First XV rugby wrap: Rotorua Boys' High School stun Hamilton Boys' High School to claim Moascar Cup
A dynamic Rotorua Boys' High School have relieved national champions Hamilton Boys' High School of the Moascar Cup, schoolboy rugby's version of the Ranfurly
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NZ Herald
4 days ago
- NZ Herald
First XV wrap: King's clinch final spot in tense 1A semi, Christchurch Boys' High run rampant
In a cauldron of noise, emotion and tension in front of a full house – there were even spectators on the roof of the college's tower block – King's somehow held their nerve when trailing 32-24 with just three minutes remaining. Grammar looked like worthy finalists themselves in turning in surely their best performance of the season, but King's greatest strength was to remain cool under pressure. Firstly, skipper Marco Miln quickly potted a penalty from right in front when given the option. Then, with time up, King's muscled their way forward and for one final time utilised their inventive offloading backline, spinning the ball right for winger Spencer Capper to force his way over in the corner, to sideline delirium. The scores were level. Miln's sideline conversion for the win missed and there was momentary confusion both on the pitch and sidelines until a nod from the officials prompted King's hands to rise in triumph. If there is a sense of justness in the top two round-robin schools making the final, this result was incredibly cruel for Grammar, who dominated large chunks of the contest and, led by reliable lock Logan Platt, established a slight edge in scrums and lineouts and showed plenty of enterprise with their back play. While King's perhaps have more raw talent, Grammar coach Dave Askew has done a fine job in crafting tangible week-on-week improvements with his team during the second half of the season. King's students cheer on their school during the Auckland 1A semifinal against Auckland Grammar. Photo / Josh Lightbourne And Grammar looked good value for a win when they scored 22 minutes into the second spell to reclaim the lead at 29-24. To the naked eye, it seemed like sub Liam Marshall had finished off a critical try after fullback Hadley Herman was inches short, but the match summary filing awarded it to Herman – and the schools never appreciate media inquiries. Either way, Grammar were in control, having enjoyed the luxury of four successive second-half penalties. Then, from a fifth, Herman banked three points to establish a challenging eight-point lead with minutes remaining. But King's have some serious talent in second five-eighths Sosaia Manu, centre TJ Anae Paila and particularly fullback Calvin Harris-Tavita and they all chipped in with little dabs, while wingers Capper and Joseph Fatuvalu on the other flank were also lively, as the top qualifiers ultimately drew level. Earlier, No 8 Hemana Connew gave King's a fourth-minute lead from a lineout maul. But five minutes later, Grammar were level at 7-7 when flanker Jack Lundon answered the call of the wild and forced his way over in the corner. Energetic hooker Santino Naufahu added a converted try for Grammar to snatch a deserved lead at 14-7. King's winger Joseph Fatuvalu breaks through the Grammar line to score. Photo / Josh Lightbourne However, King's crafted two tries within three minutes through some sparkling back play, with Fatuvalu and Anae Paila scoring and Harris-Tavita displaying a catalogue of feints, jinks, steps, dummies and swerves. Just before the break, second five-eighths Nico Stanley crossed to give Grammar a 19-17 halftime lead. King's went back in front after more Harris-Tavita magic gave Fatuvalu his second try but Herman – who kicked beautifully all day – narrowed the Grammar deficit to two points with a penalty to set the stage for the late-afternoon drama. King's fullback Calvin Harris-Tavita celebrates with students at fulltime. Photo / Josh Lightbourne Meanwhile, the St Kentigern-Sacred Heart semifinal also drew a jam-packed crowd, meaning both schoolboy semis totally dwarfed the spartan attendance at the supposedly pre-eminent Canterbury-Auckland NPC match later in the day. St Kentigern started strongly and relentless forward pressure resulted in the first of two tries to imposing prop Riley Grant-Faiva. Sacred levelled at 7-7 with Keanu Simpson scoring after a lineout drive. But St Kentigern regained the lead on the stroke of halftime, creating an overlap for left winger Leofe Usufono to score, while Sacred's prospects were diminished by the early loss of lock Callum Agnew and dangerous openside flanker Etikeni Helu to injury. St Kentigern's forward prowess was again on display early in the second half and after multiple phases within the Sacred 22, they crashed over near the posts. Grant-Faiva was again granted favour as the scorer, for a 21-7 lead. St Kentigern copped a yellow card for offside and from a tap-and-charge, Sacred centre Soane Ma'asi reduced the deficit to nine points, but the visitors could make no further impression. If the loss was disappointing for Sacred, they can reflect on a solid campaign in which they were only beaten once in round-robin play, and they may well be stronger next year. As for the grand final on Saturday (2.30pm), neither St Kentigern nor King's have particularly impressive records there. St Kentigern have a heritage of six wins and seven losses, with their last victory occurring in 2017. King's hold a record of two wins and six losses though, ominously, their most recent triumph against St Kentigern in 2019, where they won 29-22. In that match, Aidan Morgan scored 14 points and went on to win an NPC and Ranfurly Shield title with Wellington before joining Ulster. Centre Meihana Grindlay, who achieved the same success with Taranaki, also scored a try. That season, King's captain was Che Clark, an Auckland and All Blacks Sevens loose forward, who played 55 games for the First XV. King's finished that year with 17 wins out of 20 matches but lost the National Top Four final to Hastings Boys'. On the other side of the ledger, St Kentigern won their first 1A title against King's with a score of 9-3 in 2001. Josh Herron kicked all three penalties in a hard-fought contest on a heavy field, which included three future All Blacks on the St Kent's side in Joe Rokocoko, John Afoa and Jerome Kaino. The following season, St Kent's were demoted to 1B. From 1996 to 2001, St Kentigern won 89 out of 115 games, marking a highly successful era for the school. North Harbour: Whangārei's draw earns grand final berth Defending champions Westlake Boys High School will face Whangārei Boys' High School in the Kyocera First XV grand final at North Harbour Stadium. Whangārei finished level at 17-17 in their home semifinal against Rosmini College on Saturday and advanced courtesy of scoring three tries to two. And that is the exact same scoreline they finished with when they met Westlake in round-robin play back in May. Close matches have been a way of life for Whangārei this season, having beaten Rangitoto College 19-18 a week earlier and battling to a 16-12 victory over Rosmini in July. And coach Paul Leyland called it 'payback' after a two-point loss to Rosmini at the same stage last year. Rosmini led 10-5 at halftime through a converted try to lock Luchian Opperman and a Braden Morley penalty, while No 8 Brock Reid scored for Whangārei. Opperman scored another converted try in the second spell. But that was offset by a try to Whangārei skipper Casey Wright and an even more important one to second five-eighths Henare Parangi, with Josh McRae then converting from in front to tie the game up. Whangārei defended for the final 10 minutes until Reid, having his first full game for three weeks after injury, won a turnover and kicked the ball out. Standouts for Whangārei were skipper Casey Wright at centre and flanker Jordan Young. Leyland described his team's prospects as 50-50 at North Harbour Stadium, though his team may be sweating on some injuries midweek. Meanwhile, Westlake beat Rangitoto College 25-7, but without ever showing their true potential. On a pitch made for running rugby, this was instead an arm-wrestle, with little flair or expansive play on display and most of the match contested within the middle two-thirds of the pitch. Westlake led 6-0 at halftime through two Ollie Davies penalties, but briefly put the hammer down for 10 minutes in the second spell to secure tries to No 8 Travis Findlay and blindside Solomone Tu'itupou, who made a typically barging run at the line from 10m out. Star winger Yisrael Tukania also scored. Rangitoto first five-eighths Joaquin Dechiara took advantage of poor tackling to score a consolation try, but it was too little, too late. Feilding claim third Central North Island title Feilding High School have taken home the Taine Randell Cup for the third time in four years after swamping St Peter's School (Cambridge) 48-12 in the Central North Island (CNI) First XV grand final. It's the biggest blowout in the history of CNI finals, and the Feilding XV dedicated the win to the memory of Jonty Ryan, a Year 10 student and hostel team rugby player at the school who died in an ATV crash on Foxton Beach a week earlier. Ryan's funeral service took place in Feilding at the same time as the final was being contested in Taupō and Feilding rugby media manager Blair Rogers said the team drew strength from that. Rogers also observed how grand finals in the competition tended to historically conspire against teams which had won all their round-robin matches, with St Peter's suffering exactly as Feilding had a year earlier in losing to St John's College (Hamilton). Feilding High celebrate winning the Central North Island title. 'It pays not to win all your round-robins,' Rogers said. 'It's far better to drop at least one match during the season. 'St Peter's are a good team with a fine season behind them but we delivered on the day. It had been an uncomfortable feeling to lose to St Peter's by one point in the round robin and the boys worked hard to rectify that and find areas where we could attack.' Feilding also benefited from having a settled squad with few injuries. 'The school has 10 teams but the CNI is quite a step up so you have to look after the players you have.' Some silky skills helped Flynn Morey slip through and open the scoring for St Peter's, but then Feilding burst into action with four tries in a withering 10-minute spell and led 26-7 at the break. Playing into a strong breeze is old hat for Feilding and they were happy for St Peter's to kick the ball back to them for a lot of the second half. 'Wind doesn't win matches. Tries do.' Try-scorers for Feilding were Aston Scott (2), James Tuituba, Kailan Ellmers, Peni Havea, Tuharakia Wallace-Mcleod and Kingston Manihera-Dankwa, while Nixon Foreman nailed five conversions and a penalty. Since 2020, Feilding have achieved 45 wins, 13 defeats and two draws in the CNI competition. St Peter's have recorded 40 wins, 15 defeats and three draws. The previous most one-sided CNI final occurred in 2021 when St Paul's Collegiate comfortably defeated Whanganui Collegiate 33-10. St Paul's captain Jae Broomfield scored two tries and Malachi Wrampling-Alec, who is now with Waikato and the Chiefs, made a herculean bust from halfway. In other finals matches at Taupō, Lindisfarne College beat Wesley College 69-15 in the playoff for third. In the plate final, St Paul's triumphed 38-27 over St John's (Hamilton) and Francis Douglas Memorial College beat Whanganui Collegiate 37-7. Rotorua Roar to Baywide title Rotorua Boys' High School banished their losing run against Tauranga Boys' College, which stretched back to 2022, with an emphatic 37-0 home whitewash in a Chiefs regional quarter-final. Rotorua summoned all the hurt they could from their heartbreaking Super 8 final defeat and steamrolled the toothless Titans, whose season unravelled after they blew a 19-0 lead to Palmerston North Boys' High School in a Super 8 game on June 20. Unbeaten up until that point, Tauranga dropped four of their next five games and will be disappointed that they were unable to rival the groundbreaking record of 2024. National Top Four champions Hamilton Boys' High School host Rotorua in the Chiefs regional semifinal on Saturday. Rotorua beat Hamilton 34-28 on June 14. The match was effectively over after just 20 minutes, with a belligerent and clinical Rotorua leading 17-0. Their forwards were relentless, with hooker Bronson Van der Heyden a bully. Locks Luke Worsp and Hunter Weaver both scored tries, along with captain and No 8 Te Ariki Rogers, showcasing their unwavering effort. Second five-eighths Hieke McGarvey was a human wrecking ball and fullback Tokoaitua Owen continued his sumptuous form with two tries. Owen has wonderfully light feet and could make walking on eggshells look graceful. In all encounters since both teams became boys' schools, Rotorua lead with 44 victories to Hamilton's 35, with nine draws. Silverstream slay Wellington College to retain Premiership title In bitterly cold conditions at Jerry Collins Stadium, St Patrick's College, Silverstream resoundingly retained their Tranzit Coachlines Premiership title, thumping Wellington College 35-14 in the final. It was 25-0 by halftime, Wellington with the elements in their favour. St Patrick's Silverstream perform the haka ahead of their final against Wellington College. Photo / Photosport Silverstream's triumph was constructed by stifling defence and clinical finishing. Openside flanker Elijah Solomona was Captain Colossal with two tries and belting defence. Equally punishing were Osaiasi Manu, cousin of Silverstream's most recent All Black, Peter Lakai, and flanker Kingston Hill. Silverstream loosehead prop Heath Tuifao, distinctive in his pink headgear like his older brother and Wellington Centurions flanker Connor Tuifao, had a whale of a game and made several robust carries. Manu found Solomona with a lovely pass as Silverstream made a terrific start and the latter burst through to score the opener. St Patrick's Osaiasi Manu is tackled by Wellington College's Harry Baddington. Photo / Photosport Silverstream were held up over the line going for their second try, but a subsequent penalty was kicked by Fletcher Cooper after the goal-line dropout, and it was 8-0 midway through the first half. Solomona made it 15-0 with a furious burst from close range. If Wellington College weren't chasing the game at this juncture, they were soon after when Silverstream hooker Riley Browne scored a third try, following a long build-up and then a tap penalty. Wellington had been attacking vigorously until a significant ruck turnover deflated apparent optimism. Wellington were made of sterner stuff after the interval. Bustling No 8 Z'keus Schwalger and prop Julius Toimata both bustled through to score, and first five-eighths Archie Sims converted to cut the lead to 25-14 midway through the second half. With dribbling to rival Iniesta, Teddy Cooling put the result to bed after a Wellington fumble. St Patrick's Silverstream co-captain William Davis-Lenz tries to evade a tackle by Wellington College's Shea Bosher. Photo / Photosport Since 2017, Silverstream have reached the Premiership final every season, achieving a record of 87 wins, 10 losses and one draw. They have a 13-2 record against Wellington College during this period. Silverstream were unbeaten for 28 consecutive Premiership games between 2017 and 2019 and have won the title outright in 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024 and 2025. They have also won 18 straight matches since their 27-24 defeat against Wellington on June 12, 2024. On Saturday, Silverstream will host the enigmatic Hastings Boys' High School in the Hurricanes regional semifinals. In 2025, Silverstream have won 14 of 17 games, scoring a total of 847 points. Fletcher Cooper has contributed 224 of those points, with 10 tries, 75 conversions, seven penalties and one dropped goal, on June 12 against Wellington College. The record for the most points in a season at Silverstream is under threat. It currently stands at 233 points, set by future All Black Simon Mannix in 1989, who scored that total through 12 tries, 25 conversions and 45 penalties in 18 games. Hastings notch a big win In deteriorating conditions, Hastings Boys' High School easily accounted for Gisborne Boys' High School 45-14 in their Hurricanes regional quarter-final. The hosts' lineout drive rolled like a locomotive, engineering two tries, including one push that traversed 25m, which explosive blindside flanker Marshall Landon-Lane finished. All three Hastings loose forwards were exceptional, with No 8 Panapa Peia rocketing 40m for a try in which he bamboozled Gisborne's fullback David Gray, who retorted with a stunning chip-and-chase of his own from halfway. Hastings first five-eighths Tana Faumuina ran freely and scored a try, as did centre Truimph Voice. Fullback Gabe Dehar snatched a timely intercept to prevent a certain Gisborne try, dashing 80m before recycling promptly for second five-eighths Panapa Lambert to finish. Hastings had 14 players selected in the Hurricanes Under-18s. They have made five appearances in the National Top Four, winning titles in 2017 and 2019. Palmerston North advance, but only just Palmerston North Boys' High School retained the Moascar Cup and advanced to the Hurricanes regional semifinals with a slender 24-21 victory over Napier Boys' High School. On their tacky field, which lacked the throngs of spectators guzzling tall energy drinks who had cheered Palmerston North to victory in the Super 8 final, the hosts scored four tries to Napier's three, overcoming a 14-12 halftime deficit to secure the win. Napier proved to be frustratingly stubborn opponents for Palmerston North, who appeared somewhat flat and struggled to reach the heights of their previous week's performance. However, there were standout displays from second five-eighths Nehemiah Su'a and loose forwards Alex Palazzo and Kisione Ma'asi. Palazzo, the captain, scored the third maul try, which extended the lead to what turned out to be an insurmountable 24-14. Kisione Ma'asi and Ollie Read stoked the flames of Palmerston North's forward effort, which initially seemed at risk of being dampened by the determined Sky Blues. Notable performances from Napier included hooker Riley Mullany and loose forwards Ollie MacLachlan, Carlo Mienie and Carter Pirie. On Saturday, Palmerston North play the Central North Island champions at Feilding High. Earlier in the season, Palmerston North won a thriller, 19-15. Taylor makes no mistake Jimmy Taylor has done it again. The talismanic first five-eighths for Southland Boys' High School kicked a drop goal in the 69th minute to win the Freeman Roofing Southern Schools championship final against King's High School 27-26 at Les George Oval in Invercargill. Two years ago, while playing fullback for Southland Boys' High School in the National Top Four final against Westlake Boys, Taylor slotted a 45m drop goal that helped crown Southland as New Zealand's best in 2023. On Saturday, Year 12 fullback and Highlanders U18 representative Lafa Tofiga had propelled King's into a 26-24 lead with a 22m penalty in the 68th minute. Tofiga was responsible for 17 of the visitors' points and had the game ended then, he would have been its headline performer. Instead, Taylor restarted for Southland, cunningly chipping the ball towards the sideline where replacement prop Ariki McDonald was unable to handle the swirling oval. From a lineout just outside the 22, Southland strung together 10 exhaustive phases, examining both touchlines. When bear-sized prop Presley McHugh was enveloped urgently in centre field, King's infringed as Taylor retreated. Receiving a chest-high pass 35m out, Taylor quickly snapped a kick with his educated right boot and the trajectory was as straight as Simon Culhane, who actually went to Aurora College. King's rolled a seven at the kickoff. Stoic No 8 Jaziah Smith intervened with a soaring leap, two hands well above the pack. An NBL Shark in waiting? Fittingly, Taylor ended it with a clearance to touch. When he scored his famous 2023 droppie, Taylor told Rugby News that the most rewarding or unusual thing that happened afterwards was 'properly seeing the Mayor of Invercargill'. Perhaps Nobby Clarke doesn't advocate for 16-year-olds getting the vote. With two brothers, Harry and Jack Taylor, in the NPC, Jimmy Taylor will certainly capture attention from leading unions nationwide with another iconic clutch moment. Southland have now won 28 consecutive games in the Freeman Roofing Southern Schools championship and boast a 34-3 record since 2023. But they certainly had to work hard to keep King's without a title since 2017. Tofiga showcased his potency early with two successful penalties from 45m. However, it was Southland who scored the first two tries. Combative hooker Luka Salesa rumbled over from a rolling maul, followed by openside Josh Cairns, who was unstoppable from close range. Behind 12-6, King's were imperious in the last dozen minutes of the first half. In the 28th minute, sustained pressure allowed Tofiga to barrel over in the corner, thanks to quick distribution from halfback Jaxon Moeahu. Cruelly, Tofiga's conversion attempt kissed the posts and ultimately missed. Four minutes later, Jeremiah Tuhega-Vaitupu fended off his grappling opponent with utter disdain and made a beeline for the same corner. The second five-eighths proved to be a powerhouse, often puncturing the blue wall. Taylor struck first after the interval, employing both agility and brawn to reclaim the lead. He swerved around one tackler and, short-armed, palmed off two others. In the 45th minute, Highlanders U18 representative Jack McKeay buried his head and javelined through congestion, with Taylor converting to give Southland their largest lead of the match at 24-16. King's rallied back and a clever pass from Tuhega-Vaitupu created space for Jake Hill, who put Tofiga in a position to score his second try, narrowing the gap to 24-23. With 10 minutes remaining, Tofiga attempted an ambitious penalty kick from near the halfway line. He missed. But Brian McKechnie likely would have, too. Highlanders U18 representatives Henry Hunter and Max Miller were both bullish; Miller stampeding down the wing in the 65th minute, only halted by a heroic defensive rearguard from diminutive halfback Koen Rarere. Just three minutes later, with a penalty advantage, the elusive Tuhega-Vaitupu narrowly missed connecting with Tofiga as the tryline beckoned. In the dramatic climax, Taylor emulated Finn Hurley's 2021 artistry, securing the silverware with a drop kick from far out. 'It was the only option and they didn't bring much heat, to be fair, so I had a lot of time,' Taylor told the Southland Turbine. 'We had to earn it today; it was a tough final, probably the toughest one I've had yet.' In 2025, Southland conquered King's three times. On Saturday, they will host Christchurch Boys' High School, with a place in an 11th National Top Four at stake. Christchurch thrashed Southland 45-28 in April but lost to them in their last South Island final appearance, going down 29-28 in Invercargill. In that match, Taylor kicked a sideline conversion to win the game, preventing Christchurch from attending their eighth National Top Four. Christchurch Boys' High run rampant Christchurch Boys' High School have chalked up one of the more comprehensive Miles Toyota Premiership grand final wins with a thumping 52-0 dismissal of rivals Christ's College. It was a day for the forwards in hopelessly muddy conditions and five of Christchurch's eight tries came from the pack. Mac Chaplin, Hiro Fuchigami, A.J. Francis Afolaufou, Jonty Leary, Vili Finau, Sione Manu Telefoni, Sam Dunnett, Frano Chaplin and Delahoia Te Pakeke-Kakoi all contributed to the scoreboard. Wingers Harnoux Wessels and Cam Jones combined to successfully convert five tries, putting Christchurch comfortably ahead 24-0 at the break. By the second half, it was impossible to identify most of the mud-splattered players, but such was their dominance, Christchurch even scored twice when down to 14 men for 10 minutes after a yellow card to bustling midfielder Francis Afolaufou. And they still completed a shut-out, despite losing replacement forward Vili Finau to a late red card. Christchurch's season record was 10 wins and one draw. They scored a total of 530 points and only conceded 233. By contrast, inconsistent Christ's finished with a record of six wins and six losses, scoring 374 points but conceding 407. However, this was not the largest victory that Christchurch have ever achieved over Christ's. That was an astounding 80-0 in 2015, when future All Black Will Jordan scored four tries and Josh McKay – later to play 50 games for Canterbury and win a United Rugby Championship with Glasgow Warriors – contributed 35 points. The only other occasion when Christchurch Boys' achieved a half-century in a final was in 2005 at Lancaster Park, where they decisively defeated Nelson College 51-17. The winners' tries were scored by Tim Jones (2), Matt Todd, Michael Coom, Ryan McLeod, Andrew Horrell and Colin Slade, who added four conversions and two penalties. Christchurch finished that season as national champions with an imposing 24-0 record. Todd and Slade later became All Blacks, while Horrell won two Super Rugby titles with the Chiefs and now coaches the Lindisfarne College First XV. In other matches, Marlborough Boys' College beat Nelson College 31-21 to claim third. St Bede's College beat Rangiora High School 50-7 and Shirley Boys' High School edged out Selwyn Combined 26-24. Disagree with anything here? We welcome alternative viewpoints. Email us at nzschoolboyrugby@
RNZ News
29-07-2025
- RNZ News
NPC Rugby: Where will the Ranfurly reside this summer?
The iconic log o' wood is perhaps the most prestigious and coveted prize in New Zealand Rugby besides the Web Ellis Trophy. Photo: Photosport Taranaki vs Northland 7.05pm Saturday, 2 August New Plymouth Live blog updates on RNZ It's provincial footy season and while there will be the usual questions of who the breakout stars will be and what former All Blacks can restake their claim, the prevailing interest will inevitably fall on a certain slab of English Oak and sterling silver. The iconic log o' wood Perhaps the most prestigious and coveted prize in New Zealand Rugby besides the Web Ellis Trophy. Introduced in 1904, the shield has sat centre stage for some of the greatest matches played on this country's fields. While fanfare surrounding Super Rugby has dwindled badly in the last decade, and the glory days of the NPC are long dead, the passion, pride and parochialism the shield evokes ensures that from Kaitaia to Bluff, the game's heart still beats. The holders The Taranaki Bulls brought an end to Tasman's historic inaugural Shield run in Nelson on 6 October, breaking Mako hearts with a 42-29 victory, They have since defended it twice against heartland opposition, 78-7 over King Country, and 97-0 over Thames Valley. Taranaki will have o see off five more challenges in 2025 in order to lock the shield away for Summer. It's a tough road to securing the shield for the Naki, but not beyond the realms. Bay of Plenty and Hawke's Bay will no doubt present formidable challenges in New Plymouth. The scenarios Okay, so let's assume no side will defend the shield this season, and it changes hands at every opportunity, where does it end up? All right, so that's a bit extreme, so let's look at a more likely potential outcome. If Taranaki beat Northland but lost to Waikato in round four, the Mooloos would have a relatively comfortable first defence against Southland and then a slightly tougher assignment against North Harbour before a final round defence against Northland. Waikato will end 2025 with three successful defences with the shield to reside in Hamilton . My pick Taranaki will see off Northland, and Waikato, but their reign will be ended at the hands of Bay of Plenty. The Steamers will hold it for less than a week though, with Hawke's Bay spoiling the party in Tauranga. The Magpies will prevail in the battle of the bays and would then need just one defence in order to lock away the shield post season, against Auckland, which they will do in dramatic fashion at McLean Park with a try on the siren. RNZ's predicted summer home for the Ranfurly Shield - Napier. Your side's road to Ranfurly glory: Taranaki - Reigns - 8; most recent - 2024. Holders - Five defences vs Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and Wellington. Second chance - Waikato beat Taranaki in week four, Southland beat Waikato in week five, Canterbury beat Southland in week six, Canterbury defend against Tasman in week seven and Otago in week eight, Taranaki challenge Canterbury in week ten. Third chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, defend against Southland in week two, Tasman beat Northland in week three, Otago beat Tasman in week five, Otago defend against Northland, Taranaki challenge Otago in week seven. Northland - Reigns - 4; most recent - 1978. Challenge - Taranaki in week one. Second chance - Waikato beat Taranaki in week four, defend against Southland and North Harbour, Northland challenge Waikato in week 10. Third chance - Waikato beat Taranaki in week four, defend against Southland in week five, North Harbour beat Waikato in week seven, Northland challenge North Harbour in week eight. Waikato - Reigns - 13; most recent - 2018. Challenge - Taranaki in week four Second chance - Bay of Plenty beat Taranaki in week five and Hawke's Bay in week seven, Waikato challenge Bay of Plenty in week nine. Third chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, Southland beat Northland in week two, Manawatu beat Southland in week three, Manawatu beat Wellington in week four, Waikato challenge Manawatu in week six. Bay of Plenty - Reigns- 1; most recent - 2004. Challenge - Taranaki in week six Second chance - Wellington beat Taranaki in week nine, Bay of Plenty challenge Wellington in week 10 Third chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, defend against Southland, lose to Tasman in week three, Tasman defend against Otago, Auckland beat Tasman in week six, Manawatu beat Auckland in week seven, Bay of Plenty challenge Manawatu in week eight. Hawke's Bay - Reigns - 7; most recent - 2024. Challenge - Taranaki in week eight Second chance - Bay of Plenty beat Taranaki in week six, Hawke's Bay challenge Bay of Plenty in week seven. Third chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, defend against Southland and Tasman, Hawke's Bay challenge Northland in week five. Wellington - Reigns- 11; most recent - 2022. Challenge - Taranaki in week nine Second chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, Southland beat Northland in week two, Manawatu beat Southland in week three, Wellington challenge Manawatu in week four. Third chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, defend against Southland, Tasman and Hawke's Bay, Wellington challenge Northland in week seven. North Harbour - Reigns- 1; most recent - 2006. Best chance - Waikato beat Taranaki in week four, defend against Southland, North Harbour challenge Waikato in week seven. Second chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, defend against Southland in week two, lose to Tasman in week three, Otago beat Tasman in week five, defend against Northland and Taranaki, North Harbour challenge Otago in week nine. Auckland - Reigns- 16; most recent- 2007. Best chance - Hawke's Bay beat Taranaki in week eight, Auckland challenge Hawke's Bay in week nine. Second chance - Bay of Plenty beat Taranaki in week six, Hawke's Bay beat Bay of Plenty in week seven, Auckland challenge Hawke's Bay in week nine. Counties Manukau - Reigns- 1; most recent- 2013. Best chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, defend against Southland, Tasman beat Northland in week three, defend against Otago, Auckland and Waikato, Counties Manukau challenge Tasman in week ten. Second chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, Southland beat Northland in week two, defend against Manawatu and Canterbury, Counties Manukau challenge Southland in week seven. Manawatu - Reigns - 1; most recent- 1976. Best chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, Southland beat Northland in week two, Manawatu challenge Southland in week three. Second chance - Northland beat Taranaki in round one, defend against Southland in week two, Tasman beat Northland in week three, defend against Otago, Auckland beat Tasman in week six, Manawatu challenge Auckland in week seven. Tasman - Reigns- 1; most recent- 2024. Best chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, defend against Southland in week two, Tasman challenge Northland in week three. Second chance - Waikato beat Taranaki in week four, Southland beat Waikato in week five, Canterbury beat Southland in week six, Tasman challenge Canterbury in week seven. Canterbury - Reigns- 16; most recent- 2019. Best chance - Waikato beat Taranaki in week four, Southland beat Waikato in week five, Canterbury challenge Southland in week six. Second chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, defend against Southland, Tasman, Hawke's Bay and Wellington, Canterbury challenge Northland in week nine. Otago - Reigns- 7; most recent- 2020. Best chance - Hawke's Bay beat Taranaki in week eight, Auckland beat Hawke's Bay in week nine, Otago challenge Auckland in week 10. Second chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, defend against Southland in week two, lose to Tasman in week three, Otago challenge Tasman week five. Southland - Reigns- 7; most recent- 2011. Best chance - Waikato beat Taranaki in week four, Southland challenge Waikato in week five. Second chance - Northland beat Taranaki in week one, Southland challenge Northland in week two. Taranaki squad Scott Barrett**, Beauden Barrett**, Jordie Barrett**, Kaylum Boshier, Logan Crowley, Hemopo Cunningham, Meihana Grindlay, Harry Hansen*, Josh Jacomb, Josh Lord, Perry Lawrence, Adam Lennox, Michael Loft, Brayton Northcott-Hill, Mitch O'Neill, Reuben O'Neill, Jesse Parete, JJ Pokai, Arese Poliko, Jared Proffit, Taniela Rakuro*, Daniel Rona, Willem Ratu, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Leone Nawai, Obey Samate, Fiti Sa, Jayden Sa, Josh Setu, Bradley Slater, Vereniki Tikoisolomone, Tupou Vaa'i**, Sage Walters-Hansen*, Keightley Watson*. *yet to debut **All Black The challengers Northland Week one Saturday, 2 August 7.10pm Waikato Week four Saturday, 23 August 2.05pm Bay of Plenty Week six Sunday, 7 September 2.05pm Hawke's Bay Week eight Friday, 19 September 7.10pm Wellington Week nine Saturday, 27 September 2.05pm Catch live blog updates of every 2025 Ranfurly Shield match on RNZ Photo: Photosport Ltd 2020 Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
NZ Herald
30-06-2025
- NZ Herald
First XV rugby: Liston College stun King's in dramatic Auckland 1A upset
On a day when St Kentigern College became the new leaders with a fierce 48-26 win over St Peter's College and Sacred Heart College edged Kelston Boys' High School to maintain third place, Liston produced their best Cinderella moment yet (indeed, they often got to the ball first) in what is steadily unfolding as a fairy-tale season. Liston sub Josiah Fuaaletoelau scores his last-minute winning try against King's College. Photo / Bruce Holloway With six wins to date, Liston have morphed from previously unfancied also-rans into giant-killers – and their latest effort against King's reeked of character, determination and belief, even if victory was only snatched with the final play of the game. While St Kentigern now sit three points clear at the top and are perhaps overall title favourites, Liston, coached by a highly respected figure in former Waitematā club captain Rory Lord, have in one sense eclipsed everybody else by becoming the wider human-interest story of the 1A season. King's and Liston have quite diverse college characteristics, but share a common pursuit of enterprising rugby. King's, a highly resourced and pre-eminent Auckland institution, are historically familiar with success and chasing their 17th 1A title this year. But Liston – a smaller, 78-year-younger Catholic boy's school situated so deep in the boondocks of Henderson that many King's alumni might struggle to locate it, even with a GPS in the Range Rover – have never so much as made the semifinals. However, that could finally be changing this year, given they now sit four points clear of fifth-placed Kelston High School with three rounds to play. Compare that with their modest history of finishing 10th in 2022, eighth in 2023, and seventh in 2024. With time up on Saturday and Liston trailing by four points, but optimistically camped in King's territory, it was time for The Late, Late Show at Rathgar Rd. King's carelessly knocked the ball on near their own 22. There was nothing subtle nor complicated about Liston's response, as from the scrum, they duly worked their way forward, one muscular phase after another. Finally, replacement loosie Josiah Fuaaletoelau, bearing the facial grimace of someone auditioning to be a Braveheart extra, left tacklers sprawling in his wake as he made a gladiatorial charge over the final 10m to inspire an explosion of sideline joy. For good measure, Conrad Chaston converted, the whistle went and the crowd invaded. Liston sub Josiah Fuaaletoelau is congratulated by teammates after scoring the winning try against King's College. Photo / Bruce Holloway 'We gave you what you wanted – and what we wanted as well,' said Liston skipper Mitchell Veatupu in thanking exuberant home fans at fulltime, as players and families took selfies. King's had trailed 13-7 at halftime, but then looked to have weathered the storm midway through the second spell, when they carved out an 11-point lead. Earlier, King's made a bright start when athletic flanker Johan Schaumkell charged down a clearing kick and won the chase to the line. King's flanker Johan Schaumkell's charge-down a kick from Liston's Max Stocker led to the match's opening try. Photo / Bruce Holloway But Liston responded through a Veatupu try in the tight and eked out a handy lead through two Max Stocker penalties, the second from near halfway. Six minutes into the second spell, King's seized the lead back with a try to prop Keneti Fanuatanu. King's then further showed their class when they took a quick-tap free kick from well within their 22, spun the ball wide and surged 85m for skipper Marco Miln to score under the posts and convert for a 21-13 lead. With 15 minutes remaining, Miln kicked a further penalty, taking his personal tally for the day to 14 points – and his team to a 24-13 lead. At this point, King's looked set to wind the clock down and kill the game off, like all good table-topping teams do. But Liston had different ideas and hard-working lock Micah Fuimaono forced his way over with a bruising try to reduce the deficit to four. That in turn fuelled Liston's belief for the final assault. Liston First XV skipper Mitchell Veatupu speaks to his school's supporters after their victory over King's. Photo / Bruce Holloway For Liston, centre Jonathan Simote was a major first-half influence with his bustling runs while flanker Daniel Lawrence's commitment was almost dangerously unwavering and blindside Sione Katoa was also a major influence in the final result. Fullback Chaston played his part with two conversions. It was Liston's second victory over their more illustrious rivals, but their first over any team at the top of the table. Media bans would have you believe reporting on such deeds is dangerous, unhealthy hype. But underdogs overachieving are part of the essence of sport and usually a journey rugby followers enjoy reflecting upon. It's likely there will be Liston team reunions over this in years to come. Meanwhile, Sacred Heart were relieved to beat defending champions Kelston 25-21 in an entertaining contest out west, given a serious goalkicking mismatch between the teams. While Kelston first five-eighths and rising star Max Talbot kicked two 50m-plus penalties among his 11-point haul, Sacred will reflect on a tally of three missed conversions and two not-difficult missed penalties. But Sacred nevertheless came from 14-8 down at the break and a 21-15 deficit midway through the second half to bank their seventh win of the campaign – and almost certainly a top-four berth. Kelston scored the first try of the match by spinning the ball wide from a lineout. Fullback Kiaan Hakaraia entered the backline, Sacred missed a tackle and he put left winger Tariec Mulitalo away in the corner. Kelston No 8 Satali Asolelei Fretton added a second-half try while Sacred prop Ravai Faktaufon continued his fine season with a first-half try. Supporters run on to the field after Liston beat King's College. Photo / Bruce Holloway Leaders St Kentigern have now amassed a points differential of 304 in their eight wins, averaging a winning margin of 38 points every Saturday. While their victory over St Peter's at The Cage was by a smaller margin than usual (22 points), they can be more than happy to have come out of a bruising affair relatively comfortably. A St Peter's Facebook post described the contest as 'absolute warfare'. St Kentigern prop Riley Grant-faiva, almost a cult figure at the college, was credited with four of St Kentigern's seven tries while first five-eighths Jaydon Randall added 13 points. For St Peter's, Malakai Hafoka was accurate in making two conversions and four penalties, while there were tries to centre Tua Tapua'i-Soti and sub Shannon Pai. Auckland Grammar School secured a 27-12 away win over Mt Albert Grammar to retain the Jubilee Cup for another year. There were tries to midfielder Nico Stanley, first five-eighths Rokko Walker, halfback Bobby Neels and fullback Luke Thomson, while Walker kicked seven points. After seven losses on the trot, you might say it was a blessing for De La Salle College to finally register their first win of the season, 11-10 at home to Botany Downs Secondary College. And victory was also partially due to a Blessing – left wing Blessing Toa-Elisala to be exact, after he dotted down in the 15th minute with his team's only try in a very tight contest. De La Salle's other points came from the boot of fullback Kohen Masoe with two first-half penalties. De La Salle have now risen off the bottom of the table to be replaced by Botany Downs, for whom centre Connor Bowden scored a first-half try. It was also a good week for St Paul's College, who won the Auckland premier schools rugby league final 24-0 midweek, then beat Dilworth School 33-17 on Saturday. The remarkable thing is not just that Ponsonby-based St Paul's are prepared to have a decent crack at both codes when so few of the bigger schools can be bothered, but that they do so from a total school roll of just 425. Try scorers against Dilworth included fullback Siokatame Kali, winger Sebastian Smith, prop Jones Cocker and halfback Drew Scott. The next round of matches is on July 19. Auckland 1A Points: St Kentigern 38, King's College 35, Sacred Heart 33, Liston 30, Kelston 26, Auckland Grammar 24, St Peter's 21, St Paul's 15, Mt Albert Grammar 10, Dilworth 7, De La Salle 5, Botany Downs 3. Hamilton Boys' find winning form Hamilton Boys' High School look a different team when they have skipper Alex Arnold on the pitch. That was one conclusion to be drawn from Hamilton ending an uncharacteristic three-game losing trot with a much-needed and tightly contested 15-7 away win over defending Super 8 champions Tauranga Boys' College. Arnold is the heart and soul of the defending national champions and certainly made his presence felt after having been out with injury in Hamilton's previous three losses. The blindside flanker was huge on defence and disrupted the opposition's lineout. He carried strongly all day as his team controlled the tempo slightly more. In the only scoring play of the first half, it was his good work, along with prop Deon Fifita, that engineered an opening for No 8 Corban Dunlop in the 24th minute. Dunlop crashed forward, and after he wasn't held, found further traction to burst over the line, with Jackson Botherway converting. The game was back in the balance when fleet-footed Tauranga fullback Tommy 'Ethereal' McQuoid intercepted a Hamilton backline move and – with the college's big band setting down a rhythm accompaniment – spectacularly sprinted 60m to score under the posts in the 54th minute. But in the final five minutes, Hamilton conjured up two tries. In the 65th minute second five-eighths Max Kara – who had also been terrific on defence – surged down the left wing, sold the dummy and scored in the corner. And while Botherway couldn't convert, the icing for Hamilton came just minutes later when sub Caleb Grice spotted a hole in the defence and four phases later Dunlop made the game safe with his second try. For Hamilton there was another huge game from prop Liam Der Heyden, while for Tauranga halfback Will Baker was lively. Even with the win, Hamilton are languishing in fifth place on the table, with their final two matches away to Gisborne on July 19 and then at home to Hastings a week later. So it is a tough proposition for them to make the Super 8 final, which means their win over Tauranga was probably cheered more loudly in Rotorua and Hastings than anywhere else. Hamilton and Tauranga contest the Don Clarke Boot. Before Super 8, the schools shared 18 wins apiece. In the first six years of Super 8, the ledger stood even at 3-3. Since 2004, Tauranga's only Super 8 victories over Hamilton have been in 2009, 2021 and 2024. Rotorua retain the Moascar Cup Rotorua Boys' High School have retained the Moascar Cup after an exemplary first-half display of wet-weather rugby, trouncing Napier Boys' High School 29-7 after trailing 22-0 at halftime. Rotorua scored four tries in the opening stanza, kicking supremely and mauling like a rapid submarine on a slushy field. Hooker Bronson Van der Heyden, lock Hunter Weaver, and loose forwards Jake Hutchings and Te Ariki Rogers were the headline writers in an imperious forward effort. Rotorua's five try scorers were winger Luke Rakuraku, sulphur-skipping fullback Tokoaitua Owen, blindside flanker Solomone Mailulu, lock Luke Worsp and Van der Heyden. Industrious hooker Riley Mullany scored Napier's solitary try. No 8 Carter Pirie was determined throughout. Rotorua hadn't beaten Napier since 2021, while the 22-point margin of victory is their largest since a 47-7 thrashing in 2019. Super 8 points: Palmerston North 24, Rotorua 20, Tauranga 17, Hastings 16, Hamilton 13, Napier 7, New Plymouth 5, Gisborne 4. Rosmini still leading in North Harbour The top four teams in Kyocera-sponsored North Harbour competition all had comfortable wins ahead of the holiday break and nobody else looks capable of forcing a semifinal berth. Leaders Rosmini College beat Massey High School 40-7, though the biggest excitement there as of Monday morning was the fact the North Harbour Rugby website was still incorrectly suggesting that Massey had won 7-0. Westlake Boys High School had a seven-try, 45-0 away win over bottom-placed Orewā College, while Whangārei Boys' High won 50-15 at home to Mahurangi College. The biggest contributor to victory was centre Kawana Te Iringa with a hat-trick of first-half tries, while first-five Loky Chapman scored two for Mahurangi. Elsewhere, Rangitoto College resoundingly beat Takapuna Grammar 31-7. Points: Rosmini 44, Westlake 43, Whangarei 38, Rangitoto 33, Massey 20, Mahurangi 16, Takapuna Grammar 6, Ōrewa 1. St Peter's Cambridge on target to finish top in Central North Island Life is good at St Peter's School in Cambridge. So much so that First XV coach Carl Perry was able to head off for a holiday break in Fiji this week, warmed by the knowledge that his well-rounded team are all but certain to finish top in the Central North Island championship and earn a home semifinal, following their eye-catching 47-38 away win over second-placed Lindisfarne College. St Peter's are three points clear with just a home game against pointless St John's Hastings to play and signs that they still have plenty of attacking ammo left for the playoffs. 'I'm more than happy with how we have tracked,' Perry said from a deck chair outside his Fiji resort bure, as turquoise waters gently stroked the white sand along an idyllic stretch of pristine beach. 'We've had a one-week focus, with a plan for every opponent, but against Lindisfarne it was just a ding-dong battle.' Perry was non-committal on whether he would be buying any duty-free cigars upon his return to New Zealand, but his team certainly impressed in kicking on from a 26-28 halftime deficit with a strong second half. It helped that St Peter's had skipper Izzy Kamana back in the fold at second five-eighths and he chipped in with three tries, while immediately outside him Flynn Morey picked up two and halfback Luca Morrison one. Year 11 hooker James Powell also got on the scoresheet. First five-eighths Alapati Tusa Soagia (who has featured in a Warriors development team) put St Peter's into the right areas while up front prop Jackson Edwards and blindside Ollie Barnes had strong games. Alapati Tusa Soagia in action with the Warriors development side. Photo / Photosport Meanwhile Feilding High School, with a couple of games in hand, now look a good bet for a home semifinal against Lindisfarne in weeks to come. Central North Island points: St Peter's 34 (7 matches), Lindisfarne 31 (8 matches), Feilding (6 matches) 27, Wesley 18 (6 matches), St Paul's 15 (6 matches), Whanganui 12 (6 matches), St John's Hamilton 11 (7 matches), Francis Douglas 6, St John's Hastings 0. Quadrangular Tournament standouts The convivial atmosphere of the Quad always fosters enthusiastic discussions about emerging talent. Proud parents, curious alumni, representative selectors, and professional agents closely observe four schools that have collectively produced 97 All Blacks (which accounts for 8% of the 1223 ever selected) engaging in healthy speculation about who might be the next star. If there were a player of the tournament this year, it would be difficult to overlook Tom Perkins, the Nelson College captain (see golden cap comments below). However, his similarly striking colleague, Will Horncastle, also made a sizeable impact at a lock. Hooker Jack Potter is known for his straightforward approach, as is loosehead prop Tawhiao Te Kotua. Centre Flynn Simkin was efficient in a workmanlike backline. The Wellington College scrum was immovable, anchored by Julius Toimata and Hyrum Betham. However, the real power came from the back row, featuring Z'Kdeus Schwalger and Dru Faletolu. Faletolu is a massive improver in recent showings, colliding into opponents with the force of a missile. Swathed in bandages, captain and centre Carisma Faitala was both inspirational and elusive. Christ's College looked to comparatively undersized Alf Markham for leadership. The technically proficient and tireless blindside was a Crusaders U18 representative in 2024 and could be joined by industrious prop Tom Hazeldine and hard-edged South African hooker Jan-Adriaan Van Wyk. Christ's midfield lacked punch, so Gavin Holder enthralled the first-day crowd with his best impersonation of Damian McKenzie. Whanganui Collegiate conceded 84 points in two matches, but their effort couldn't be faulted. James Olds alternated seamlessly between lock and No 8, while second five-eighths Jonathan Solomona exhibited silky skills. Block prop Rory Nugent-O'Leary lost his shorts early in the second half against Christ's, and with no replacement available, sniggering echoed from the surrounding embankment. But Nugent-O'Leary didn't complain. He continued making tackles, carried the ball with gusto, and even threw in a couple of lineouts. New Zealand Schools coach Paul Tito noticed his perseverance, but it's unlikely such slapstick would be seen at a higher level. Perhaps All Blacks coach Scott Robertson, who also attended part of the tournament, could at least arrange a pair of complementary Jockeys for the lad. What an effort. A golden cap for Tom Perkins The closing afternoon tea of the 99th annual quadrangular tournament at Christ's College featured a glossy video produced by the Whanganui Collegiate marketing department (schools have those, these days), inviting guests to centenary celebrations in 2026 while trumpeting the legacy of the longstanding tourney. And Tom Perkins has left his indelible mark on that legacy by winning the tournament twice and captaining Nelson to glory in 2025. Tom Perkins, the Nelson College First XV captain. Photo / Supplied Nelson topped Whanganui Collegiate 43-17 and Wellington College 31-24 to triumph for the 26th time last week. Furthermore, the strapping lock or loose forward boats a gold cap with his school uniform. He has played 38 games for the First XV – quadruple the number of games required to earn a standard cap, which is nine. 'To get a gold cap, you have to play every game for three seasons, essentially, and even some playoffs,' Perkins explained. 'I was lucky to debut in Year 11 and played all the games last year when we won the Quad in Nelson and got second in New Zealand. 'When I got my gold cap, there was a video from those who also got it. Harry Inch, Ollie Gibbons, Ollie Inch, Samaki Samaki, Teina Thompson, Zyon Ford, William Havilii and Jack McDonald-Hill, our current physio, congratulated me. That was so special, massive actually. They're amazing players.' Perkins is one of just five returnees from Nelson's generational 2024 team that stampeded their way to the South Island title and made their first National Top Four final. The 2024 Nelson College First XV with their spoils, South Island champions and Moascar Cup holders. Photo / Tasman Rugby Union Such an exodus of talent necessitated a positional switch for Perkins alongside greater influence in an inexperienced team that is growing. 'I was a lock last year, where my primary role was to secure lineouts, kickoffs and hit rucks. 'This season I've got more of a license to roam wider and carry while being the best leader I can be.' In the Quad final win over Wellington College, Perkins scored a try and secured the last turnover, which extinguished Wellington's bold comeback from 24-7 down. 'I saw the ball pop out and thought I've got to go for it. When the whistle blew, I wasn't sure if the call was for me or against me. My eyes were shut, and my heart was racing. It was such a relief to get the rub of the green. 'Their backline was always a threat, especially their centre, who kept carving us up. They were a lot more physical than South Island teams, who typically play faster and use the ball more to avoid contact. 'It was a turning point when they scored first after half time. They got momentum and showed we were too relaxed. I had to get the boys together and remind them to stay focused.' Perkins said this was where the leadership group helped, breaking the game down into manageable parts, collaborating and building trust. 'We've lost a few games this year, but our defence at the end shows we're headed in the right direction. 'It was awesome to get a try in the final. Basically, the boys did the mahi up the middle, and I found myself on the edge unmarked.' Perkins, who enjoys English, business, and health science, rated All Blacks Rugby World Cup-winning captain Richie McCaw as his rugby role model. 'Richie trained with us earlier in the year and it was surreal. He said, 'Do the things you don't like more, all the little extras like running when you can't be bothered or training small faults in your game that don't seem like a big deal'.' An older brother, Charlie, captained Nelson to Quad success in 2020. One-sided contests in Wellington Half of the 30 matches in the Wellington Premiership have been decided by 20 points or more, and this trend of one-sided matches continued in round six. On Wednesday, unblemished leaders St Patrick's College, Silverstream, crushed Hutt International Boys' School 78-12. Hibs were competitive for half an hour, holding the Catholics to 17-12 before the floodgates opened. Tries for Silverstream were scored by Ashton Steere, Abraham Smith, William Davis, Riley Browne, Jahvan Hunt, Axel Daken, Taylor Moananu, Ryder Thompson, Elijah Solomona, Kingston Hill and Corus Taylor Lefao (2). Fletcher Cooper converted nine times. St Patrick's College, Wellington, remained in second place, overpowering St Bernard's College 43-15 on a muddy pitch. First-five Gia Johnston continued his impressive form. Captain and openside Ethan Lepou was influential, as were front-rowers Anesi Taliau and Herman Tuia-Va'aua, who repeatedly made powerful runs. Speedsters Zack Kimmins and Ashton Hamer were active and each scored tries. For St Bernard's, Captain TJ Fonoti led by example, and Arlo Cross provided spark at first-five eighths. An injury-hit Wellington College narrowly beat Wairarapa College 29-14 in a potentially fraught fixture in Masterton. Despite numerous changes to their starting XV from Thursday's Quad final, Wellington prevailed with two tries from hooker Noah Aliva. Rathkeale College defeated Tawa College 75-12 after leading 46-0 at halftime. In their first Wellington season, Rathkeale have won four of six matches and, with fixtures against lower-ranked Scots College and St Bernard's College, they have a strong chance of reaching the semifinals. Scots College retained the John Fiso-Dave Meaclem for the 11th year running, narrowly beating winless Rongotai College 13-11. Wellington Tranzit Coachlines Cup points: Silverstream 29, St Pat's Town 26, Wellington 25, Hibs 21, Rathkeale 18, Scots 11, Wairarapa 10, Tawa 7, St Bernards 5, Rongotai 4. Big wins for Christchurch Boys' High Flanker Jonty Leary led the way with three tries as Miles Toyota Premiership leaders Christchurch Boys' High School continued their perfect season with a 87-3 demolition of Rangiora High School. Lock Dylan Giles and second five-eighths Nikao Panapa grabbed a brace in the 13-try extravaganza, while winger Hanroux Wessels accounted for 15 points and sub Cam Jones12 points. That win came after an equally convincing 45-14 victory midweek over Otago Boys' High at Littlebourne, in which winger Jones scored two tries and kicked three conversions. The turning point in the contest came after 10 minutes with a 70m try from centre Will Brown after an encouraging start from the hosts. Leary and prop Sam Hewitt delivered dynamic performances. The traditional rivalry, which dates back to 1894, now sees Christchurch holding a 58-48 overall advantage, having won the last four encounters. This current winning streak is their best since achieving six consecutive victories between 2003 and 2008, which included a record win of 44-0 in 2006. Second-placed Marlborough Boys' College also made it eight from eight by beating Selwyn Combined 38-17 while Shirley Boys' High School moved up a spot with a 36-22 win over St Bede's College. Third-placed St Thomas of Canterbury enjoyed their biggest winning margin of the season in beating St Andrew's College 51-5, and scoring eight tries Miles Toyota Premiership points: Christchurch 40, Marlborough 39, St Thomas 28, Nelson 24 (7 matches), St Andrew's 20, Shirley 18, Christ's 15, St Bede's 13, Selwyn 13, Rangiora 2. Southland Boys' still unbeaten - but only just Southland Boys' High School remain unbeaten in the Freeman Roofing Southern Schools Rugby Championship after overcoming King's High School 15-12 in a mammoth tussle for the Mitch Pereira Memorial Trophy in Dunedin. Pereira was a promising rugby player from Invercargill who attended King's and tragically passed away from bowel cancer in 2019. King's injury-depleted squad is now largely healed, but was left to lament a sluggish start and a wobbly lineout in yet another slender setback against the 2023 national champions. In 86 inter-school matches, Southland have won 54 times compared to King's 22 victories. The last of their nine draws occurred in 2022. Southland started assertively casting an anchor inside King's half, maintaining a polished preservation of possession. King's resistance was stubborn until lock Jack McKeay powered over after ample phases. Clean breaks from Zeke Siolo, Charlie Byrne, and Luka Salesa went unrewarded as the visitors turned with a 7-0 advantage at the break. A Jimmy Taylor kick was regathered skilfully by Siolo, who dotted down in the corner to make it 12-0 with 25 minutes remaining. Following the subsequent restart, Southland pressed hard again, but impatience led to a turnover and a lapse in discipline. A raft of penalties awarded to King's from scrums allowed imperious tighthead Henry Hunter to score a try from a quick tap, with Lafa Tofiga adding the conversion, bringing the score to 12-7. Southland wrestled back the initiative when openside Josh Cairns was held up over the line. But after the dropout was fumbled, King's rallied, and halfback Jaxon Moeahu slithered over for a try. Deadlocked at 12-12, Southland forced a penalty and Taylor calmly slotted the goal for a 15-12 advantage. McKeay burgled a plethora of lineouts and snaffled the last steal for Southland as King's, despite growing momentum, fell short. Montell Penese was the best on the ground. The King's openside had previously only played 10 minutes of rugby in 2025, yet he produced a hefty tackle count and won a ton of turnovers. Southland have stretched their competition-winning streak to 18 successive games. In other Division one matches, John McGlashan College edged past Southland Second XV 18-15, with captain Oscar Crowe scoring 13 points. Otago Boys' High School overpowered St Kevin's College 43-5. Freeman Roofing Southern Schools Championship points: Southland 9, Otago 9, King's 6, John McGlashan 5, Southland Second XV 1, St Kevin's 0. # Disagree with anything here? 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