The pathway to the top in New Zealand rugby often starts on the school grounds, and for kids who want to become All Blacks or Black Ferns, some schools have a richer history of delivering a pathway to the top. Luke Kirkness looks at the numbers.
With its foundations in the heartland of rugby – the game they play in heaven – New Zealand stands tall among the global sport. The pulsating rhythm of the national game is embodied by the iconic black jersey of the All Blacks and Black Ferns and is woven into the cultural fabric of the country.
For the young dreamers aspiring to wear those jerseys, the journey often takes shape at the school level. Auckland Grammar stands as a beacon, guiding the likes of Grant Fox towards rugby greatness.
Fox credits Auckland Grammar for shaping the trajectory of his life. Reflecting on the pivotal role of his alma mater, he says: “If I hadn’t been to Grammar and [had instead] gone to the local school – and no disrespect to the local school – I reckon my life would have turned out very different. My [chances of] being an All Black I would have said were very slim.”
The rugby pedigree of schools in New Zealand is told through the echoes of triumphs on the field. According to statistics from allblacks.com, which sorts players by the last school they attended, aside from the 151 unknown schools, Auckland Grammar boasts 52 former students becoming All Blacks, followed by Christchurch Boys’ High School with 44 (though it claims 47), Wellington College with 35, and New Plymouth Boys’ High with 25. The legacy extends to the Black Ferns, with Burnside High leading the charge, producing six players.
The roll call of current or recent All Blacks that attended these schools features the likes of Rieko Ioane (Auckland Grammar), Will Jordan, Brodie Retallick, Anton Leinert-Brown (Christchurch Boys’) and Dane Coles (Wellington College).
Fox, who boarded at Auckland Grammar, forged a lifelong bond with another future New Zealand sporting hero, the late Martin Crowe. Their competitive spirits transcended the playing field, driving them to try and excel in academics just as highly as in sports.
In his fourth form year in 1977, Fox made the First XV side coached by none other than Sir Graham Henry to tour Fiji at the end of the second term in what he presumed to be a development opportunity. In the years that followed, the First XV side won three championships on the trot and Fox would go on to represent Auckland and later the All Blacks, where he enjoyed plenty of success, including winning the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987.
Another towering figure at Auckland Grammar was headmaster Sir John Graham, a former All Blacks captain. Fox recalls: “He was a massive influence not only on sport but also on your attitude to school life. He was a firm man but very fair. He was a guy you never wanted to let down.”
Fox said the school was “absolutely” a large part of his success, teaching him and the other students the value of taking responsibility for themselves and he owes a lot to the foresight of his parents to send him there. He says it’s key for parents, in his opinion, to invest in their children’s future.
“How do you spell love to your kids? Time. Someone told me that a long time ago, and it resonates with me. My parents invested an awful lot of time. I can remember vividly travelling all over the Waikato as a boy going to play here, there and everywhere and Mum and Dad were always there. When I played in the First XV, I reckon I played about 60 games and they went to 57 of them. And when I played for Auckland, they did the same thing, even away games in the South Island.
“When I retired from rugby at 31, my son [professional golfer Ryan Fox] – I wanted to be there for him. It wasn’t the only reason I did it but it was the primary reason. I think it’s important to encourage [children] but the most important thing you can give them is time.”
Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O’Connor declined to comment. It comes after a group of principals from Auckland’s top rugby schools established a media ban, saying there had been an unhealthy level of scrutiny and pressure on student-athletes in recent years.
Beyond personal narratives, the impact of these schools reverberates in the halls of rugby history. Since 2000, Christchurch Boys’ High School has produced 13 All Blacks – the likes of Retallick and Jordan.
Rhys Archibald, the current First XV head coach, emphasises the importance of a balanced approach. “This develops well-rounded young men and players with high standards and a good work ethic.”
He focused on skill development rather than team strategy, which was not as important for growth as it could stifle game sense and decision-making. “Players need to be put in situations at training that mimic game scenarios, that can teach them to perform skills under pressure and make fast decisions ... Make them harder at times than a game.
“Players are encouraged to speak up and take the lead. Captains and experienced players run the team [training] and the coach becomes redundant at the end of the week.”
As players navigate the path from school fields to the professional arena, Mike Drury, the First XV forwards coach and school’s head of rugby, underscores the importance of synergy between sports and academics.
“The rugby field, or for that matter any sporting field, provides an opportunity for the boys to encounter challenges and to achieve a personal drive to be better. It is not just rugby – this is one of many sports at CBHS where we have achieved previous success and have aspired to be the best that we can be, both individually and as a team. Seeing our top sporting teams living the key values only enhances the school culture and identity. Giving it your best in class, in exams, and in the gym is crucial.
“We hold academic success alongside that of cultural and sporting success. Academic and sporting excellence are intertwined to reflect the school’s motto – Altiora Peto: ‘I seek higher things’.”
Drury says dealing with provincial unions and sports agents was part and parcel of a successful First XV programme and was “vital” to have strong relationships with both parties.
“While only a small percentage of players will have the aspirations and ability to take that next step with their rugby, the boys and their families need to feel informed and supported in terms of this journey. It is important for families to do their research to make the right decision for their son, but also for them to have that important support network that is required in making such important life decisions.”
The holistic approach extends beyond the playing field. Dr Kirsty Ross, an associate professor of clinical psychology at Massey University, underscores the profound mental health benefits of sports for children but advocates for a balanced approach, cautioning against pressuring children to play as they grow older.
“I think sport has such a fantastic health benefit, both physical and mental health for people but I’m also really aware of the stats around when kids are driven rather than have a drive. [If they are being driven] we can lose kids to sport as a form of physical activity and their desire to engage in that activity because they have negative associations with it when it’s been something that has no longer been enjoyable.
“It’s always just the continual checking in about how it’s going and, as parents to be flexible and it doesn’t matter if there’s a kid who you think has got all the talent in the world, if they are not driven to engage in that activity, it’s going to become a battleground and then it starts to create challenges and issues.”
Monalisa Urquhart (nee Codling), a former Black Fern and four-time Rugby World Cup winner, is one of three Kelston Girls’ High students to play for the Black Ferns but she didn’t play rugby until she was at the University of Otago. The first women’s rugby team started in her seventh-form year but, as a member of the netball and basketball teams already, she was told she couldn’t play because the sports would clash.
“I used to go and watch the girls – they played on a Wednesday night – and they won the competition that year. That’s why I thought I’d give it a go when I went down to Dunedin.”
Reflecting on the evolution of women’s rugby, Urquhart acknowledges the remarkable talent emerging from high schools. “It’s changed a lot since when I played. Nowadays you’ve got Black Ferns coming right out of school. Back when I played, yes, there were some good players, but you weren’t normally that good that early.”
Urquhart encouraged girls and women to pick up the game.
“It changed my life. It’s a sport that just keeps on giving.”
NZR says they have an extensive and experienced network for scouting and identifying promising young talent, while that system is still maturing in the women’s game. NZR high performance player development manager Matt Sexton says keeping players in the game out of school is key to maintaining a sustainable pipeline of talented players into the national teams.
“Every province has a designated resource to identify talent as a contracted selector, so we have a national grid of selectors. Every Super Rugby region has a convener of selectors who coordinates all the nominations and identifies the talent at various age group,” Sexton says.
“We know we’ve got some issues with teenage boys and we’re reliant on the community game being strong and attracting people to the game. It’s having really good programs that prepare people and the bridging programs are critical for us to make sure they are ready to go at the next level. We also work closely with our contracting team to understand where the holes are going to be positionally in the future.”
New Zealand’s rugby success is a symphony, harmonising the community’s passion for the sport with the dedication of schools to nurturing young talent.
From the green fields of Auckland Grammar to the proud legacy of Christchurch Boys’ High School, the educational institutions of New Zealand stand as fortresses, fortifying the nation’s rugby culture. In every tackle, every try, and every roar from the stands, the future of All Blacks rugby takes shape, a testament to a nation that breathes, lives, and dreams rugby.
Luke Kirkness is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He previously covered consumer affairs for the Herald and was an assistant news director in the Bay of Plenty. He won Student Journalist of the Year in 2019.
Marler said he was trying to ‘create some entertaining drama before kick off’.