Rugby: Hurricanes finally make it to St Anne’s Catholic School in Whanganui

Hurricanes players Bailyn Sullivan (pictured) and Peter Lakai visited Whanganui's St Anne's School on Monday. Photo / Bevan Conley

It was second time lucky for St Anne’s Catholic School in Whanganui as players from the Wellington Hurricanes hit the field with students this week.

The school won a jersey-designing competition and a visit from the team was expected last week, but the players went to St Anne’s in Newtown, Wellington.

St Anne’s (Whanganui) deputy principal Becky Clark said the mix-up had been fixed and it was great the team was coming out.

”It was a simple mistake, that’s all,” Clark said.

“[The students] are ready with their jerseys to be signed and are very much fans. We’re very grateful [the Hurricanes players] can make the trip over to us.”

Backrower Peter Lakai and centre/winger Bailyn Sullivan played capture the flag with dozens of St Anne’s students on Monday, before signing shirts and hosting a Q&A session.

Students performed the school haka to finish the visit.

Principal Ann-Maree Manson-Petherick said students were excited last week, and they were just as excited this week.

“This is an awesome opportunity for them and a great way to finish the year,” she said.

“When you look at their jersey designs, so much thought went into them.”

Teachers Erin McCullum and Kellie Benefield helped the students with the competition.

McCullum said it was run in conjunction with the Hurricanes releasing their new team jersey.

The ethos was “calm and chaos”, and students had to make a design that represented what that meant to them, she said.

“We sent all the designs in, and within a week [the Hurricanes] said we were one of the winners. We are absolutely stoked.”

Eleven-year-old Luke Darlington was in the thick of the action on Monday.

He said the late Jonah Lomu was his favourite rugby player of all time, with the Hurricanes and All Blacks his favourite teams.

“It’s really awesome they came to our school,” he said.

“We are playing capture the flag with them. You try to get a point with the rugby ball - you’re trying to get into your opponent’s square.”

Darlington plays at second-five or first-five for Marist.

He said hopefully, he would be heading to Wellington to watch the Hurricanes next season.

Mike Tweed is an assistant news director and multi=media journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present, his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.