Gisborne Boys' High School students Samuel Fox (left) and Anakin Ormsby-Cairns have been selected for the Warriors’ wider Harold Matthews Cup training squad for Under-17 players.
Gisborne Boys' High School students Samuel Fox (left) and Anakin Ormsby-Cairns have been selected for the Warriors’ wider Harold Matthews Cup training squad for Under-17 players.
Three Gisborne Boys’ High School rugby league players have taken significant steps in their development after a big weekend within the New Zealand Warriors’ elite youth pathways.
Rory Gifford, Samuel Fox and Anakin Ormsby-Cairns made the most of their chances, impressing with their performances, attitude and resilience, says oneof their coaches.
Year 10 student Gifford has been selected into the Future Warriors Academy Pathway — a six-week high-performance training block designed to prepare players for the Warriors’ Harold Matthews Cup programme over the next two seasons.
The Future Warriors Academy is seen as a stepping stone to elite junior representative rugby league.
Fox and Ormsby-Cairns were called into the Warriors’ in-house Under-17 trial, a high-intensity environment featuring 40 players from across New Zealand competing for positions in the Harold Matthews Cup squad.
The New South Wales Rugby League administers the Harold Matthews Cup, a junior competition that includes home-and-away fixtures against clubs such as the Parramatta Eels, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Penrith Panthers and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
Fox’s inclusion followed a strong performance debuting in Warriors colours against Tonga. He was initially selected as injury cover and seized his opportunity for time on the field.
Over the weekend, Fox played at prop and edge backrower. He made ground through the middle, broke tackles, defended with intent and generated quick play-the-balls.
Ormsby-Cairns – monitored by the Warriors throughout 2025 – was also brought into the squad as injury cover. Playing at right-side centre, he made an immediate impact. He scored a try, competed strongly in the air and was composed in defence.
The in-house trial was overseen by Albert Vete, former NRL and Super League professional and head coach of the Warriors’ Harold Matthews Cup Under-17s for 2026.
The Gisborne players stood out for their strong defence, work off the ball, consistent line speed, physical carries and willingness to get over the advantage line.
Both Fox and Ormsby-Cairns were included in the Warriors’ wider Harold Matthews training squad. A condensed training block in Auckland from January 6 will enable them to push their claims for selection in the squad for the Harold Matthews Round 1 game against Manly on February 8.
Year 10 Gisborne Boys' High School student Rory Gifford has been selected into the Future Warriors Academy Pathway, which is seen as a stepping stone to elite junior representative rugby league. Photo / Rory SC Sports Photography
Gisborne Boys’ High School Rugby League assistant coach Luke Fox was thrilled with the reception the boys’ efforts had received.
“The feedback I’ve received from coaches, management and even parents over the weekend regarding Rory, Samuel and Anakin has been incredibly encouraging,” he said.
“They’re seen as quiet, humble regional kids who are still a bit green in terms of rugby league experience – which is fair, because we don’t have the same volume of league here – but what really stood out was their attitude.
“They’re tough, gritty, very coachable and willing to learn. That says a lot about their upbringing, their whānau support and the foundations that have been built through their rugby environments.
“Rugby has played a massive role in shaping these boys, and the rugby league exposure simply complements that, helping them become more well-rounded, adaptable footballers across both codes.”
The reality of elite pathways was that players had to be good enough and consistently show the traits coaches sought, Fox said.
“You often have a very small window to impress, and you’re expected to perform under pressure, which isn’t easy for young men. But that’s the nature of the beast and these boys embraced that challenge.”
