, Valentine signed over Zeacom, a call centre software company he founded in 1994, to global software player Enghouse Systems for US$30.6 million.
Last week this column reported some of the illustrious family connections of Year 11 New Zealand Schools selection Nico Stanley.
But one we missed was his maternal grandfather, Jerry Rowberry (Anna Stanley’s father) and thanks to Palmerston North Boys’ High School old boy Craig Hart for bringing this to our attention.
Rowberry was a schoolboy hero at Palmerston North Boys’ High School. He was in the First XV from 1964-1966, and captained the team in 65 and 66. The 1966 Palmerston North First XV won all 24 matches and had three members who later became All Blacks in John Loveday, Bob Burgess, and Ian Stevens.
Rowberry was also the school’s head prefect in 1966 and the Regimental Sergeant Major in the school’s cadet battalion. He captained second XI cricket and was the school diving and boxing champion, breaking a record in the senior shot put.
After three years at Otago University, Rowberry headed to Christchurch where for four decades he was a PE teacher and sports master at Christ’s College. He coached the 1985 First XV, which was unbeaten in 21 games.
Rowberry is also a regular fixture at the Christchurch Football Club. He played over 200 senior games captaining the side from 1972 to 1980 and winning six Senior A championships; representing Canterbury B in 1977 and 1978.
A Christchurch FC life member, he served on the rugby committee and then served as vice-president and president of the club. He married Silver Fern Brenda Walker and had four daughters and 11 grandchildren.
As Hart noted, “perhaps best of all is the fact that Jerry Rowberry is to this day an absolute gentleman”.
Further to last week’s summary of First XV livestreaming around the country, this season’s Wellington First XV Premiership final has enjoyed more than 10,000 views on Facebook and YouTube.
And that’s a measure of how important Huddy Sports has quickly become as a broadcaster at that level.
Huddy Sports was the brainchild of Brad Hudson, whose rugby refereeing career included two Premier matches and was just 182 short of revered record holder David Walsh when it was curtailed by injury in 2018.
But wishing to remain involved in rugby, Hudson decided to pursue broadcasting.
In 2019, while working as a teacher at St Bernard’s College (Lower Hutt) Francis Douglas Memorial College (New Plymouth) came to play in their annual traditional fixture. There was interest in a livestream so Hudson pulled out his Samsung Galaxy S9 and broadcast the game via Facebook.
This was the beginning of the behemoth that became Huddy Sports – a grassroots sports broadcasting provider that has attracted over 1000 subscribers on Facebook and YouTube and has regular viewers in Australia, the USA, Great Britain, Japan and even Sweden.
“The purpose of Huddy Sports was to expose local grassroots sport,” Hudson said. “In Wellington, local club sport doesn’t get much coverage except for the great services of clubrugby.co.nz.
“Even the Post hardly acknowledges local sport any more. Getting livestreams out to people who live in Wellington, outside of Wellington and around the world is important. It promotes local talent, and captures a genuine interest while building a sense of community.”
Huddy Sports gained momentum during Covid, broadcasting matches when crowds were restricted. Hudson also hosted a podcast that featured sporting guests like All Black Dane Coles and Olympic rowing gold medallist Phillip Wilson.
“When normality returned to our daily lives, the growth of Huddy Sports didn’t stop.
“Clubs, schools and sporting organisations have reached out to Huddy Sports to promote their sporting codes. We have great relationships with Petone Rugby Football Club, Wellington College, College Sport Wellington, and others who share a mutual love of sport.
“We’re lucky to have quality cameramen, commentators and graphic designers who can step up to the mark.”
Greater demand meant greater investment and Hudson initially reached into his own pocket to fund expansion until sponsorship arrived.
So what makes a good livestream?
“If possible, arrive two to three hours early to ensure the internet, audio and pictures are perfect. If those do not meet the standard, the broadcast will not have the reach.
“Also, having a quality and well-prepared commentary is important. I spend several hours preparing facts for each broadcast and trying my best to get name punctuation 100% accurate.
“I’m lucky to have a small and keen group of wonderful supporters who assist with commentary, filming, and logistics. Serving an audience that’s keen and respectful is a privilege.”
Richie Harris will coach St Peter’s College First XV next year, taking over from Mark Wilson.
Harris is a former deputy principal at Tamaki College and will join the St Peter’s teaching staff in January with a coaching CV which includes guiding Northland in the NPC and taking Grammar Carlton (now Grammar TEC) to the Gallaher Shield and being Blues U18 and Auckland U18 coach.
Harris has strong links with St Peter’s, with two sons having gone there while his wife Vailoa is a former college board member.
At a time of year when there are many special end-of-season matches, who would win in a clash of Apostrophes-v-Hyphens in Auckland First XV rugby?
Here are your potential 2024 fantasy football teams, for what would be the ultimate game of two “spells”.
Apostrophes: Shiraz ‘Ofamo’oni (Mt Albert Grammar, captain), Oscar Su’a (Auckland Grammar), Genesis So’oa (De La Salle), Semisi Fa’aui (De La Salle), Moelili’a Ieremia (Dilworth), Uiki Mata’afa (Kelston), D’Angelo Tupou (King’s), Joseph Paiali’i (Kelston), James Manuha’apai (Liston), Paula Lu’au (Kelston), Keanu Su’a (Sacred), Soane Ma’asi (Sacred), Angel Po’e-Davis (De La Salle), D’Angelo Mikaele (Saint Kentigern), La’auli Sipia (St Paul’s).
Hyphens: Riley Grant-Faiva (Saint Kentigern), William Lawrence-Vaivai (Auckland Grammar), Flynn Hamilton-Muller (King’s), Tuia Maeva-Weston (Botany), John-Paul Schmidt (De La Salle), Wiremu Apaapa-Kuku (Dilworth), Zion Heiloa-Savaka (King’s), TJ Anae-Paila (King’s), Calvin Harris-Tavita (King’s), Brooklyn Hilihetule-Misipati (De La Salle), Jed Lindsay-Ola (Liston), Zebby Uini-Faiva (Sacred), Isaac Sulu-Kiripati (Saint Kentigern), Aleki Ettles-Langton (St Paul’s), Devante Hurrell-Epati (St Paul’s).
Divided loyalties: Jo’andrew Taramai-Remo (Botany), Delyas Su’a-Ausane (Kelston), Ikaika Hanks-Papali’i (Mt Albert).
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr.
# Disagree with anything here? We welcome alternative viewpoints. Email us at nzschoolboyrugby@gmail.com.
Hopes of an all-New Zealand final were dashed but Kelston will play for the title.