First XV rugby: Westlake win title thriller, St Andrew’s stun Southland Boys’ High School

As for the forthcoming Blues final, Westlake have bossed the best of Auckland 1A three times in the past four years, and notwithstanding the fact they will inevitably concede size to the Kelston pack – it will be light armoured vehicles against tanks – the Swans showed they are once again serious contenders to make the National Top Four with a resourceful backline and committed pack.

For all that, the result was tough on Rosmini, who enjoyed some inspired spells. It is instructive to note that their tally of 43 points would have been enough to have won them 85 of 88 matches against Westlake over the years.

And after having finished top of the round-robin standings, you could be excused for wondering if there was a parallel universe in which it was instead Rosmini facing Auckland Grammar School – top of the 1A round robin – for a place at the National Top Four.

The first 15 minutes were particularly frenetic in front of a crowd of about 8000 at North Harbour Stadium and early on, the points came at the rate of more than two a minute.

In a blitzkrieg start, Westlake winger Flynn Holbrook nabbed three tries in nine minutes at one end, in what is believed to be the fastest hat-trick in a schoolboy final, while Rosmini hooker Ethan Bates banked the first of his two at the other.

Holbrook, who ran a personal best of 11.69s in the College Sport Auckland Athletics Championships back in March, can now count this as a personal best on the rugby pitch after three times scorching down the left wing to score.

All three tries came from inspired work by those inside. For the first, Westlake No 8 Adam Watson stepped the defence, ran 30m and kicked for the corner with the outside of his left foot for Holbrook to finish.

The second was classically engineered by a scything burst from centre Matt Fleming, who drew in three defenders before passing, while the third owed a lot to a precise crossfield kick from first five-eighths Luke Waller, on the 22, for Holbrook to collect and muscle his way over.

Waller also capped a fine game with five conversions, while fullback Nikau Opuariki chimed in with an excellent diagonal run to the corner for a try before halftime.

Offsetting this was Rosmini No 8 Luchian Opperman’s highly impressive bump-and-grind routine, which earned him a try either side of halftime to put his team ahead 26-19.

Other Rosmini standouts were skipper Brodie Tofilau, often piercing with ball in hand and zippy halfback Elijah Wharepouri – also a 40-cap veteran of North Harbour competition – who was well deserving of his second-half try under the posts. First five-eighths Kayden Godbold harvested 13 points with his trusty boot.

Westlake skipper and halfback Levi Leith capped a fine season by contributing two squirming second-half tries within three minutes of each other, mauling like a forward for the second one.

Fleming had a quiet game by his own standards, but when he did finally cross for a try in the 55th minute to effectively seal the game – fed on the short side by Leith – the Westlake half of the grandstand spontaneously burst into a chorus of Happy Birthday to mark his 17th.

Tries to Wharepouri, and then to second five-eighths Lachlan Murray two minutes from time – combined with a yellow card for Holbrook – gave Rosmini hope until the last. Westlake needed to be as resolute and unyielding as stadium gate staff with their resistance.

In results since 1985, Westlake lead Rosmini 57 to 28 in all matches, while their North Harbour record in 2026 was 15 wins and one defeat, scoring 855 points and conceding 180. Since 2017, Westlake have won 128 of 140 competition matches.

Rosmini won 14 of 16 games this season, scoring 742 points, conceding 140 and being the only team to beat Westlake. Since 2017, the year of their last title, Rosmini have won 86 out of 135 matches.

Westlake have now won 19 out of 21 finals and Rosmini five of 19.

The only times Westlake have ever really got away from Rosmini with big winning margins was an 83-7 embarrassment in 2019 and a 76-8 humiliation in the 2006 final, when future North Harbour first five-eighths Ben Botica scored 29 points.

Meanwhile, the other Blues semi-final ran true to form, with Kelston beating Whangārei Boys’ High School 64-10 away, piling on 40 unanswered points in the second spell.

Westlake: Shea Watene, Morgan Seymour, Demetrius Sanft, Sami Vai, Mana Smith, Jaxx Latoa-Levi, Brody Kirkland, Adam Watson, Levi Leith (C), Luke Waller, Flynn Holbrook, Tuaine Rolleston, Matthew Fleming, Harper Wilson, Nikau OPuariki, Hadley Pethybridge, Chase Sharp, Fergus Mahan, Cohen Cameron, Kody Isgrove, Aston Fraser, Yisrael Tukania. Coaches: Rob Mildenhall, Dillon Hunt, Luke McAlister.

Kopelani’s Leap: St Andrew’s stun Southland Boys’ High to reach National Top Four

It was the greatest Presbyterian escape since Cargill’s leap.

St Andrew’s College conceded 33 unanswered points yet rallied from oblivion to sink slick Southland Boys’ High School 41-40 in the South Island regional First XV final.

Summoning the spirit of 16th-century preacher and warrior Donald Cargill, who outran tyrannical English troops by jumping across the River Ericht just north of Blairgowrie in Perthshire, Scotland, St Andrew’s raised the middle finger to the exclusionary South Island Boys’ Schools Network (SIBSN) fraternity.

And they’ve now rolled the top three SIBSN sides in successive weeks to reach the National Top Four for the first time since 1991.

Prop Lennox Kopelani’s winning try with the last salvo, arching low and bustling through a bottleneck of battered bodies, sparked a jubilant pitch invasion that might incur the wrath of some health and safety wonk.

Sod them. St Andrew’s manager Mike “Scrump” Johnston, who’s been at Papanui Rd since before floppy disks and the Spice Girls, reckons only last-minute wins secured by Chris Lumsden (drop goal) and Sam Gilbert (penalty) against Christchurch Boys’ in 2003 and 2015 respectively can rival the joy that enraptured Strowan.

It was 40-24 with 10 minutes remaining, St Andrew’s having blown a 24-7 lead. Southland struck first with a surgically constructed try to head prefect Mito Faalialia. Otherwise, trouble loomed after a 35m maul that threatened to push Southland back to Gladstone, Invercargill.

With such physical impetus, St Andrew’s tightened their approach. Giant prop Moleli Lagokamu, Kopelani and No 8 Leeson Tiakia charged straight as a die. Halfback Ollie Jackways had Southland scrambling with his briskness, and winger Jett Timbrell and fullback Jock Sidey were left plenty of room.

Stymied Southland didn’t panic, introducing greater width to their proven pattern. Tries to gallant lock Jack McKeay, No 8 Elliot Wilson and a 50m bust by winger Charlie Byrne lifted Southland to a 26-24 lead after 41 minutes.

The next dozen minutes were a stalemate before a calamitous 90 seconds for St Andrew’s. Byrne snaffled an intercept at halfway. Then St Andrew’s fullback got into a tangle and centre Max Savory pounced, kicking a loose ball and scooping it up to sprint 40m.

After an hour, St Andrew’s were presented with a fleeting lifeline when Southland’s industrious flanker Cruz Swain was sinbinned. A Jairo Senio try clawed it back to 40-29.

In today’s zeitgeist, anything the Warriors touch seems to only bring cheer. In the 65th minute St Andrew’s captain Seymour Stowers-Smith, brother of Warrior Tanner Stowers-Smith, showcased his penchant for the big time, warding off four tacklers with the fortitude of Cargill. Timbrell’s fourth conversion made it 40-36.

Winners of 14 consecutive matches, Southland quarantined possession until an unusual ruck infringement. “Take the Crown” (TTC) is the intangible theme underpinning St Andrew’s. When the last lineout was secured, only a bayonet was going to stop Kopelani.

It was a harsh loss for yet another superb Southland combination. Few coaches at this level are better than Jason Dermody, from a family that boasts a dozen first-class players.

Since June 2, St Andrew’s have beaten all the semi-finalists of the SIBSN competition as well as St Thomas of Canterbury College (twice), Marlborough Boys’ College and Shirley Boys’ High to become the first National Top Four qualifier in 2026.

St Andrew’s National Top Four history

In 1991, the population passed three million; Gary Whetton was All Blacks captain; the “Mother of All Budgets” was delivered; and Bryan Adams topped the billboard charts. Also that year, St Andrew’s won 20 of 27 games, capturing the Christchurch Schools title.

At the National Top Four in Gisborne, they lost to Gisborne Boys’ High (13-4) in the semi-finals and St Augustine’s College, Whanganui (13-7) in the third-place playoff in Gisborne.

Andrew Tweedie coached, and Andrew Moore captained. Shane Butterick (later Wairarapa Bush/Mid Canterbury) scored 208 points. Daniel Charteris (Canterbury/Marlborough) scored 26 tries in 25 games. Glenn Delaney, a former professional who played in Japan and Europe, coached Canterbury to an NPC Premiership in 2016. His nephew Zac Hoshek is a loose forward in the current team.

Five years earlier in 1986, St Andrew’s lost to eventual winners Auckland Grammar (22-3) in the semi-finals and Napier Boys’ High (31-8) in the consolation playoff in Pukekohe.

Captained by Paul Scott, and coached by Alister Newtown and former All Black Scott Cartwright, they enjoyed a successful season with 19 wins in 22 games. They were unbeaten locally and in traditional interschool games. Future Canterbury, Otago, New Zealand Universities and Colts winger Michael Hanning scored 15 tries.

St Andrew’s won the national co-education tournament, which ran from 2007 to 2019, in 2015. The 2015 First XV won 16 of 18 games, including the Moascar Cup, and beat Christchurch Boys’ High School, Christ’s College, Shirley Boys’ High School and St Bede’s College in a single season for the first time in over a decade.

Sam Gilbert and Raymond Nu’u, both of whom played for Otago, were the side’s most prominent players. St Andrew’s also made the 2012 national co-ed final, losing 18-12 to Onehunga College, which featured future Blues, Chiefs and Samoan international Taleni Seu. Future All Black Richie Mo’unga, in his fourth game that week, ran the cutter for the runners-up.

Chiefs finalists found

Tauranga Boys’ College will host Hamilton Boys’ High School in the Chiefs regional final at noon on Saturday at Nicholson Field.

Hamilton continued their unbeaten Super 8 form with a 52-21, eight-try home win over a Wesley College team who won third place in the Central North Island championship.

Despite that final scoreline, the match was a tight contest for the first 45 minutes. Hamilton led 17-7 at the break, but Wesley scored soon after to narrow the deficit to 17-14 and continued to defend strongly.

However, Hamilton showed their class to pull away in the final quarter. Right wing Hunter Carson continued his fine season with a hat-trick of tries, while the loose forwards were also prominent, with Kent Mills, Isaiah Edwards and Tom Foote also securing tries as well as hooker Hunter Hammond and back Syrus Mark.

Many of these were well-worked, long-range team tries where Hamilton shifted the ball through multiple hands and supported one another well.

Meanwhile, Tauranga won 12-7 at home over New Plymouth Boys’ High School after the contest was scoreless at halftime. With the win, Tauranga retain the Moascar Cup.

Last month Hamilton beat Tauranga 29-22 in Super 8.

Advantage Napier in Hurricanes final

It’s advantage Napier Boys’ High School heading into the Hurricanes Regional final in Feilding, kicking off at 12.30pm on Saturday.

The Super 8 runners-up dispatched Hastings Boys’ High School 60-35, matching the highest-ever score against their local rivals. Hastings opened their gates in 1904 and have pocketed two national titles since 2017.

By contrast, Wellington Premiership champions St Patrick’s College Silverstream sputtered to an unconvincing 34-24 win against a considerably smaller, daring Lindisfarne College.

Pakowhai Rd, Hastings, was a postcard for the first meeting between Silverstream and Lindisfarne with clear skies, a light breeze and a convivial crowd.

Silverstream’s first try after a minute was a carve-and-copy of their initial strike in the Premiership final last Sunday. A midfield pod of two vacuumed up two defenders and prop Vaitupu Vaitupu delivered elegantly to the short-side space where whippet winger Troy Waldrom was too rapid.

Silverstream have scored 50 or more points against eight opponents this season. Half of Lindisfarne’s Central North Island matches were decided by fewer than 10 points.

At times, the collision of contrasting realities whipped Silverstream into a tailspin. Against fit, fearless, skilled, unstructured attack, their discipline wasn’t up to the standard of a national title aspirant.

Lindisfarne’s first try, following a slew of penalties, was engineered adroitly by first five-eighths Te Awarangi Puketapau-Pene, sending fullback Reid Palmer into a gap where he was untouched. Palmer requires continuous surveillance, a genuine New Zealand Schools contender.

Silverstream first five-eighthsFletcher Cooper exists in the same realm. A migraine-inducing restart forced a Lindisfarne fumble, and a third try in 10 minutes was scored by second five Oakley Time.

Holes were abundant close to the ruck for Silverstream, who looked most likely when their attack was simple and direct. But if ever there was an illustration of the casualness blowouts can cause, it was from Shae Taitau.

The Year 13 centre speared up the middle like a javelin with nobody in sight. Inexplicably, he fumbled the ball while grounding it in-goal. Lindisfarne’s T.K. Taylor never surrendered the chase. To be fair, Taitau recovered strongly with several impactful runs.

More hijinks from Cooper, drifting merrily across the field until the red wall was prised open for Waldrom, took the score to 17-7 but Silverstream refused to make it easy.

In between, a trademark smash over for Vaitupu; Taylor combined with his midfield partner Fergus Benefield, Palmer thwarted a dangerous Cooper kick to almost score again and the visiting penalty count rose to astronomical heights as a Beck Allen and Hunter Throw tries tied the scores at 24-24 with 22 minutes remaining.

Step up, Cooper. With a scything 49th-minute break, co-captain Ryder Thompson barrelled through from half a metre. Six minutes later, Cooper touched down, with sprightly sub Leerone Aunese and fullback Jaxon Ropitini influential in the build-up, making the scoreline 34-24.

Silverstream were lucky to escape further sanctions for their lack of discipline. Curiously, with four minutes left, Lindisfarne opted for a penalty shot when they had St Patrick’s in retreat.

Across the Hawke’s Bay Expressway, Napier Boys’ High, as expected, powered past Hastings Boys’ High. If Silverstream lean heavily on Cooper for fruit, Napier rely most upon systematic forward power.

Six of their 10 tries were scored by those in lower numbers. Tighthead and shearer Monty Waihape bagged a hat-trick. It didn’t take a forensic investigator to guess hooker Harry Jones scored from a lineout maul.

Blindside Ollie MacLachlan celebrated his 50th appearance with a try, with strapping No 8 Carter Pirie also appearing on the scoresheet. Centre Sakaraia Paodi (2), winger Davis Hancy and first five-eighths Will Lovatt were the anomalies in the backs.

Lovatt kicked five conversions. He also reached a half-century of appearances and installed the Huddy Sports livestream broadcast equipment for match coverage.

When the game was loose, Hastings posed a threat but were essentially living off scraps. Still, winger Jimmy Ratuere added to his highlight reel with a breathtaking 50m blitz. Victory Voice, Carter Ah Kiong and props Genesis Taivale and Sione Kaufononga are an “Akina” quartet who can hold their heads high.

Napier last scored 60 points against Hastings in 2013. In that game, future Hawke’s Bay and Wellington winger Michael Buckley scored two tries and ran amok from flanker. Ethan Bradey amassed 20 points, and prop Hadlee Hay-Horton and 14-year-old Bailyn Sullivan were also on a trajectory to long careers in first-class rugby. Napier’s season, however, ended in the Hurricanes final at the hands of Wellington College in Palmerston North.

Silverstream have never reached the National Top Four, drawing with Napier 17-17 in the 2022 Hurricanes final and missing out under the first-try-wins rule. In April Napier slayed Silverstream 52-10, their biggest defeat this millennium.

Napier are warm favourites to make their 13th National Top Four, with a Wellington school having not qualified since Scots College in 2015.

# Fletcher Cooper extended his single-season points-scoring record at Silverstream to 264. Last Sunday in the Wellington premiership final, he scored all four ways against Wellington College.

Murray Tocker, who holds the overall record for most points with 601 in 78 appearances from 1971 to 1974, twice achieved the feat of scoring all four ways. In 1973, Tocker scored all four ways against Naenae in a 36-0 club win. In a June 1, 1974 traditional and Moascar Cup defence against Rongotai College, Tocker scored a try, penalty, conversion and field goal in a 24-0 whitewash.

Lindisfarne soar to lofty heights

In reaching the Hurricanes Region quarter-final, Lindisfarne achieved their highest national placing since making the last 16 of the old qualifying system for the National Top Four in 1997.

That season Lindisfarne won 22 of 26 games and scored 753 points, winning their annual Presbyterian quadrangular outright for the first time after six final appearances.

In that game, they beat St Kentigern 28-24, with Bradley Patton, a future Central Districts cricketer, scoring all four ways, including a folklore-file 50m drop goal. The captain was prop Campbell Johnstone. He played 57 games for the First XV and scored 17 tries. Of Lindisfarne’s six All Blacks, Johnstone made the most appearances, beating the experienced quartet of John Timu (55), Israel Dagg (51), Mick Duncan (42) and Taine Randall (41). Winger George Bridge played halfback but blossomed more after departing.

In the top-16 national playoff, Lindisfarne were beaten 43-25 by St Bernard’s College. The Lower Hutt school won 15 of 21 games that season and had three future internationals on their roster: August Collins (Samoa), Ati Olive (Samoa), and Mounga Kafatolu (Tonga).

St Bernard’s most successful coach, Steve Bryan, led the team. In three tenures with St Bernard’s, he won 117 of 158 games, delivering their first Wellington Premiership in 1988, two runners-up places in 1996 and 1997, and three Marist Quadrangular titles.

After 17 years at St Bernard’s, the career teacher made the short trip to St Oran’s College, then served as principal of Sacred Heart College in Napier, St Catherine’s College in Wellington, and filled in at St Patrick’s College, Silverstream, and Pompallier College, Whangārei.

Rathkeale mark milestones with Whanganui win

Rathkeale College and Whanganui Collegiate celebrated half a century of rivalry on Wednesday when the Masterton-based school outmuscled the Liverpool St hosts 12-0.

It was an intense and scrappy affair decided by two tries from chapel prefect Richie Kloeg and Will Osborne. Though Whanganui lead the overall rivalry 35-12 (three draws), Rathkeale have won the last three Supporters Shield fixtures and prevailed in the first encounter 14-10 in 1977. That game was a curtain-raiser to the opening match of the British and Irish Lions tour against Wairarapa Bush, which the visitors won 41-13. That season Rathkeale won 16 of 18 games, including the Wairarapa Secondary Schools Championship for the first time.

Meanwhile, Rathkeale’s head of physical education and long-time rugby and cricket coach Deon van Deventer is celebrating 25 years of service in 2026.

Former student Whatahoro Cribb Fox recalled him with amusement.

“Deon is everyone’s favourite hard man,” he said. ”I was in a moon boot with a fractured leg. I wasn’t even allowed out of preseason training. I remember Deon blowing a gasket when Harvey Mason convinced Manahi Fox to do a Rugby 08, fake penalty kick cross-field to the winger even though we were two points down and it was a kickable penalty.”

Guy Handyside reflected: “I remember running on the field when we beat Whanganui in 2024 and Mr Venter jumping for the first time in 40 years.”

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