First XV wrap: Hamilton Boys’ High School win sixth national championship

Hamilton Boys' High celebrate their sixth national championship.

– Hamilton Boys’ High School earn sixth national championship

– Kelston bow out early

– Feilding give Hamilton a scare

– Manukura edge Howick for the girls’ title

– Nelson College coach takes USA Eagles role

Schoolboy rugby maestros Hamilton Boys’ High School have claimed a record sixth National First XV Championship with a rousing 27-17 final victory over Nelson College at Palmerston North.

It’s a triumph that not only moves Hamilton ahead of Wesley College and Kelston Boys’ High School on the all-time national title tally, but adds further prestige to a school which has long enjoyed the nickname of “The Factory” for its uncanny ability to churn out eye-catching players and snare major trophies year after year.

Mind you, the outcome will also have Tauranga Boys’ College First XV wondering if there is a parallel universe somewhere out there where they are instead the ones basking in national glory, after the emphatic manner in which they had humiliated the very same Hamilton team 37-0 in the Super 8 final four weeks earlier.

But perhaps that also only underlines the culture of resilience Hamilton Boys’ have now fostered over generations. And as they are fond of observing at a school once more renowned for its teaching of Latin, “Sapiens fortunam fingit sibi”. (A wise man carves his own fortune.)

For Hamilton, this was a fairy-tale finish to a tricky season, not least for coach Greg Kirkham, who is now calling it quits after he stepped up and took the reins in July once long-time coaching partner Nigel Hotham departed overseas.

It means Kirkham, the school’s deputy headmaster, ends his 21-year rugby coaching career on the highest possible note this side of a world title, with both the National First XV trophy and Moascar Cup now back in Hamilton.

“It was a very nice way to go out,” a delighted Kirkham reflected on a long bus journey home.

“With these players there are no superstars,” Kirkham said, presumably with his game-breaker centre Ollie Guerin out of earshot.

“They were just hard workers and that was epitomised in the way they played for each other, defended so well, and made very good decisions.”

Kirkham also paid special tribute to the team’s leadership group of Mitchell Swann, Jack Miller, Stefan Newman, Dallas Rata-Makene, Hiraka Waitai-Haenga, Jake Rabarts, Alex Arnold and Tom Martin.

“They are one of the best groups I have ever worked with in terms of their leadership skills on the pitch and at our weekly meetings.”

Heroes were everywhere for Hamilton in the final and their deeds were certainly required, because in the Friday semifinals Hamilton had struggled to edge out underdogs Feilding High School 23-19.

Hamilton Boys' High School team management with their trophies, Sona Taumalolo (left), Chris Pett, Te Raina Richards-Coxhead, Greg Kirkham, Cam Moorby and Jonnie Te Ruki-Chambers.

By contrast, Nelson had looked slick and accomplished in beating a tidy if occasionally indisciplined Kelston Boys’ High School 26-18 in their semifinal, and to the neutral viewer looked hot favourites for the title.

But Hamilton’s kicking game in a windswept final was superb, they ran with great purpose and their granular defence was even more critical.

While mop-top Nelson first five Harry Inch stood tall as very much the individual star of the weekend, Hamilton managed to curb his impact and struck the first blow in the seventh minute when Nelson’s lineout malfunctioned at halfway.

They swept into Nelson territory and Guerin, juggling a slightly awkward pass, caused hesitation in the defence, flashed into a hole and darted 25m with an inspired break, while Jackson Botherway converted.

Nelson played expansively with the gifted Inch the conductor and prop Samuela Takapu and blindside flanker Samaki Samaki the steamrollers. The trio combined to put second five Jimmy West over.

Then Nelson were giddy in the 19th minute, when they seized a 10-7 lead. From a defensive scrum 15m from their line, Inch threw a dummy that would have fooled Sherlock Holmes and burst into a yawing hole. Mikey Morrison trailed, receiving 60m out and handing off two desperate grapplers in a thrilling sprint to glory.

However, Nelson failed to secure the restart and Hamilton built phases for versatile blindside flanker Alex Arnold to thrust over with Guerin assertive again, and Botherway assuredly converting from near the sideline to make it 14-10.

Hamilton first five Rata-Makene is a crafty operator and his chip to centre field was grabbed by Waitai-Haenga, who set Guerin free. Nelson infringed in retreat and Botherway slotted a penalty.

Nelson were rattled and with Arnold on the prowl, a second Botherway penalty made it 20-10 at halftime.

The big question then was how many points the wind was worth – and it turned out it was only worth seven for Nelson, as they chalked up errors under pressure, while Hamilton limited the damage in a challenging second half.

There was no reason for the southerners to panic but an alarming clumsiness took hold. The usually reliable lineout crumbled, handling was unpolished and Nelson conceded turnovers multiple times for upright carries.

Still, Nelson created a bundle of chances. Morrison was tackled into touch near the corner flag by Maxwell Kara and later tipped over by Botherway in full flight.

Fellow winger Will Horncastle speared at the line like a javelin but was sandwiched between hooker Martin and halfback Swann. Hamilton lock Leon Mellsop enveloped Takapu over the paint and Inch was repressed by a bundle too.

The biggest miss was from Samauki in the 55th minute. From a 5m scrum, he detached like a missile and steamed towards the posts. Guerin around the chest, and Swan clutching at boots, did enough to force another spillage.

The same pair had combined seven minutes earlier to establish a 17-point lead through a Ratana-Makene converted try created by another magical Guerin break.

From a scrum 10m inside Nelson’s territory, Swann surprised Nelson by sniping short side. Guerin loomed in support and carved through again, dishing to Rata-Makene for an easy finish.

Takapu finally scored again in the 62nd minute following a Morrison line break, but another Nelson fumble was terminal and Hamilton wound down the clock with cautious, uncompromising pick-and-goes.

For Hamilton, skipper Swann was composed, Newman was a terrific lock, Arnold was everywhere, while even young flanker Caleb Grice stepped up. Usual openside Jack Miller was on the bench being nursed through the weekend with an ankle problem, but came on for Grice – who ironically also copped an ankle injury – for the final 20 minutes.

With Kirkham now joining fellow legend Hotham in retirement from coaching schoolboys, they can look back on Hamilton’s record since 2003 with pride. They’ve managed an astonishing 358 wins in 420 matches and have scored 13,843 points.

Hamilton Boys’ High School’s champion squad: Mitchell Swann (captain), Luke Hills, Tom Martin, Liam Van Der Heyden, Liam Mellsop, Stefan Newman, Alex Arnold, Caleb Grice, Jake Rabarts, Dallas Ratana-Makene, Maxwell Kara, Hiraka Waitai-Haenga, Ollie Guerin, Ross Anderson, Jackson Botherway, Ziggy Coleman, Ryan Ralph, Corban Dunlop, Jack Miller, Ollie Parkinson, Nikau Dromgool, Carlos Campen.

More than a Feilding

In the playoff for third place, Feilding High School proved brilliant ambassadors for the Central North Island First XV competition in tucking away Auckland’s 1A and Blues region champions Kelston Boys’ High School 35-32 – and effectively challenging us all to check our northern conceit.

Kelston, who led 24-10 at halftime, scored through Jeremiah Lemana, Xavier Leota, Solo Baleinaikasakasa (2) and Ulutoa Ai’i, while fullback Tyson Parsons had two conversions and a Jarrel Tuaimalo-Vaega penalty.

But Feilding were up for a battle, despite sore bodies, injuries and their history of poor starts, and they eventually got home with tries from Oshay Rogan, Rupeni Raviyawa (3), Tyrese Tane, and Peni Havea, while Nixon Foreman added a conversion and a penalty.

That was not only a tremendous legacy result for Feilding but must have also left Central North Island champs St John’s College (Hamilton) wondering how they might have fared in Palmerston North.

Feilding give Hamilton a scare

Earlier, Feilding had shown their mettle with a bold semifinal showing against Hamilton Boys’ High School on Friday.

Indeed, it took a herculean defensive display for Hamilton to earn an eighth trip to the national top four final, as they eventually foiled a relentless and unpredictable Feilding 23-19.

Initially, it appeared the Hurricanes champions would be overawed, slumping to a 17-0 deficit as Hamilton scored three early tries.

But Hamilton were troubled by handling errors and went close to losing it when Feilding lost the ball over the line very late which would have given them a 20-19 lead.

Hamilton opened the scoring in the sixth minute when the ball squirted out of a maul and bounced favourably for Hamilton lock Steffan Newman who quickly saw space and dispatched a pass to raging winger Ross Anderson, who strode 60m clear.

Hamilton then doubled their advantage when loosehead prop Luke Hills threw an extravagant dummy and had a third before the 20-minute mark through winger Max Kara.

Nixon Foreman was the spark that launched Feilding’s comeback. The robust second five stepped off the right foot and shoved through traffic to dot down.

The sparkling feet of Peni Havea were the next to bamboozle Hamilton’s defence. The winger turned into John Travolta close to a scrum on the 10m mark in Hamilton territory. He was stopped narrowly short of the paint but burly prop Dane Johnston wasn’t.

Feilding monopolised possession in the second half undaunted by their relative lack of pedigree. Johnston and hooker Alani Fakava were damaging but it was bristling lock Zach Filer who waded through following a barrage of phases to spring Feilding into a 19-17 lead.

A lack of caution inside their 22 cost Feilding three points. A brazen attack saw Stefan Newman isolate a stranded ball-carrier. The Hamilton lock then tapped quickly from a penalty and galloped 10m ahead to advance a penalty to within throwing distance for Year 11 fullback Jackson Botherway.

Newman was at the forefront of Hamilton’s steel. Later he snaffled a vital turnover off a rampaging Johnson.

Feilding No 8 Rupeni Raviyawa was on a tear, twice denied over the line. Havea and fullback Dan Masiri combined to send Raviyawa roaring down the wing. Raviyawa lunged for the line but was jolted by Hamilton’s first five Dallas Rata-Makene, who forced a juggle and knock-on.

And Raviyawa was then held up by reserve Caleb Grice when he speared hard and low but couldn’t breach.

A Feilding fumble with less than five minutes remaining would provide the reprieve Hamilton desperately needed. Halfback Mitch Swann booted the ball into vacant pasture and centre Ollie Guerin and reserve Corban Dunlop galloped like greyhounds to extract Feilding’s retreat. A Botherway penalty finally settled an engaging, exhaustive contest.

Kelston bow out early

Kelston Boys’ High School’s quest for a sixth national title came unstuck with a 26-18 semifinal defeat at the hands of Nelson College.

Nelson captain and first five Harry Inch guided his players to a more settled start and they scored the game’s first three tries to go up 21-3.

Kelston rallied and scored their first try just before halftime, and were much more competitive throughout the second spell, but the deficit was too much for them to reel in and they were always chasing the game.

Kelston also scored the first try of the second half to go up 21-13 but that was as close as they got, with Nelson scoring their winning try several minutes from fulltime.

The game started with Nelson creating several early chances, while Kelston gave away a slew of early penalties and took far too long to settle.

It was a tale of two flankers in the 10th minute after Kelston blindside Aio Keith was sin-binned and then from the next lineout, Nelson’s forwards drove at the line and openside flanker Brownlee dived over from the next phase for the first try and a 7-0 lead.

Nelson were in for their second try with Kelston a player down, more converted phase play had their forwards lining up to have a crack at the line. Halfback Oliver Gibbons was the player to dart through to double the score.

Kelston regrouped and started making inroads into Nelson’s territory. Fullback Tyson Parsons put them on the board with a penalty in the 27th minute.

But Nelson replied five minutes before halftime with their third try. Fullback Kaelen Grafton ran back a clearing kick to just outside the 22 and set up a try to second five Jimmy West, who ran to the right of the posts untouched. First five Inch judged the kick well and Nelson were now up 21-3.

Kelston needed to score next – and they did. A minute out from halftime, they put in their best attacking spell of the game, stretching Nelson across both sides of the field. This led to blindside Keith atoning for his earlier sin-binning by crashing over to make it 21-8 at halftime.

In contrast to the first half, Kelston made a powerful start to the second. A long period in possession was rewarded 12 minutes in, when No. 8 Dezman Laban flew over from close range to cut the lead to 21-13.

End-to-end action followed. Kelston hooker Xavier Leota knocked on over the line. Nelson blindside Saumaki Saumaki’s offload nearly created a stunning try in the corner.

In the 55th minute, Saumaki doubled Nelson’s lead. A scrum screwed towards the sideline and Saumaki offloaded in congestion to Brownlee, who strolled across for the easiest of tries.

Kelston redoubled their efforts, and after a long period in possession, hooker Xavier Leota scored in the corner to reduce the deficit to eight points, but they still needed to score twice more in five minutes.

Manukura retain the girls’ title

The Manukura dynasty rolls on. The Feilding-based powerhouses have successfully defended the Hine Pounamu National First XV championship with a resounding 39-24 victory over first-time finalists, Howick College.

Howick enjoyed a slender 19-17 advantage at the interval, but Manukura managed the whirlpool wind at Arena Manawatū better as they blunted the spirited east Aucklanders.

Ominously, for Manukura’s rivals, their seventh and final try was scored by Year 9 Pewhairangi Ashby. It was created by Year 10 Elley-May Taylor who might have been the most influential figure in the match. There were only three Year 13s in Manukura’s matchday squad.

The start was something out of a blockbuster film. Six exhilarating tries, three apiece, were scored in a breathless 20 minutes.

It was Howick who struck the first blow with bustling, direct carries. Openside Marica Tukana was both powerful and nimble in assisting tighthead prop Joy Fiu in her smash-down.

Howick didn’t secure the restart and was punished. Manakura constructed swift phases and tight head prop Danica Talitonu crashed over after a Maia Davis pass opened a smidgen of space.

Talitonu and Davis are Manukura’s most senior players. Davis has already played for the Manawatū Cyclones and her ability to distribute, run, kick, and control the tempo was pivotal. Talitonu emptied her tank hurting with sustained brawn.

Manukura’s second try was gifted to them after Howick halfback Rochelle Christie dropped the ball cold 5m short of the paint and Davis swooped. Howick had thwarted a blistering raid that saw a majestic skip pass by workhorse lock Kingston Taiapa and some serious wheels from bantam winger Taylah Seng.

Christie emphatically atoned for her blemish with a Ruahei Demant-style offload to first five-eighth Sina Mariner who surged 40 metres.

Suddenly Howick had irrepressible momentum. There didn’t appear to be a distinction between backs and forwards and fullback Jaedah Hansen finished an incursion that involved multiple handlers.  While Manukura lacked the size of Howick, their foraging flankers were technically proficient and unrelenting.

Taylor snaffled a turnover and lobbed wide to Te Maia Sweetman who scootered 25m to make it 19-17. The frantic pace couldn’t possibly endure and the last dozen minutes of the first half was strewn with errors.

Manukura seized the initiative after halftime with their hustle at the breakdown, shrewd tactical kicking, and tight-knit attack. Taylor propelled Manukura ahead when she twisted, wriggled, and flopped over manically in the grasp of three. Taiapa followed suit with similar grit as the lead mushroomed to 29-19.

Howick were dogged but deprived of possession. Their discipline wavered and when a deft touch by Taylor found Talitonu, one one-on-one with a hopelessly stranded defender it became 34-19. Unusually Manukura left the ball unprotected at a ruck. Malena Lavea gleefully poached and Asha Taimoepeau-Williams sprinted 40m. The clash between Taimoepeau-Williams and hulking Manakura centre Patricia Heihei, already signed by the Panthers NRL franchise, was a spectacle.

Howick was a hope at 34-24 but once caged inside their 22 even Sisyphus would struggle to exit in the wind.

Manukura stayed stoic and structured and it was entirely appropriate the youth of Pewhairangi and Taylor applied the exclamation mark on exuberant excellence.

The referee was Natarsha Ganley.

Manukura successfully defended the Hine Pounamu National First XV championship.

Hine Pounamu Trophy results:

Manukura 38 (Malina Leatherby-Millar, Te Maia Sweetman, Kingston Taiapa, Araia Keighley-Rein, Te Maia Sweetman 2, Taylah Seng tries; Maia Davis 4 con).

Hamilton Girls’ High School: 17 (Matilda Chandler, Terangi Kureta, Cadence Kepa tries; Keira Russell con). HT: 33-0.

Howick College 22 (Uaina Lefau 2, Asha Taumoepeau-Williams, Maddison-Rose Motuliki tries; Mariner Sina con).

Christchurch Girls’ High School 17 (Melody Ehau, Lucy Gallagher, Taila Foster tries; Zoe Gullery con) HT: 5-12.

3 v 4: Hamilton Girls’ High School 38 (Amber Mundel, Mahlia Crackett-Crosby, Mihi Kerr, Ata Edwards 2, Ashley Marra tries; Keira Russell 4 con) Christchurch Girls’ High School 10 (Yoshida Riko, Perez Lene tries) HT: 5-10.

Pharaoh Phillips departs

Jono Phillips has coached his final game for Nelson College and is now heading to the US as a contractor for the senior USA Eagles, with his next rugby matches in Spain and Portugal.

With five quadrangular tournament wins, four Miles Toyota Championships, three South Island titles, and 78 victories in 96 matches, Phillips ranks as one of the finest coaches Nelson have ever had.

Before he arrived in 2019, Nelson had made a single trip to the national top four in 2007. Under Phillips, they competed in 2019, 2021 and 2024.

Jono Phillips of Nelson College.

Phillips’ coaching journey began in 1995 while playing professional cricket in Scotland, after a knee reconstruction ended his rugby career. When the game turned professional the following year, Phillips was given the role of rugby development officer for Scotland Rugby and his career took off.

He was mentored by two legends in British and Irish Lions coaches Sir Ian McGeechan and Jim Telfer, coached Scotland’s Under-19 and U21 sides and then in 2004, returned to Wellington, where he was Hurricanes as high-performance manager and assistant coach for a decade. All Blacks Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara are but two of Phillips’ admirers.

Heavily involved in overseeing the Hurricanes schools programme, Phillips moved to Nelson for a change in 2016 and was an adviser at Waimea Old Boys before joining Nelson College.

Phillips transformed Nelson College into a powerhouse with the development of the unique “Rugby Class”. It started with 17 boys and has morphed to 120.

Rugby technique classes are run daily for four different age groups from under-14 to under-17. Classes are based around six key pillars of player development: technical; tactical; strength and conditioning; nutrition; mental skills; and personal development.

As First XV coach, Phillips has been ably supported by Pōneke centurion, Wellington Lion and Samoan international Greg Foe, former Tasman coach Mike Fraser and Marty O’Cain, a centurion for High School Old Boys (Christchurch), whose daughter Sophie played for Tasman and won an FPC Premiership with Canterbury in 2020.

It might be argued Tasman, of which Nelson College is a major contributor, are the biggest overachievers in New Zealand rugby. Between 2013 and 2021 the Mako made five NPC finals, winning two Premierships – and on Saturday, Tasman captured the Ranfurly Shield for the first time with a dramatic 25-24 victory over Hawke’s Bay.

# Which First XV schoolboy rugby players caught your eye the most in 2024? Readers are invited to nominate their players of the year (and why) at nzschoolboyrugby@gmail.com.