School Rugby 2025
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If Feilding beat Hastings this weekend they'll be going to their second Top 4 in a row. And the only team from last years Top 4.
Did they import some of Ta$man's fisheads to run their rugby program or are there a bunch of Whitelock cousins all looking like they're in their 30s in the current squad?
Anyway, I hope Hastings can do the business - but they have to travel to the shithole that is Palmy to play the match.
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@mohikamo part of the problem being WBHS competing in the NH comp....good for WBHS, bad for all the other teams up here, most of whom dont seem to have decent rugby programs anymore, therefore most of the talented kids from other schools end up going to Auckland for thier schooling, some do so in year 9 (thats form 3 right) and then others may go in year 10.
Some come back, some dont, then like so many, some fall out of the sport (I know of 2 that went to Auckland schools on scholarships, and neither have played senior rugby)
Truth be told, if it were my kid weighing up coming home to play for Northland or signing with pretty much any other provincial side, i'd be suggesting the other side, we have real issues with developing and promoting our local talent (has been for many years, and still is, prime examples in the last 2 sides named)
When I played 1st 15 in circa 1991, there were strong 1st 15 teams from Rodney to Kaitaia, BUT, we'd still struggle against Auckland schools...
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@mohikamo said in School Rugby 2025:
Northland do have an issue.
Had some strong school programs in olden times.
The Moascar Cup even bounced around in the north for quite awhile.The list is not current but check out the 1950s and 1960s.
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Even in olden times Whangarei BHS was the only school who could compete with teams outside the province, but all the smaller schools had their 1XV programs.
I can remember Eddie Dunn creating a sensation when he burst onto the first class scene while still at Dargaville High. NA were a world class team in those days too.
Students did not tend to move.
The advent of professionalism seems to have been the catalyst for the change.
With rugby being a career option; you dont just want to be part of a program, you want to be part of a great program; hence the move.Having said all that, I didn't go to school in Northland either.
The school I did go to back then had an ok rugby record; but the provincial team was crap (NPC third division).
It is completely the opposite now.
My old school has gone to Top Four a couple of times in the last ten years, and the provincial team has been winning NPC national titles.
A total contrast in fortunes; quite fascinating really.
The only thing I can possibly put it down to, is the game going professional in the 90's.
One province has just gone from strength to strength; and the other has gone backwards.
Go figure! -
@mohikamo said in School Rugby 2025:
Even in olden times Whangarei BHS was the only school who could compete with teams outside the province, but all the smaller schools had their 1XV programs.
I can remember Eddie Dunn creating a sensation when he burst onto the first class scene while still at Dargaville High. NA were a world class team in those days too.
Students did not tend to move.
The advent of professionalism seems to have been the catalyst for the change.
With rugby being a career option; you dont just want to be part of a program, you want to be part of a great program; hence the move.Having said all that, I didn't go to school in Northland either.
The school I did go to back then had an ok rugby record; but the provincial team was crap (NPC third division).
It is completely the opposite now.
My old school has gone to Top Four a couple of times in the last ten years, and the provincial team has been winning NPC national titles.
A total contrast in fortunes; quite fascinating really.
The only thing I can possibly put it down to, is the game going professional in the 90's.
One province has just gone from strength to strength; and the other has gone backwards.
Go figure!Ta$man?
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@mohikamo Okaihau District HS ( now Okaihau College) won the Moascar Cup back in the mid to late 60s i believe they may lifted the cup from either Northland College or Whangarei Boys high , they were coched by Hiwi Tauroa who went on to coach Counties to an Npc title in 1979 .,Tauroa was a very innovated coach way ahead of his time he had a lot to do with the late prince of centres Bruce Robertson
Counties were a brilliant team to watch with their ball in hand syle .
the only thing that evaded Tauroa was winning the Ranfurly Shield , he would have been an awesome North Auckland coach had he stayed in the union but he accepted a principals role at Tuakau College hence he ended up coaching in the Counties region taking the job as the head coach between in 1974-1979
Just on the Okaihau district HS team that won the Moascar cup , brothers Ness and Leon Toki went on to both play for Ponsonby and Auckland , Leon played for NZ Maori against the 1977 British Lions .
I also suspect Ross McAlister who played a few games for North Auckland may have also played in the same team
As an Okaihau College old boy its something to be extremely proud about as the school role at the time would have only been around 250 pupils . -
@Bovidae said in School Rugby 2025:
Chiefs Top 4 final
Wesley College 6-17 Rotorua BHSHurricanes Top 4 final
Feilding HS 52-26 Hastings BHSFAHS is my smokey to win it. Famous last words.
Rotorua v SBHS
FAHS v WestlakeThe Westlake result surprised me the most, as I had Kings as overall favourites. Not impressed by the set piece of Rotorua, and FAHS weren't much better, but they're both quick teams.
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@Steven-Harris I posted the historical Moascar Cup results above. It would be 1963 over Pukekohe HS.
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@WoodysRFC I'd rather a team that hasn't won the Top 4 before win it.
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@Bovidae said in School Rugby 2025:
@WoodysRFC I'd rather a team that hasn't won the Top 4 before win it.
Who hasn't won the Top 4 - Westlake and
FijiFielding Agricultural High School?I'm going to go for Westlake as Hastings used to have a preseason match against them back in the day.
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@Nepia said in School Rugby 2025:
@Bovidae said in School Rugby 2025:
@WoodysRFC I'd rather a team that hasn't won the Top 4 before win it.
Who hasn't won the Top 4 - Westlake and
FijiFielding Agricultural High School?I'm going to go for Westlake as Hastings used to have a preseason match against them back in the day.
Mate, put aside your petty provincial rivalries for a second, and think of the one team there without any dedicated rugby program, that operates on the smell of an oily rag, pulling from a ridiculously small player pool, without so much of the whiff of a scholarship, I'd have supported Hastings if the shoe was on the other foot.
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@WoodysRFC said in School Rugby 2025:
@Nepia said in School Rugby 2025:
@Bovidae said in School Rugby 2025:
@WoodysRFC I'd rather a team that hasn't won the Top 4 before win it.
Who hasn't won the Top 4 - Westlake and
FijiFielding Agricultural High School?I'm going to go for Westlake as Hastings used to have a preseason match against them back in the day.
Mate, put aside your petty provincial rivalries for a second, and think of the one team there without any dedicated rugby program, that operates on the smell of an oily rag, pulling from a ridiculously small player pool, without so much of the whiff of a scholarship, I'd have supported Hastings if the shoe was on the other foot.
I was replying thinking you were meaning FAHS, but you're meaning Southland Boys right? They're more akin to Napier Boys than Hastings, boarding houses for your poaches, more than 1k students.
Also, it's not provincial rivalries, I'm with @Bovidae in (now that Hastings can't win) I'd rather see a new champion, not a two in three years dynasty of a southern powerhouse boarding school.
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@Nepia said in School Rugby 2025:
@WoodysRFC said in School Rugby 2025:
@Nepia said in School Rugby 2025:
@Bovidae said in School Rugby 2025:
@WoodysRFC I'd rather a team that hasn't won the Top 4 before win it.
Who hasn't won the Top 4 - Westlake and
FijiFielding Agricultural High School?I'm going to go for Westlake as Hastings used to have a preseason match against them back in the day.
Mate, put aside your petty provincial rivalries for a second, and think of the one team there without any dedicated rugby program, that operates on the smell of an oily rag, pulling from a ridiculously small player pool, without so much of the whiff of a scholarship, I'd have supported Hastings if the shoe was on the other foot.
I was replying thinking you were meaning FAHS, but you're meaning Southland Boys right? They're more akin to Napier Boys than Hastings, boarding houses for your poaches, more than 1k students.
Also, it's not provincial rivalries, I'm with @Bovidae in (now that Hastings can't win) I'd rather see a new champion, not a two in three years dynasty of a southern powerhouse boarding school.
Mate, Southland Boys is the Hastings of the South, with the very wealthy and greedy Dunedin schools being the Napiers / Lindisfarnes. We're akin to brothers, you and I. I'll count on your support come finals time, as you know it in your heart to be true. Southland Boys are the Hastings of the South, going up against the powerful, well resourced, evil empires of the North. Just open up your heart.
