First XV rugby wrap: Hamilton Boys’ High as strong as ever, Auckland Grammar remain unbeaten

Hamilton fullback Mikaele Vueti is a strong, elusive runner.

- Hamilton Boys’ High as strong as ever

- Grammar pip King’s

- A short history of winning drop goals in schoolboy rugby

- The media-ban mailbag

- Friday night rugby draws a crowd in North Harbour

- Southland win more silverware

- Napier’s big derby win

Defending Super 8 First XV rugby champions Hamilton Boys’ High School are looking as formidable and well-resourced as ever this season.

As chance would have it, for the earlier part of this term there was more of a critical gaze on the school’s sponsors and cross-code philosophies than their remarkable production line of on-field talent.

But with the focus finally back on match play, Hamilton showed they will once again be tough to beat, despite having a host of new faces on display, as they made it two from two in Super 8 with a hard-fought 39-20 home win over Palmerston North Boys’ High School.

Hamilton have a keen eye for an opening with game-breakers and match-winners spread across the park.

Indeed, it is easy to see why they might catch the eye of everyone from aberrant sponsors to league scouts as they go in search of a sixth national title.

Set piece and phase play were strong aspects of Hamilton’s play and Palmerston North hadn’t even touched the ball before tighthead prop Liam Van Der Heyden bulldozed his way over from a short lineout for the opening try. Lock Andrew Arnold, who also scored a first-half try, was similarly dominant with his carries.

Tighthead prop Liam Van Der Heyden on his way to open the scoring for Hamilton Boys' High.

Hamilton’s experienced midfield pairing of Hiraka Waitai-Haenga and Oli Gueren were responsible for several line-breaks and provided resilient defence, while right winger Ross Anderson scored a spectacular try in the first half as he beat three defenders on the way to the line.

Winger Dupre Marshall, flanker Jack Miller and halfback Mitchell Swann also all had their moments.

But one of the most striking newcomers is free-running fullback Mikaele Vueti, who has joined Hamilton from QVS in Fiji. Vueti is living with his uncle, who is a teacher at the school, and appears to be thriving in his new environment.

Indeed, Hamilton Boys’ coach Nigel Hotham has drawn comparisons with school old boy Sevu Reece, given his strong elusive running and ability to show up in unexpected places.

Meanwhile promising young prop Deon Fifita, who is still eligible for the Under-15s, made his debut at this level and will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Hamilton didn’t have it all their own way. Their first half kicking into a tricky wind was extremely wobbly, and it wasn’t until midway through the second half that any points were scored from the boot.

For Palmerston North, halfback Cooper Furnell kept them in the game with a converted try at the start of the second half, while No 8 Alex Palazzo secured a converted try on the final whistle and Jamie Viljoen kicked 10 points.

More Super 8 news below.

Grammar pip King’s as two one-point wins feature in Auckland

Auckland Grammar remain unbeaten in the 1A First XV championship and have also retained the Cooper-Greenbank Cup for another year after a thrilling 30-26 win over King’s College.

But victory in a rivalry which dates back to 1896 was only secured through two late Rios Tasmania penalties, after Grammar trailed 24-26 with 15 minutes to play.

King’s had the consolation of managing four tries to three in a rollercoaster contest where Grammar surged to a 17-0 lead. A tenacious King’s team struck back with tries to winger Kahurangi Cotterill and hooker Charlie Burn.

Grammar then pulled out to a 24-12 lead only for Burn and fellow front-rower Sione Manuopangaito to briefly put King’s ahead with tries converted by halfback Marco Miln.

Meanwhile, Saint Kentigern (media ban or not, a school official has broken radio silence to inform the Herald they don’t like their name written as either “St” Kentigern or “St Kents”) moved a point clear of Grammar at the top of the table with a 68-5 demolition of Dilworth.

But perhaps the only surprise here was Dilworth – still to eke out a point this season – taking an early lead through a try to lock Siosiua Vea.

Far more interesting was the curiosity of two mid-table 1A matches finishing with the exact same 18-17 scoreline.

Defending champs Sacred Heart survived a heart-stopping final few minutes to beat De La Salle by that margin, as did Liston College over Mt Albert Grammar.

Seven minutes from time, with Sacred Heart reduced to 13 men, playing into the wind and coughing up penalties left, right and centre, De La Salle scored a converted try to flanker Some Wulf, to trail by just the solitary point.

Then with time up, Sacred were penalised for one of those mystery forward infractions, but De La Salle’s long-range kick hit the crossbar and bounced back into play.

Sacred Heart tried to kick it out but the ball fell short and De La Salle were awarded yet another late penalty, this time from the 22m line. However, the kick missed and Sacred Heart were able to mercifully celebrate their third successive win and a rise to sixth on the table.

Earlier a try from flanker Jack Ricketts and eight points from the boot of Maximillian Morgan gave Sacred Heart a 13-10 halftime lead, while lock Simiona Auimatagi scored twice for De La Salle. Sacred Heart’s only second-half points came from a try to prop Ravai Faktaufon.

Liston led Mt Albert 13-3 at halftime through a try from second five-eighths Jonathan Simote and eight points off the boot of Conrad Chaston, though Mt Albert Grammar reduced the deficit through a converted try to winger Poamre Schultz.

Liston flanker Mitchell Veatupu made it 18-10 with 14 minutes remaining but Mt Albert first five-eighths Ikaika Hanks-Papali’i ensured it was a one-point ball game by converting a 67th minute try from centre Amanaki Palu.

Jeremiah Lemana, who in January signed up with the Warriors for junior development rugby league in the Harold Matthews Cup, scored three tries as substitute, as Kelston Boys’ High hammered Botany Downs Secondary College 77-0. Hooker Xavier Leota also nabbed a hat-trick of tries.

St Peter’s beat St Paul’s 39-12 to move to third on the table. For St Peter’s, wingers Tua Tapua’i-Soti and Josh Peteru scored two apiece and Selesitino Setefano and Logan-John Sao one each. Subs Benjamin Tohi and Micah Samuela earned second-half tries for St Paul’s.

For St Peter’s, skipper and college head boy Leonardo Flores-McAlpine was fast and hard-hitting at openside flanker, while second five Aziel Hau and first five Louie Kishimoto also impressed.

Auckland 1A points: St Kentigern 24, Auckland Grammar 23, St Peter’s 18, Kelston 17, King’s 17, Sacred Heart 15, De La Salle 13, Liston 11, St Paul’s 10, Mt Albert Grammar 7, Dilworth 0, Botany Downs 0.

Auckland 1A draw, Saturday: (home team first, all 2:30pm): Saint Kentigern v Botany Downs; De La Salle v Kelston; Liston v Sacred Heart; St Paul’s v Mt Albert Grammar; St Peter’s v King’s College; Auckland Grammar v Dilworth.

Westlake survive Rangitoto pressure under lights

If people were wondering where the crowds were for the Blues’ semifinal win over the Brumbies at Eden Park on Friday night, a good 2000 of them were at Windsor Park in East Coast Bays to witness Rangitoto College really give it a crack, but ultimately fall short, against reigning North Harbour champions Westlake Boys’ High School.

An injury-ravaged Westlake finally got home 10-3, but not before Rangitoto hunted them like a pack of hyenas scenting a wounded antelope on the high veldt, fizzing with passion and desire.

Westlake had five of their forwards out with injury and Rangitoto sensed their potential vulnerability. They ran the ball from everywhere in the first half, but simply could not break the durable Westlake defence.

Instead, it was Westlake’s Solomone Tuitupou who scored a superb flanker’s try after J.D. Van Der Westhuizen danced his way down the left and offloaded.

“We’re 35 minutes away from the biggest upset in rugby ever,” one Rangitoto fan hyperbolically suggested, with his team only trailing 5-3 at halftime, after Regan Slabbert converted a penalty for Rangitoto.

But in the second spell, Werner Van Staden secured the Westlake win from a well-worked lineout move, in front of highly engaged fans.

The Friday night match was an initiative from the East Coast Bays Rugby Club, who did a roaring trade from bar and sausage sizzle sales. They approached the schools, who both agreed to give a floodlit match a go.

In other matches Whangārei Boys’ High School beat Massey High School 27-24, Mahurangi College beat Manurewa High School 24-15 and Takapuna Grammar defaulted to second-placed Rosmini College.

Kyocera North Harbour First XV points: Westlake 34, Rosmini 27, Whangārei 25, Rangitoto 23, Mahurangi 14, Massey 13, Takapuna 4, Manurewa 1.

North Harbour First XV draw (home team first, all games 12 noon Saturday unless stated): Westlake v Rangitoto; Windsor Park, Friday 6pm; Rosmini v Takapuna; Massey v Whangārei; Mahurangi v Manurewa.

Winning drop goals

A riveting top-of-the-table clash between Wellington College and St Patrick’s College Silverstream was, unusually, decided by a drop goal (thus prompting the following brief historical appreciation).

The scores were tied 24-24 with two minutes remaining when Wellington had a scrum 35m away from the hosts’ line. Wellington carried vigorously to midfield as first five Archie Sims retreated as far as possible from obstruction.

With clinical precision and apparently still time, Sims despatched the winning goal through the posts like he’d been doing it his entire life.

Wellington coach and All Blacks Rugby World Cup winner Piri Weepu was heard to quip, “the kid has never practised”. Only Piri could be that calmly laconic.

Sims also accomplished the unique feat of scoring all four ways (penalty, try, three conversions and the dropped goal). New Zealand Under-20s representative Stanley Solomon had done the same thing for Wellington College two years earlier, though St Pat’s Town won that semifinal 24-23.

Dropped goals are so rare in New Zealand today that there were none kicked in the Wellington Premiership last year and only one in the entire 2023 NPC.

Equally, drop goals in big college matches nationwide have typically been few and far between. Jimmy Taylor kicked a 45m stunner for Southland Boys’ High School in the National Top Four final last year, but there have only been nine drop goals in the national decider since 1982.

The first successful drop kick in a National Top Four final was in 1984 by Hallam Kupa for Te Aute College in their 7-4 win against St Stephen’s School. A future meat worker, Kupa played 61 games for Hawke’s Bay from 1986 to 1992.

In the 1989 national final, Richard Meehan kicked two drop goals for Kelston Boys’ High School in their 22-19 win over Wesley College. Meehan is the only player to kick multiple drop goals in a national decider. He later enjoyed a successful career in the police and human resources.

The only All Black to kick a drop goal in a national final is Colin Slade, who kicked one as part of his 17-point haul in a 22-22 draw for Christchurch Boys’ High School against Wesley College in 2004.

Perhaps the most famous drop goal in college rugby history was a late success slotted by Bryn Gatland for Hamilton Boys’ High School in their 12-10 win over Saint Kentigern College in 2013.

Saint Kentigern were the reigning national champions and were unbeaten in 51 consecutive matches. Gatland went on to score 873 first class points in a near decade-long first class career.

Ōtāhuhu College might argue a 35m drop goal kicked by Orene Ai’i to win the 1997 1A final against five-time defending champions Kelston Boys’ High School was most meteoric of all.

Ōtāhuhu were the last state co-ed school to win the 1A title. Ai’i was playing Major League Rugby in Los Angeles just two years ago aged 42, following a decorated professional career which saw him win an IRB World Sevens Player of the Year award as well as a Super Rugby title with the Blues in 2003 and four NPC championships with Auckland.

Other last-play snaps:

1997: Future New Zealand cricketer James Marshall for King’s College against De La Salle College to retain the Moascar Cup. Irate fans manhandled the referee afterwards.

2014: Wiseguy Faiane for Auckland Grammar to beat St Peter’s College 24-22 in a 1A semifinal. Grammar went on to win the championship. Faiane played for Northland and Ponsonby.

2016: Sacred Heart head prefect George Witana to win a tense match against King’s College. A national secondary schools water polo champion, Witana went on to represent North Otago and become a solicitor. His mother is prominent judge and former Children and Young People’s Commissioner Frances Eivers.

2021: Finn Hurley (Highlanders) slotted a 38m monster for Otago Boys’ High School to defeat Southland Boys’ High School 26-24 in the Otago Schools Championship final.

Have we missed anything? Please contact us at the email address below.

Tranzit Coachlines Premiership results: HIBS 17 Scots 31; St Bernard’s 14 Rongotai 36; St Pat’s Town 55 Paraparaumu 10. Points: Wellington 18, Silverstream 16, St Pat’s Town 15, Rongotai 15, Scots 11, Wairarapa 9, Paraparaumu 6, Tawa 5, St Bernard’s 5, HIBS 4.

Media ban mailbag

This week’s mailbag on the ongoing Auckland 1A media ban has been delightfully mixed.

James Hogan, a former Westlake First XV player in the late 90s who went on to play club rugby in North Harbour and then for 15 years in Sydney, and now has a son playing with pride in Auckland 1A competition, captured some of the contradictions in a nutshell.

He loves the Herald’s weekly First XV updates – but at the same time is concerned about media exposure. So it’s tricky. Hogan likes media, but not its potential effects.

“There are so many additional distractions for teenagers these days, as parents we stress that academics is the number one priority for our son, and playing rugby is a byproduct of having a good balance,” Hogan said.

“Our concern with media exposure is that the kids are unfairly elevated into the spotlight and their focus shifts to them as a rugby player, when in reality only a small percentage will make it as a professional player.”

Reader Kevin Kelly, a former New Plymouth Boys’ High School pupil when J.J. Stewart was coach, and these days a keen follower of Rosmini and Westlake, says he really misses Sky TV’s coverage of secondary school rugby (which was the major casualty of the 1A media ban).

With wider family having attended Silversteam, Sacred Heart, Francis Douglas, St Bede’s and St Thomas of Canterbury, Kelly said it was an illustration of the broad interest his generation has in following high-skill schoolboy rugby from all over the country.

And he believed schoolboy rugby remained the best to watch.

“The principals have taken a lot of enjoyment from sitting down on a Saturday afternoon and watching what was usually a cracker game,” he said. “The boys seemed to thrive in being on TV and welcomed the scrutiny for all the right reasons. I think rugby as a whole has been the loser.”

But Richie Harris, Counties Manukau Rugby academy manager, can’t understand ongoing shots at Auckland 1A principals – “the very people that share your passion for rugby”.

Harris believes rugby-enthusiastic male teachers who have critical decision-making control in secondary schools have long recognised the importance of rugby within the running of these schools.

And rugby also bears out important life values and skills such as respect, courage, emotional awareness and discipline better than other sports. Thus rugby is the context in which boys learn life values but the game is at a crossroads because those rugby-enthusiastic male teachers are a dying breed.

“This is the real story – not the media ban. These principals are actually saving the game as they understand boys’ education and wider development better than media, Government and New Zealand Rugby. They understand the role rugby can play in that development.”

Reader Peter Hogg endorsed comments a fortnight ago from Apex Foundation’s Graeme Maw, that the emphasis some schools put on first XVs is driving many players away from rugby.

“The flow to the clubs is decreasing every year,” he said. “A lot of the so called rugby schools are just trophy hunting and if you don’t make the grade early on you are cast aside.

“The pressures put on First XV players is enormous. They are only 16-, 17-, 18-year-olds and they do not need that at their stage of life.

“The coaching in some of the lower grades is appalling and boys are losing interest and give the game away.”

He noted the Pilkington Report found that parent and player satisfaction of club youth rugby was up around the 82 per cent mark.

“The main thing that came out of that was the kids were having fun. That tends to change once they attend high school. The pressure to win is ramped up.”

Some years back, Hogg proposed to North Harbour Rugby to keep kids in club competition for a further two to three years, allowing secondary school 13- and 14-year-olds in – given most rugby clubs knew what they are doing and had been running kids rugby for decades, and he wrote a paper in support of this.

“The CEO at the time, David Gibson, discussed this with all North Harbour principals and all rubbished it. Even schools with no rugby teams were against it. Why?”

Meanwhile, reader Brendan Marshall said there was a strong ongoing audience for schoolboy rugby and through an association with Howick Pakuranga Rugby Club, he was looking to utilise club facilities for telecasting functions covering secondary school games from outside Auckland to cater for old boys from other centres.

Marshall is also trying to resuscitate the old “Champion of Champions” club rugby competition with teams from all major provincial centres.

Southland win more silverware

Southland Boys’ High School scooped three major awards at the Southland Sports Awards for their 2023 National Top Four triumph. Southland won team of the year, sporting moment of the year and Jason Dermody was named coach of the year. Peter Skelt, who has helped with the team for more than three decades, was also honoured with a service to sport award.

Southland then showed they’re not tired of winning, far too clinical for John McGlashan College (42-5) in a midweek Moascar Cup defence.

Jimmy Taylor opened the scoring off an inside ball from first five Mika Muliaina. Taylor is playing second five this season after spending Year 11 on the wing.

Southland led 21-0 at halftime and matched their three-try tally in the second half. Powerhouse prop Thomas Jennings scored two tries with hooker Jake Evans and winger Caleb Harvey others to thrive.

Sky stays blue in Napier

Melancholy will envelop earnest Hurricanes supporters for some time, with another premature demise at the weekend by an intoxicating senior team being bewilderingly familiar.

But in Napier at least, Sky Blue is still Sky Blue and Napier Boys’ High School (nicknamed after euphoric weather) edged rivals Hastings Boys’ High School 28-27 in blissful conditions in Super 8 competition.

After three minutes a wide angled penalty by Hastings first-five Tana Faumuina propelled the hosts 3-0 ahead. It was all Napier thereafter; 21-3 at halftime. Tries were scored by first five Luke Thomas, No 8 Riely Mullany and lock forward and captain George Prouting.

Napier’s lead was earned through bustling industry from the forwards with tighthead prop Fasitau Lapa especially tigerish.

Faumuina is skilful and audacious, his cross kick early in the second half was caught by blindside Reed Paewai and suddenly Hastings were resurgent.

Midway through the second spell fullback Walter Kava captured an errant clearance, stepping and sailing 80m in a breathtaking burst. Suddenly it was 21-20.

Napier regrouped when blindside Lockie Seerden burrowed over. With a minute left Hastings were down 28-20 when winger Raef Robinson emulated Kava with an 80m solo of his own.

There was time for a restart. It splattered sideways and was knocked on.

Meanwhile, in other Super 8 matches Tauranga Boys’ College made another rapid start - this time against New Plymouth Boys’ High School. It was 19-0 after 10 minutes at Nicholson Field with the hosts eventually winning 48-17. No.8 Aidan Spratley was exceptional and scored two tries.

Gisborne Boys’ High School were desperately unlucky not to win in Rotorua, going down 12-10 despite a barrage of attacks in the second half.

Cruelly, with five minutes left, Gisborne first five Ruan Ludwig missed an angled penalty from 25m out that could have won the game. Prop Malosi Luafalealo scored Gisborne’s solitary try. Winger Josiah Graham scored both tries for Rotorua to ensure they have now gone unbeaten against Gisborne for 11 years.

Super 8, Saturday (home team first, 12 noon): Rotorua v Hamilton; Gisborne v Hastings; Napier v Tauranga.

Central North Island results: Wesley College 24 Whanganui Collegiate 14; St Peter’s Cambridge 15 Rathkeale College 27; St John’s Hastings 10 St John’s Hamilton 55; Francis Douglas 13 St Paul’s Collegiate 31. Points: St Paul’s 28, St John’s (Hamilton) 24, Feilding (4 matches) 20, Lindisfarne 17; Rathkeale 15, Wesley 14, St Peter’s 13, Whanganui 10, Francis Douglas 5, St John’s (Hastings) 1.

Miles Toyota Premiership (Canterbury) results: Christ’s College 43 Marlborough Boys’ 7; Timaru 0 Christchurch Boys’ 51 (Tries to Ollie Singleton 2, Cam Jones, Ethan Webber, Will Haig, Connor Hutchings, Mac McLaughlin-Forbes, Hiro Fuchigami, Rhodes Taylor. Conv: Hanroux Wessels 2, Cam Jones); St Thomas 40 St Bede’s 36. Points: Nelson College 20, St Thomas 16, Christchurch 15, Christ’s College 15, Marlborough 14, St Bede’s 8, Shirley 6, St Andrews 6, Timaru 0, Selwyn 0.