Boston Krone scores for Auckland Grammar v Mount Albert Grammar. Photo / Bruce Holloway
Boston Krone scores for Auckland Grammar v Mount Albert Grammar. Photo / Bruce Holloway
Key points:
Auckland Grammar made a statement in their derby match against Mount Albert Grammar
A sponsor of Hamilton Boys’ First XV has expressed concern over alleged pressure on students to abandon rugby league
The opening round of the Central North Island competition began with intense competition
Four grading fixtures will determine the final makeup of the Wellington Premiership
Tawa College have recorded three victories in a seven-day “Death Week”
Publicity-averse Auckland Grammar have made a fine start to the city’s 1A First XV rugby championship with a 32-5 towelling of their one-time subsidiary school, Mt Albert Grammar.
Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O’Connor is on record with the Herald as wanting to defer from any focus on FirstXV rugby, preferring the crypto-socialist notion that their team should not be afforded any more publicity than, say, their ultimate-disc frisbee team (which holds the city’s school title, to be fair, so let’s at least even the slate there).
So as keen proponents of the 1A rugby media ban, Grammar may be in the curious position of hating the news (which was cavity-smuggled out from Mountain Rd on scraps of Croxley notepaper on Saturday) that they could be quite useful in the 2024 1A season.
And speaking of bottom lines, this is the third successive year Auckland Grammar have retained the Jubilee Cup, contested for the 139th time between the schools. That came on the back of having previously notched an even more worthy 12-7 home warm-up win over Tauranga Boys’ College.
Dave Askew, a former Grammar First XV captain, is back as head coach for the first time since 2017, and has assembled a lively backline and competitive forward pack.
Remaining from last year’s starting XV against Mt Albert, there was just hooker Patrick Touson, nuggety halfback Preston Brydon, with rangy skipper Rios Tasmania shovelled from fullback to first five-eighths.
But they all made their mark, as did wingers Jonny Thomson and Bastion Armstrong and second five-eighths Nico Stanley.
Mt Albert had an enterprising approach in being willing to run from deep, but made far too many errors for this to have a positive impact, and a stop-start contest was pock-marked by more penalties than you’d find in Auckland Council bylaws.
From one such error Auckland spun the ball and Thomson opened the scoring in the 10th minute in the corner. Fullback Jackson McMullen also charged through to score, with Tasmania converting.
Mt Albert winger Isaac Lolesio-Pua immediately struck back with a try, but that was to be the final reward for the day for his team, despite having significant attacking plays in the second half.
After the break, Auckland Grammar continued to pick up easy penalties and engineered a converted forward try under the posts, which foreshadowed the match outcome.
And when Auckland Grammar centre Boston Krone burst through the centre on a 50-metre sprint to dot down under the posts five minutes from time, it was more than a feeling. Indeed, it was a 27-point victory, the equal-biggest winning margin since 2018.
Auckland Grammar winger Bastion Armstrong on the charge. Photo / Bruce Holloway
Meanwhile Kelston Boys’ High secured a prized 31-19 away win over defending champions Sacred Heart.
And while Sacred Heart are clearly in a rebuilding phase with a new-look team after last season’s well-chronicled triumph, Kelston themselves started with six 1A debutants in locks Nathan Auld and Cesc Keith, flanker Ulutoa Ai’i, wingers Marrick Purcell and Tariec Mulitano, and fullback Jeremiah Lemana, who iced his presence with a fine try.
Kelston started full of running and eased to a 21-0 lead while Sacred Heart botched a couple of great openings. Clever skills from Sacred first five-eighths Cohen Norrie finally created a gap for a try in the corner, but from the kick-off they conceded a ruck penalty which led to another Kelston try.
Kelston’s first five-eighths Tyson Parsons then made a huge break down field which resulted in a further try.
But Sacred Heart had the consolation of the best try of the day, engineered from a Norrie backhand offload, which allowed his team to score under the posts.
Last year’s beaten finalists St Kentigern beat St Peter’s 25-17. But for St Peter’s there were at least tries to flankers Malachi Tuivaiti and sub Selesitino Setefano while Malakai Hafoka kicked two conversions and a penalty. Best for St Peter’s were winger Tua Soti, fullback Hafoka and lock Tevita Tatafau.
There was little joy for Botany Downs Secondary College in their debut 1A match as they were handed a 40-5 lesson by a typically resolute De La Salle College.
Elsewhere King’s College edged Liston College 36-31 and St Paul’s were 28-17 winners over Dilworth.
Auckland 1A draw, Saturday: (home team first, all 2.30pm): Mt Albert Grammar v Saint Kentigern; Botany Downs v St Paul’s; Auckland Grammar v Sacred Heart; St Peter’s v Kelston; Dilworth v Liston College; De La Salle v King’s College.
Hamilton’s rugby-v-league beat-up
Tony Barakat, co-founder of Apex Property Group and a sponsor of Hamilton Boys’ First XV, had a pop at the school via Rugby League Daily Online last week, saying he is considering pulling his support amid allegations students are being pressured into turning their backs on rugby league.
Apex Property Group also supports the Warriors academy in Hamilton (who even knew they had an academy in Hamilton?) and Barakat was upset to learn that five players at Hamilton Boys’ were told they would not make the First XV if they didn’t cut ties to the academy.
Hamilton Boys’ High, which has a newly-minted principal in Jarred Williams, was invited to comment but elected not to respond in what can be a highly charged issue.
However while the league webpage sensationally framed this as “a code war”, in the absence of the school calling this stuff out, it needs to be acknowledged that First XV rugby programmes in any top school are full-on.
This issue should not be confused as “a code war”. It is just the bread-and-butter timeless sports fundamental of players making a firm commitment to a team. And that applies to any code. Pick a code, pick a team, and make a commitment.
Hamilton Boys’ First XV pretty much train like professionals and it’s a safe bet they wouldn’t even want squad members turning out for another rugby team when in competition, given the risk to injury, burnout and clash commitments.
Age-grade rugby league in the Waikato goes up to Under 17 and is played on Sundays.
Sources advise Hamilton Boys’ have historically had no issue with league commitments outside of their seasonal competition, while the Warriors have traditionally been fully supportive of boys taking advantage of First XV programmes and remaining at school within these until the end of year 13.
For instance, this year Hamilton First XV second five-eighths Hiraka Waitai-Haenga played SG Ball rugby league for the Warriors through to the end of term 1 before the rugby season started, seemingly with the blessing of his school.
Elite First XV squads tend to develop oval-ball players much better than clubs – and for free. But if lads are wanting to play league as well as rugby at the same time, something below First XV level is a better fit.
Imagine the team chemistry if chosen players could flit between codes weekly while teammates who were 100 per cent dedicated to the First XV sat on the bench.
The bigger irony here is NRL clubs have been picking up top Kiwi rugby union schoolboys for decades. Indeed, Hamilton old boy Caelys-Paul Putoko is now with Gold Coast Titans.
Meanwhile far too often these league clubs come along and try to sign players at 15, giving them a few dollars, a bag of gear and lavish promises, forgetting to tell them they’ve also signed another 50 just like them.
So league media beat-ups like this can get tiresome. However where rugby league does have a genuine grievance is with the much-diminished profile, or even existence, of rugby league teams within so many secondary schools.
Hamilton is embroiled in a code war. Photo / Bruce Holloway
Heart-stopping start to Central North Island
The opening round of the Central North Island competition suggested the 2024 contest will be fiercely competitive with three matches decided by a converted try or less.
St John’s College (Hamilton), the 2023 runners-up, rallied from 0-21 down to overcome Whanganui Collegiate 29-28 with a last-play try to winger Justin Nonu.
St John’s drove powerfully from a lineout enveloping the visitors’ defence. That left a gap short side for Nonu, whose try prompted the Bev’s Broadcasting announcer to shout as excitably as the bloke in the Ma’a Nonu Mastercard commercial a few years back.
Whanganui started at breakneck pace with three cracking tries to wingers Tim O’Leary and Angus Allpress, and halfback Angus Pearce. St John’s approach was more direct, but they did find Okusitino Vea in space for an essential strike just before the interval, with Leighton Jones’ sideline conversion worth its weight in gold.
Karlan Mosaati was something of a super sub for St John’s, charging over for two tries but the hosts surrendered a 24-21 advantage when strapping blindside Maurice Mow strode 30m. St John’s was able to regroup at the end with a reliable, rampaging lineout.
At St Peter’s Cambridge, the hosts were pipped by Wesley College 31-24. It was a willing contest where the scoreboard fluctuated wildly. The winning moment came with about five minutes remaining when Wesley’s first five-eighths Paula Taefa sailed through for a try converted by fullback Levi Byers.
Wesley’s loose forwards were disruptive and athletic; flankers Lomise Toaisi and Tarzan Tagoai were rewarded with tries alongside prop Kava Vainkolo and winger Tuku Levi.
St Peter’s suffered a setback when their usual first five-eighths was injured, but Alapati Tusa Soagia stepped up with aplomb scoring two tries and slotting two conversions. Kess Butler and Cruz Marra, also scored tries as St Peter’s finished with two consolation points in the championship standings.
St Paul’s Collegiate pipped Lindisfarne College 20-17 in another close encounter and Rathkelae College blanked St John’s College, Hastings 38-0.
Wellington grading chaos
Ten teams qualify for the Wellington Premiership, the semifinalists from 2023, Scots College, St Patrick’s College, Silverstream, Wellington College and Hutt International Boys’ School. The remaining teams enter a grading series to secure six other places.
Two of those spots were confirmed on Saturday with herculean victories by Paraparaumu College and Tawa College over typically established premier opposition.
The winners of the following four grading fixtures will determine the final made up of the Premiership on Saturday: Town v Porirua, Wairarapa College v Naenae College, Rongotai College v Taita College & St Bernard’s College v Hutt Valley High School.
Paraparaumu no longer premier pariahs
When Paraparaumu College coach Les Poutama was asked if his school had ever qualified for the Wellington Premiership he didn’t know the answer, nor did the most experienced staff at the College.
If they had, it was it was well before any of the players were born, perhaps back when Rob Muldoon was Prime Minster and Uptown Girl was fashionable.
But wins over premiership regulars Wairarapa College (26-19) and Rongotai College (29-22) have propelled Paraparaumu into an unusual stratosphere, and they were doing it in a canter at one stage on Saturday leading Rongotai 29-5. Co-captains Adam Van Vuuren (centre) and Daniel Oldroyd (openside) and fullback Rico Poutama (2) had scored tries.
Was Poutama flustered when Rongotai surged back? No was the blunt response.
Van Vuuren and Oldroyd have been in the First XV for three seasons and have a “high work rate” and “great ethics”.
Paraparaumu have grown enormously since losing the Premier 2 final against St Patrick’s College Silverstream’s Second XV last season, while Poutama has guided much of the squad since winning the Under 65A grade four years ago.
Van Vuuren and Poutama (son of Les) also scored tries in the Wairarapa victory with No 8 Freddy Kreuzer a damaging presence in both victories and winger Otis Black converting six of eight tries.
Poutama is no stranger to Premier I rugby. In 2017, he guided Kapiti College to the top flight and in their inaugural season they achieved a respectable four wins in nine matches.
He became a coach because he was “sick of hearing parents complain”, having earlier been an accomplished athlete in his own right. He was a member of the all-conquering Poneke-Kilbirnie softball team that won five national titles in the 90s, with much of his coaching philosophy shaped by Don Tricker (ONZM) who guided the Black Sox to the 2000 and 2004 World Series, and in 2010 was appointed high-performance manager for New Zealand Rugby.
Poutama is assisted by Ashley Drake whose son Paora plays first five-eighths. Ashley captained the Cook Islands Sevens team and appeared in the 2006 and 2014 Commonwealth Games. A double centurion for the Waikanae club he won four senior club championships and made 89 appearances for Horowhenua Kapiti.
Tawa College Soars in ‘Death Week’
“Death week” was how Tawa College coach Cliff Hunt described his side’s three victories in seven days to qualify for Premier I and retain the Beard Trophy, a Ranfurly Sheild style competition for Porirua schools.
On Saturday, Tawa beat St Patrick’s College, Wellington (Town) for the first time in their history, 29-24, to reach Wellington’s top flight for the first time since 2020. The previous weekend Tawa accounted for St Bernard’s College 28-19. St Bernard’s upset Wellington College in the week Wellington won the Quadrangular last year.
Tawa was down 24-22 with only moments to spare against Town when inspirational hooker and captain Malachi Suniula tapped from a penalty and caught an unsuspecting defence napping.
Suniula scored tries in all three wins and his audacity in rejecting three was typical of Tawa’s bravery this week. Earlier winger Labront ‘James’ Muldruck-Tolai scored a spectacular try, from just outside his 22 when he regathered a daring chip from centre Malachi Osman.
Another crucial moment was just before halftime when pint-sized halfback Mako Ah-Far slithered underneath a pile of bodies to nudge Tawa ahead at halftime.
Hunt praised the “gusty efforts” of his forwards and said building a large lead in the St Bernard’s game allowed him to blood younger talent earlier than expected which equipped Tawa well for the demanding pressure that Town applied.
A security guard during the week, Hunt has had two boys Anthony and Cliff Jr in the Tawa First XV. His nephew Boston Hunt has played lock for Ngāti Porou East Coast and in 2022 won the Jim Brown Memorial Medal as the man of the match in the Jubilee Cup final won by Norths 23-20 over Petone.
Meanwhile, the Beard Trophy was donated in 1968 by the family that bears its name for an annual match between Tawa and Mana Colleges.
In subsequent years, Porirua College, Bishop Viard College, and then Aotea College joined up and it became an annual ‘Ranfurly Shield’ style trophy for competition amongst these five schools that make up Tawa and the Porirua basin.
The Beard Trophy format sees four matches played every season. If the holder is beaten, then the next challenger plays the new holder in the next scheduled match, and so on.
Stored inside the Beard Trophy is a book with records of every single game, which is kept updated.
On Wednesday Tawa thrashed Porirua College 52-0 in the first defence of 2024. First-Five Eden Govind was particularly impressive with his sweeping and precise passes opening up several holes and illustrating a command of a skill that executed at speed and under pressure is the difference between an average player and a good player.
Govid scored the third try of the first half when he stepped off the left foot multiple times to sail clear. Six conversions (including two sideline successes) capped a commanding afternoon.
A Beard Trophy-style tournament could do wonders for rejuvenating rugby in South Auckland.
Interestingly the late All Blacks captain Jerry Collins (48 Tests, 5 tries, 42 wins) attended both Tawa College and St Pats Town. In 1998 he won the Bronze Boot award as the best player in the New Zealand Secondary Schools 36-9 victory over Australia.
Tranzit Coachlines Round 2 Results: St Patrick’s Silverstream 20 v Gisborne BHS 18; Hastings BHS 27 Feilding HS 17; Palmerston North BHS 59 v HIBS 0; Napier BHS 38 v Wellington College 5.
Westlake cruising in North Harbour
Westlake again displayed their prodigious pace and expansive playing style with a 41-8 win over Rosmini in a good-spirited North Harbour derby in front of a 1000-strong crowd.
Westlake enjoyed an early lead though a host of penalties in a tightly refereed game which kept Rosmini in contention.
It was not until Rosmini had a player sent off for deliberate knock-on in a try-scoring situation that Westlake surged with two tries out wide.
Westlake led 15-8 at the break but really bossed the game in the final quarter, scoring try after try and dominating in the scrum and lineout.
It was an all-round team performance but the stand-out player for Westlake was pacy centre JD Van Der Westhuizen, in his third season with the squad.
In other results Whangarei Boys’ High kept level-pegging with Westlake at the top of the table after a 49-0 thumping of Takapuna Grammar, Massey recorded their first win, 48-10 over Manurewa, and Rangitoto beat Mahurangi 22-12.
North Harbour First XV draw, Saturday (all games 12 noon, home team first): Mahurangi v Whangarei; Rangitoto v Massey; Manurewa v Rosmini; Takapuna v Westlake.
SACRED follow-up
UK-based reader Alex Jensen is among many anticipating the public release of the documentary, “SACRED: A Rugby Story For The Ages”, as profiled here a fortnight ago, and highly recommends a 2017 documentary “Beneath the Black”, which was produced by Sky Sports UK ahead of the Lions tour of New Zealand back in 2017.
Jensen writes: “In it is a fascinating story about the impact of schoolboy rugby, with a specific view on a couple of traditional New Zealand rivalries. It is beautifully crafted and shines a light on what makes the New Zealand system such a nursery for talent. I remember it making a real mark here in the UK at the time. The whole programme was quite cinematic in its production.”
The trailer to the Beneath the Black documentary can be viewed here:
Meanwhile SACRED director Kelsen Butler is currently negotiating a public release of his documentary with distributors. The trailer can be viewed here:
Readers are invited to send their first XV rugby updates, news snippets and hot takes tonzschoolboyrugby@gmail.com .
