School Rugby 2025
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@Bovidae said in School Rugby 2025:
The final will be PNBHS v RBHS. Rotorua won in Palmy last round.
Those two have been the pretty clear standout teams this year. I thought PNBHS got bullied a bit in the forwards in their previous match-up. While most First XV teams struggle to find a real blindside, I’d argue that all three of Rotorua’s loosies – Mailulu, Hutchings and Rogers – are natural blindsides, focused first and foremost on winning the collision. PNBHS needs to front up, attack the breakdown and look to move the Rotorua pack around.
The contest between the two fullbacks should also be good. Hunter Kennedy hasn’t looked as dynamic since his injury a couple rounds ago but hopefully he can showcase his counter-attacking ability. Tokoaitua Owen – who apparently has some rugby league connections?– is just such a smooth and smart player. Great footwork, calm under pressure and excellent decision-maker.
St Peter’s is undefeated and the top seed for the SFs.
I’ve only been able to see two games from St. Peter’s but they look like a good side. I was impressed by Brad Meek’s ball-carrying at lock, and their backline is one of the better ones running around. Feilding look very strong to me, though. Fakava and Raviyawa in the pack, with Havea and Tuituba as gamebreakers in the backs. I haven’t seen a lot of 9s who’ve stood out this year but Karnyae Rohipa-WaiWai looks like a quality halfback to me. Throws a speedy pass and just looks very comfortable.
@Mauss I went to watch St Peter's play FDMC a few weeks back. They have a strong midfield and 9-10 combo, and some good forwards as you say. A large representation at the Chiefs U18 Development camp too. I expect that they will play Hamilton BHS in the Top 4 Chiefs qualifiers so I will get to see them again.
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Super 8 - final
Palmerston North BHS 25 - 24 Rotorua BHSIt seems that Jamie Viljoen got a penalty in added time to win it. That will be their first title in a long time.
CNI - SFs
St Peter’s Cambridge 29 - 10 Wesley College
Feilding High School 29 - 20 Lindisfarne College -
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There is an article from Mark Geenty about the regional playoffs and the road to the Top 4. Here is the summary of what games are to be played:
Hamilton BHS should have been playing St Peter's Cambridge in the Waikato final but the schools couldn't agree on a date. This is always a problem with the CNI finishing a week after the Super 8, and St Peter's has rightly prioritised the CNI final today.
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Here are some of the results from the weekend:
North Harbour SFs
Whangarei BHS 17-17 Rosmini College
Westlake BHS 25-7 Rangitoto College1A SFs
St Kent’s 21-12 Sacred Heart
King’s College 32-32 Auckland GrammarChiefs region BOP playoff
Rotorua BHS 37-0 Tauranga BCSFs
Hamilton BHS v Rotorua BHS
Wesley College v FDMCCNI final
St Peter’s Cambridge 12-48 Feilding HSWellington final
St Pat’s Silverstream 35-14 Wellington CollegeHurricanes region playoffs
Palmerston North BHS 24-21 Napier BHS
Hastings BHS 45-14 Gisborne BHSSFs
Palmerston North BHS v Feilding HS
St Pat’s Silverstream v Hastings BHSCrusaders region
Christchurch BHS 52-0 Christ’s CollegeHighlanders region
Southland BHS 27-26 King’s HSThe South Island Top 4 final will be Southland BHS v Christchurch BHS
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Here are some of the results from the weekend:
North Harbour SFs
Whangarei BHS 17-17 Rosmini College
Westlake BHS 25-7 Rangitoto College1A SFs
St Kent’s 21-12 Sacred Heart
King’s College 32-32 Auckland GrammarChiefs region BOP playoff
Rotorua BHS 37-0 Tauranga BCSFs
Hamilton BHS v Rotorua BHS
Wesley College v FDMCCNI final
St Peter’s Cambridge 12-48 Feilding HSWellington final
St Pat’s Silverstream 35-14 Wellington CollegeHurricanes region playoffs
Palmerston North BHS 24-21 Napier BHS
Hastings BHS 45-14 Gisborne BHSSFs
Palmerston North BHS v Feilding HS
St Pat’s Silverstream v Hastings BHSCrusaders region
Christchurch BHS 52-0 Christ’s CollegeHighlanders region
Southland BHS 27-26 King’s HSThe South Island Top 4 final will be Southland BHS v Christchurch BHS
@Bovidae said in School Rugby 2025:
CNI final
St Peter’s Cambridge 12-48 Feilding HSI watched the livestream of this game. St. Peter’s, Cambridge started really well, getting good go forward through their backline, with Morey and Kamana combining well in the midfield. Feilding, on the other hand, started terribly, their lineout completely falling apart due to the heavy wind and Fakava’s poor throwing.
Ironically, this faltering set-piece brought Feilding into the game, as they started taking quick taps instead of going to their lineout, and they quickly realized that they could just physically bully their opposites. Once Feilding gained physical dominance, SPC found it really hard to get back into the game.
For me, while Raviyawa, Foreman, Tuituba and Havea were really good for Feilding, the absolute standouts were the Feilding front-row of Lucas Goodman (1), Alani Fakava (2) and Tevita Fakava (3). Not only were they immense around the field with their physicality and carrying, but as the game wore on, they also started dominating the SPC scrum, nearly shunting the opposite forward pack off their own feed on several occasions. Great performance from them.
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In the WBHS v Rosmini one ending in a draw, WBHS go through due to scoring more tries in the game (3 to 2)
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@Bovidae said in School Rugby 2025:
Feilding HS have a habit of winning the CNI final even as the lower seed.
Last four years the top team from Round Robin has not won the CNI Final.
2022 St Johns Top - FAHS won final
2023 St Johns Top - FAHS won final
2024 FAHS Top - St Johns won final
2025 St Peter's Top - FAHS won final2022, 2024 and 2025 the top teams had unbeaten round robin results.
https://www.cnirugby.co.nz/ -
Results from matches heading to 2025 Top 4 weekend:
North Harbour Final
Westlake BHS 39 - 18 Whangarei BHSAuckland 1A Final
King’s College 36 - 27 St Kent'sChiefs SFs
Hamilton BHS 33 - 34 Rotorua BHS
FDMC 5 - 36 Wesley CollegeHurricanes SFs
Palmerston North BHS 28 - 34 Feilding HS (Moascar Cup Match)
St Pat’s Silverstream 20 - 20 Hastings BHSSouth Island Top 4 Final
Southland BHS 32 - 29 Christchurch BHSHome team normally first - unless neutral final venue.
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Results from matches heading to 2025 Top 4 weekend:
North Harbour Final
Westlake BHS 39 - 18 Whangarei BHSAuckland 1A Final
King’s College 36 - 27 St Kent'sChiefs SFs
Hamilton BHS 33 - 34 Rotorua BHS
FDMC 5 - 36 Wesley CollegeHurricanes SFs
Palmerston North BHS 28 - 34 Feilding HS (Moascar Cup Match)
St Pat’s Silverstream 20 - 20 Hastings BHSSouth Island Top 4 Final
Southland BHS 32 - 29 Christchurch BHSHome team normally first - unless neutral final venue.
@BMR323 said in School Rugby 2025:
Results from matches heading to 2025 Top 4 weekend:
North Harbour Final
Westlake BHS 39 - 18 Rosmini CollegeWhangarei BHS.
Hurricanes SFs
Palmerston North BHS 28 - 34 Feilding HS (Moascar Cup Match)First time that FAHS has won the Moascar Cup. I hope PNBHS got those photos.
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@BMR323 said in School Rugby 2025:
Results from matches heading to 2025 Top 4 weekend:
North Harbour Final
Westlake BHS 39 - 18 Rosmini CollegeWhangarei BHS.
Hurricanes SFs
Palmerston North BHS 28 - 34 Feilding HS (Moascar Cup Match)First time that FAHS has won the Moascar Cup. I hope PNBHS got those photos.
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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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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.@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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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.@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.
https://www.nzrugby.co.nz/assets/HOLDERS-OF-THE-MOASCAR-RUGBY-CHALLENGE-CUP-1920-2023.pdf
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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...
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! -
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?
