Category: Rugby Union

College Sport Media: Howick College is a state co-educational secondary school founded in 1974 and located in the eastern Auckland suburb of Cockle Bay. The school has a roll of 2093 students and the motto is Whakamanawahia tētehi hapori o ngā ākonga hihiri – Inspiring a community of passionate learners. Howick has little history as a rugby programme, but they have made rapid strides in their brief existence in sevens. Howick first competed in the YouthTown Condor 7s in 2014 – the year girls rugby was introduced at the college.…

NZSSSC: The 31st annual Youthtown Condor Sevens National Finals will be staged at Sacred Heart College, Auckland from Thursday, November 30, through to Sunday, December 3, 2017. This year will see over hundred teams compete across four divisions. On Thursday and Friday the U15 boys and girls titles will be settled. The weekend will culminate with the open boys and girls events on Saturday and Sunday. The Condor Sevens was first staged in 1986 and won by the 2017 host school. The boys event has been has been staged annually…

Manukau Courier: The Black Ferns’ World Cup success has fired up the interest of young girls’ in rugby. By just how much was evident at the civic celebration for the world champions at the Vodafone Events Centre in Manukau last Thursday. The majority of the 300 or so well wishers were by far girls. They were of primary, intermediate and secondary school age and included the Southern Cross Campus girls’ 1st XV, Auckland champions for the last four years. The champion Rosehill College girl’s 1st XV were also there, including Utumalama Atonio, who started…

The New Zealand Schools and New Zealand Schools Barbarians teams have been selected for their upcoming campaigns. Players spent three days in a development camp at Massey University’s Sport & Rugby Institute in Palmerston North. Auckland players who have been selected for the New Zealand Schools team are: Taufa Funaki (Sacred Heart College), Etene Nanai (Saint Kentigern College), Fatongia Paea (Sacred Heart College), Rivez Reihana (Saint Kentigern College), Tupou Vaa’i (Wesley College), Tamaiti Williams (Saint Kentigern College). Coach Jason Holland said there were tough decisions to make in selecting the Schools team. “The camp has been very high…

Eastern Courier: To battle through a winter code season unbeaten is a rare and special accomplishment. To do it in Auckland’s highly competitive rugby First XV arena makes the achievement even more unique. Botany Downs Secondary College, acknowledged as a high-performing secondary school in many fields, is only 14 years old and to have its First XV ready to contest the world’s toughest college rugby competition next year is a reflection of the high standards it sets. It also has a rugby benchmark example to draw inspiration and influence from just down the…

Manukau Courier: Southern Cross Campus are the queens of Auckland school girl rugby, again. The Parusi Lemalu and Rod Ratu coached side claimed their fourth straight championship with a hard fought 24-17 win over Onehunga High School at Williams Park, Mangere last Monday. The victory opens the door for a crack at the national title. But first they must beat the winner of the match between the champions of Northland and North Harbour for the right to represent the Blues region. Ratu says the team owes it’s four year reign to the systems and structures put in place…

East & Bays Courier: There will be more than just school pride and silverware on the line for One Tree Hill College’s 1XV rugby side on Saturday. When the boys run out onto Eden Park for the Auckland 1B final against Botany Downs Secondary College, it would be the first time since 1977 the school has been represented on that stage. Not typically known as a rugby powerhouse, the One Tree Hill side carved out a terrific season in 2017 finishing with an 11-2 record. Regardless of Saturday’s result, by making the final both schools…

College Sport Media: “I scored a try just after halftime to make it 24-3. In the heat of the moment I got too excited and jumped so high I popped my shoulder. I had to watch the rest of the game from the sideline in a sling,” Manurewa High School captain RJ Ioane ruefully laughs when reflecting on the Rainbow’s End Counties/Waikato First XV final last Thursday. ​For the remainder of the match, Cambridge High School made the Manurewa captain and flanker extremely nervous. “We lost our discipline and they…

AucklandNOW: South Auckland players dominate Auckland’s champion under-15 girls’ rugby team. They made up 10 of the starting 15 which beat Bay of Plenty 47-0 in the final at Pulman Park, Papakura last week to win the regional tournament featuring the best teams from the Blues and Chiefs catchment areas. They are Tulutulu Aiipolo, Glory Aiono, Maama Vaipului, Melvina Weilert (Aorere College), Faith Filimoeatua, Paea Matangi, Zoya To’ofohe (Southern Cross Campus) and Cilia Po’e (McAuley High School). The two others are Mauosamoa Guatusa (Epsom Girls’ Grammar School) and Sascha Ioane (Onehunga High School) who live in Mangere. Click here to read more…