Quadrangular Rugby Tournament at end of June to be hosted at Whanganui Collegiate

Whanganui Collegiate will host this year's Quadrangular Rugby Tournament. Photo / Supplied

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What is believed to be New Zealand's oldest schoolboy tournament will again be hosted at Whanganui Collegiate at the end of this month with the 96th edition of the Quadrangular Rugby Tournament.

The 1st XVs of Collegiate, Wellington College, Canterbury's Christs College and three-time defending champions Nelson College will meet in games on June 27 and 29.

Per tournament rules, the schools play the side they did not face in the previous year, meaning Collegiate will be matched up on Day 1 against the longest travelling Christs College, kicking off at 2pm, after the Wellington and Nelson colleges were first up at 12.30pm.

The winning teams will then meet in the Major Final on Day 2 at 1.10pm after the Minor Final at 11.10am between the beaten sides from Day 1.

Last year, a Whanganui Collegiate XV that was on its way back to the CNI final later in the season would travel to Nelson for the 95th tournament.

After a 41-14 loss to the hosts on Day 1, they would rebound with a 24-15 win in the Minor Final over Wellington College, while Nelson College would retain their crown at home, beating Christs 27-25 in the Major Final.

This year, the rest day on June 28 will see a special Town vs Country "Golden Oldies" game at the school grounds to commemorate 150 years of rugby in Whanganui, as the "Wanganui Football Club" was established in June 1872.

The forerunner of the Quadrangular in its current format was the Triangular Rugby Tournament between Collegiate, Wellington and Christs, which started in 1889.

Nelson College, which played the first fully documented game of rugby in New Zealand against the Nelson Rugby Football Club in 1870, would join the schoolboy's tournament in 1925.

"This tournament is believed to be the oldest School or College rugby tournament," said WCS director of sports Barry Touzel.

"WCS has shown good form, reaching the finals of the last one held at WCS in 2018, as well as losing finalists to Nelson College in Wellington in 2019.

"On the back of the last four seasons' good form in the Central North Islands 1st XV competition, ending Top 3 in the last three years, the young WCS squad look to continue its good form in the 2022 Quadrangular Rugby Tournament.

"Nelson College, winner of the last three tournaments, will be the tournament favourites."

The games on June 29 Finals Day will be televised live on SKY Sport.

In the 96 years of the tournament, the title has been won or shared in the following numbers: Wellington College 38, Nelson College 27, Whanganui Collegiate 21, Christs College 17.