The Scout: The best of the weekend's First XV rugby

Want to know who the next Beauden Barrett or Kieran Read will be? In his weekly column for the Herald, schoolboy rugby expert Herschel Fruean singles out the best First XV matches of the weekend, and some rising stars to watch. Fruean will travel New Zealand looking for the best talent the country has to offer, preview the big games every Friday, provide a wrap of all the results on Sunday, and rank the top 15 First XV teams (based on their performances throughout the season) every Monday morning.

It was a big Saturday with some big upsets.

We are in the sixth week of regular season games, so we know that injuries will start to pop up - and the soreness of contact will kick in as well, perhaps levelling the playing field for some schools and making for tighter contests.

Christchurch Boys stunned again

Christchurch Boys High School have lost for the second time in the season, being stunned 13-11 by Shirley Boys High School - possibly the first year in some time where Christchurch Boys have had two big upset defeats in one season.

Traditionally Christchurch Boys are always a team that is nationally ranked, and a team that sets the standard of how to win games.

This year though, they have had a shock loss to St Thomas Canterbury College, and now to Shirley Boys High School.

This isn't to knock the Shirley Boys team, because they have talented up-and-coming players, but this is not normal for Christchurch Boys.

Comparatively, St Bede's College are truly looking like one of the best teams in the South Island, beating Christs College, who had just lost to Christchurch Boys, 20-15

Nelson College, another team that could be a massive National threat, produced a massive 90-12 thrashing of Waimea Combined.

Nelson College are lined up to play Christchurch Boys next Saturday, which should be the best game of the week and one to watch out for because it's going to be a fight.

Hastings reign supreme

This week the No 1 team in the country - Hastings Boys High School - hosted Palmerston North Boys High School in their Super 8 clash.

The game was played at a very high level with both teams making things hard to even break the line. Hastings Boys scored twice while Palmerston North Boys crossed over the line once in the first half, the score 10-7 to Hastings going into the second half.

Hastings Boys then opened it all out and ran in some impressive tries. Some of their young players got in on the try-scoring action with Year 11s Mafi Tupou and Donovan Godinet scoring at the end of the game to stretch the score out to 40-7.

Tough games in 1A

Teams had to dig deep in the 1A competition this week.

King's College played Mount Albert Grammar School and the game was hardfought early on, with King's pulling away in the second half to claim a 27-0 win.

Mount Albert Grammar School have a very young squad trying to find their identity within the 1A, and are a strong chance for a great 2020 season.

King's College, with their superstars Aidan Morgan and Meihana Grindlay, have a strong case to make a run at the 1A title this year.

Auckland Grammar School played newcomers Tangaroa College in a very physical match with Grammar coming away with the win 34-8.

Even though Tangaroa College is new to the 1A, they made some big steps, with players like Alfred Nonu, George Harris and Miracle Williams all stepping up as leaders and helping their team.

St Kentigern College took on De La Salle College as they defended for the first time the Moascar Cup they won off St Peter's College. They managed to defend their line strongly and hold off a lot of the De La Salle attack, winning 17-0.

St Peter's College bounced back and had a strong game against Dilworth School, getting back on the winning track with a 28-0 win. Kelston Boys also won big over Liston College 35-3, and Sacred Heart College's 22-0 win over Aorere College puts them in with a real chance at making a run for the top of the table.

Wins in Wellington

Scots College played Kapiti College and for the first half, things were really tight. Then the second half got away from Kapiti - when you play a team like Scots College who have superstar players that know how to take control, you really have to be on your game.

Ethan Webster-Nonu and Roderick Solo both went about their business and soon enough the scoreline was 41-5 to Scots College.

Rongotai College also had a big day, playing Hutt International Boys School in the Capital and it ended in a one-sided affair with Rongotai winning 58-0.

Aotea College had their first loss of the season going down to St Patrick's College Town 33-14. Aotea College have young star Ropati Sooalo coming through, who is a strong winger having an excellent season so far.