Meet the boys of the Tangaroa College First XV and the coach that turned the team from a struggling side to 1A contenders. Video / Anthony Costello
By Bruce Holloway and Adam Julian
Feilding High School’s rugby fraternity are feeling good all under after unleashing their own brand of budgie-smuggler underwear.
Confidence always starts with good undies, and after noticing some Super Rugby teams recently spruiking their own custom-designed smalls, Feilding’s sharp-eyed rugby media manager Blair Rogerssaw a brief for the school’s senior training group.
Rogers - or Captain Underpants, as he is now being called in some quarters - has a keen undie-standing of what works promotion-wise and drafted a Feilding-inspired design on the behind of these Australian-manufactured speedo-style undergarments (which are also considered suitable for swimming).
The end result is skimpy, slinky, sublimated synthetic matchday underwear, resplendent in school colours and proud “FAHS RUGBY AGGIES” buttock-branding, custom-designed for the modern discerning Feilding male.
Branded underwear being worn by members of the Feilding High School First XV. Photo / Supplied
“Aggies” is a traditional nickname harking back to an early chapter in the school’s history. Some 25 years ago, the school shortened its name from Feilding Agricultural High School (FAHS), concerned the “agricultural” reference was deterring overseas students.
“But it is a name that won’t go away,” Rogers said. “We’re bringing heritage back and being proud of who we are.
“We are very close to the rural side of life as a small country town. We are not townies and if this puts us on the map, then good.”
“We always try to promote the game. Everyone in rugby should be promoting, because if we don’t grow the game, it will wither.”
Feilding rugby social media posts swear by the undies.
“They are actually hands down the best pair of rugby playing briefs you could possibly own.”
“Budgie smuggler” is a traditional Australian term derived from the budgerigar, a parakeet, which, for those well-endowed enough, is what your privates should look like when covered by a sleek, tight-fitting pair.
Other Aussie nicknames for the infamous swimwear include “banana hammock” and “lollybag”. But “Budgy Smugglers” is the brand name of the Australian company which has manufactured this iconic apparel for Feilding.
“It is probably no coincidence that the three players that got 3-2-1s [player performance points] post-match are wearers of FAHS Rugby Budgys,” a Facebook post advised.
Those players were Nixon Foreman, Monty Gibson and Alani Fakava.
An initial order of a couple of dozen Feilding budgie-smugglers has since flown out the door with more now being ordered to meet demand from school old boys and supporters.
And Rogers is not undie-estimating the marketing potential. One pair has even been rush-exported to a certain former All Black in Japan who attended the school. (Anyone reading this far into a schoolboy rugby story will know who that is.)
“Budgie smugglers are fantastic to play rugby in,” Rogers advised.
“The synthetic material doesn’t get heavy when wet. It is light, dries quickly and is very comfortable. There is even a draw string if things are getting a bit saggy.”
Rogers said his initiative wasn’t a fundraiser – and in fact sponsorship had been needed to subsidise the initial order even to keep the price at $65 each – however, he was happy to be flying by the seat of his pants with this one.
But if it’s not a fundraiser, why do it?
“It’s just a bit of fun, and nobody said ‘no’. We are not afraid to stick our heads above the parapet.”
But is there a danger Feilding – ranked a historic-high third nationally in boys First XV rugby last year – are getting too big for their britches?
“The feedback we have had is everyone loves them. The Feilding rugby fraternity are very proud of their ‘Aggies’ brand in all forms.”
Rugby is certainly booming at Feilding High, with 10 boys teams and two girls teams this year.
But Rogers is sticking strictly to male underwear for the moment and not risking any “Aggies-gravation” with a female variation.
“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves with this.”
Otherwise, Rogers is not getting his knickers in a twist about anything and just hopes the budgie-smugglers will help beat the pants off opponents in the Central North Island First XV competition this year.
Meanwhile, anyone else who wants to unleash their inner confidence, upgrade their underwear game and experience the difference, should check out Feilding rugby’s social media.
South’s pole dancing
Feilding High School aren’t the only ones to resort to unorthodox or risqué methods in furthering the code.
Longtime Southland Boys’ First XV coach Peter Skelt recalled his mentor, Clive Williams, Southland coach from 1969 to 1990, had an appetite for the unusual.
“Clive was somebody who could think outside of the square,” Skelt said. ”For a while he had us doing ballet which made us the butt of all jokes among our peers but it improved our balance and strength.
“In the 70s he even had the guys doing the limbo and exercises with a pole that resembled pole dancing - with clothes on of course.
“The other thing that helped was doing repeat scrum and lineout practice in temperatures of zero or less in the Southland winter. That’s enough to build anybody’s character.”
