Nelson's Hennie Fa'avae charges with the ball against Wellington College, supported by Devante Meredith (to the left), Sione Mafi and Dane Leppien (detached to the right). Photo supplied.
Nelson's Hennie Fa'avae charges with the ball against Wellington College, supported by Devante Meredith (to the left), Sione Mafi and Dane Leppien (detached to the right). Photo supplied.
In his weekly wrap, Bruce Holloway looks at all the big talking points across schoolboy rugby in New Zealand.
A lot of schools could learn from the rugby development model they've been successfully fine-tuning at Nelson College.
Nelson, whose first XV leads the Crusader region's Miles Toyota Championship by twopoints ahead of a home top-of-the-table clash against Mark Hammett's St Thomas of Canterbury on July 23, are not only defending champions but last week won the Quadrangular Tournament against Wellington College, Christ's College, and Whanganui Collegiate (at Whanganui) for the fourth successive year.
In their semifinal Nelson beat Wellington College 34-31 then in the final dismissed Christ's College 48-7.
That's a significant achievement in a 96-year-old tournament featuring two of the best state schools and two of the best private schools.
It's even more impressive when you consider Nelson's squad contains seven Year 11 players, though having a well-established "Nelson College way of playing" is touted as making it easier to promote young players.
Within Nelson College's roll of 900, they have 120 students (years 10-13) doing a "Rugby Class" programme which includes classroom sessions covering strategy, tactics, technique and sports science.
They run participation-level teams in Tasman competition but also have more serious midweek "Pathway Rugby" as part of the development programme and a first XV which competes in one of the most geographically spread competitions in New Zealand, travelling as far as Timaru.
For their away games they leave at 8am on the Friday (for Saturday 11am kick offs), usually arriving about 4pm if in Christchurch, though the 570km trip to Timaru can take 7.5 hours. And if the Lewis Pass is closed through snow, they must of course go "the long way" via Kaikoura.
Leading the programme as first XV coach and director is Jono Phillips. The 56-year-old has been at Nelson College for four years, but has a 30-year-background in professional rugby coaching. He has now led Nelson to two South Island championships, two Crusaders schools titles as well as the ongoing Quadrangular Tournament dominance, making it one of the most fruitful periods in the school's 165-year history.
The huge cost of running the rugby programme and the extraordinary travel commitment means Nelson College relies heavily on the support of town businesses and a staunch old boys network.
Nelson's Timoci Sauira making a break against St Andrews College. Photo supplied.
"We are passionate about developing players, but in a small provincial centre it can be quite difficult to make thing like this work," Phillips said.
"However people have got right behind the programme and we have found a way forward.
"We have a group who help career-wise in finding jobs for the players, so it has become part of a bigger project than what just rugby itself can provide."
Stand-out Nelson players in recent matches have been midfielders Nelesoni Malaulau and Timoci Sauira, while front rowers Jordan Smith and Sione Mafi have also made their mark
The cosmopolitan mix of ethnicities - Nelesoni is Samoan, Sauira is Fijian and Mafi is Tongan - is a sign of how the growing reputation of the academy rugby programme assists in attracting players.
And just last week the United States Rugby Foundation called for applications for its first high school rugby scholarship to attend Nelson College next year.
It seems that Nelson, long renowned for its year-round sunshine, golden beaches, vibrant cultural scene and superb craft beer, can now now claim schoolboy rugby development as its latest regional attraction.
Despite Nelson College having made such a success of the status quo, Phillips is relaxed about changes to the regional first XV competition which are planned for next season. Under the new structure the Crusaders regional premiership will reduce to a 10-team competition (down from 13) as part of a split into a new Premiership and Championship format.
Administrators say the new structure will better align with summer sports, reduce player load, and improve the long-term financial sustainability of the competitions – and also and allow more of an opening for new schools to enter.
"Having so much travel does get in the way of school work," Phillips said. "Personally I just want to as many boys as possible playing at the highest level they can."
Nelson's only loss so far this season came in their second outing, on the long away trip to Timaru.
After playing St Thomas of Canterbury, Nelson College face fourth St Bede's away and Roncalli Aoraki Combined at home in their final round robin matches. Top placed school faces the best from the Highlanders franchise region for the South Island title.
Sacred Heart success
Two early tries to 15-year-old fullback Cameron Norrie steered Sacred Heart to a 20-12 win over Mt Albert Grammar last week and thrust them back to second place in Auckand's first XV 1A competition.
One hundred years on from Mt Albert Grammar's debut competition match against Sacred Heart, Grammar were critically denied a bonus point when they were "held up" over the line at the final whistle.
Just two points now separate four schools battling for a top four berth behind St Peter's, Sacred Heart and Kelston with three rounds remaining.
De La Salle College, who beat Liston 43-0 last weekend to be 4th equal, may have the inside running, with Aorere (12th), Dilworth (8th) and Grammar (9th) still to play.
Mt Albert Grammar must face Kelston (3rd), St Peter's (1st) and Dilworth.
St Kentigern have Auckland Grammar, Sacred Heart (2nd), and Liston (11th) still to play.
King's College have Dilworth, Tangaroa (10th) and Sacred Heart to play. Next games are on July 30.
Miles-Toyota Championship (Canterbury) points: Nelson 42, St Thomas of Canterbury 40, Christchurch Boys High 39, St Bede's 37, Shirley 27, Tmaru 27, St Andrews 21, MBC 20, Christ's College 19, Selwyn Combined 15, Roncalli Aoraki 8, RHS 6, Waimea Combined 5.
Auckland 1A points: St Peter's 37, Sacred Heart 30, Kelston 29, St Kentigern 24, De La Salle 24, Mt Albert Grammar 23, King's College 22, Dilworth 20, Auckland Grammar 15, Tangaroa 8, Liston 1, Aorere 0.
Super 8 (Central North Island) points: Hamilton Boys' 25, Napier 17, Hastings 16, Rotorua 14, Palmerston North 13, Tauranga 11, New Plymouth 6, Gisborne 1.
