The Silver Fern

https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/sportstalk/audio/craig-innes-former-all-black-on-the-future-of-new-zealands-rugby-pathways-for-secondary-schools/

Good to see that Manawatū are retaining most of their top PNBHS and FAHS players but I see they've also signed NZS loose forward Sione Katoa (Liston College) to their academy . I'm surprised Auckland didn't want him.

My impression watching live was that the Māori loosies were much more effective than their NZS opponents. Very aggressive at the breakdown and in the tackle. Again, I was surrounded by a lot of the parents/family of the players, and the Māori supporters were much more vocal. I had mentioned this before the squads were announced, but the NZS like to shoe-horn in players so many end up playing out of position, particularly backs. Both Pahulu and Guerin are centres, while Stanley has been playing 2nd 5 for AGS. That wasn't really the case last year. I was glad Waitai-Haenga got to play because he is a very good midfielder who will now probably go to the Warriors. I can't imagine that Tito will be re-appointed for 2025.

@Frank PRG are top rank in SA. This side was their u17s , next year u18.

Result: NZ U18 Māori Ngā Māreikura Girls 31 - 7 NZ Barbarians U18 Girls

That fend at 7mins40ish in the highlights above was exceptional. The commentator was talking up the St Michaels gaelic football playing 10 all game

@Higgins I was told that the Fijian team that played the Hurricanes U18s was very different to the team that played on Tuesday, which was different again to the team that played today. This team had more NZ-based players. To be honest, the most impressive of the 4 teams was the Māori U18s, and they obviously didn't have the first choice of players.

@Bovidae great coach and great man

@bovidae I think he was one of the players standing out in the Highlanders U18 squad. Beautiful cross-kick to the wing in that 2nd half and it would have been an awesome try if the Crusaders' left winger hadn't won the contest in the air and caught the ball.

Probsbly should be in a 2022 thread but Auckland 1A are mandating players, coaches, and management are to be double Vax for 2022. Fucking well done for taking the lead Pay walled but you get the point https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/rugby-no-jab-no-play-auckland-schools-agree-to-vaccine-mandate-for-prestigious-first-xv-competition/5D427WTBEHQ53SABC4SG3K2T54/

@Tim The bolded bit is really old "news".

School XVs is done for the year and now the school 7s tournaments are starting. 21 Teams Set To Contest Hurricanes Secondary Schools Sevens Tournament 12 boys teams and 9 girls teams have currently registered to compete for the Hurricanes Secondary Schools Sevens Cups at Rathkeale College, Masterton on Saturday, 17 October. This is the seventh year of the Tournament, which was first played in 2014. 2019 champions Palmerston North Boys’ High School and Manukura will both look to defend their inaugural titles against a strong competition representing six of the Council’s eight member Provincial Unions. The Tournament is once again being hosted by the Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Football Union in the picturesque grounds of Rathkeale College. Participating teams: Boys’ Section Aotea College, (Wellington RFU) Feilding High School, (Manawatu RFU) Hastings Boys’ High School, (Hawkes Bay RFU) Hato Pāora College, (Manawatu RFU) Lindisfarne College, (Hawkes Bay RFU) Mana College, (Wellington RFU) Palmerston North Boys’ High School, (Manawatu RFU) - (Defending Champions) St. Patrick’s College, Wellington, (Wellington RFU) Upper Hutt College, (Wellington RFU) Waiopehu College, (Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU) Wellington College, (Wellington RFU) Whanganui Collegiate, (Wanganui RFU) Girls’ Section Aotea College, (Wellington RFU) Feilding High School, (Manawatu RFU) Kapiti College, (Horowhenua-Kapiti RFU) Manukura, (Manawatu RFU) Palmerston North Girls’ High School, (Manawatu RFU) Ruapehu College, (Wanganui RFU) St Mary’s College, (Wellington RFU) Wairarapa College, (Wairarapa-Bush RFU) Whanganui High School, (Wanganui RFU) Draw not available, yet.

Cameron Church was awarded the Jerry Collins Memorial Bronze Boot for 2019.

@OomPB "Prohibited Items: Drugs, weapons, alcohol, food, cans and glass bottles." Eish.

@Tim Hmmm, top team in the country can't get a player into the schools team. Oh, I just saw who the coach is ....

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/basketball/110561163/secondary-school-rugby-participation-plummets-while-basketball-surges

I haven't been around the schools system for a while now but certainly the rules were always being bent when I was coaching. Even if a state school won the battle over a private school offering fee assistance the next battle was from other State schools looking to bolster their sports programmes. Local development coaches would openly tell good players that they should consider moving schools and that they could put them in touch with people that would assist. The biggest factor was 'we won't look at you for development if you aren't playing first grade, so go to a first grade school'. I knew of nobody with good rugby pedigree that was ever turned down as an out of zone enrolment no matter how over subscribed a school was. I didn't necessarily have an issue with any of that as it was also mixed up with educational opportunities for often under privileged that you couldn't blame anyone for grabbing. Where my problem lay was that players with good potential that didn't/ couldn't move had no avenue to push their claims as their appearance at identification camps was a token gesture and the rep level was being run by the same folk with a vested interest in the boys already chosen at the 'better' schools. I have witnessed identification days where players we had nominated would do the drills at a much higher skill level, with much more instinct and enthusiasm etc while others that couldn't even pass the ball properly off both hands would get selected primarily due to their school. Again, I don't blame the schools in this but the Union who should be making sure that school politics doesn't interfere with identifying and supporting the best players in their region.

Highlights of Australian Schools (11) v (34) New Zealand Schools

@stargazer The second XV have had good results for the last couple of years as have the under 15s and the under14s won a super 8 competition during tournament. Having said that I think this team was an exceptional one and we would be lucky to see one of this quality again. Only 700 boys and other competitive schools close by mean it is hard to dominate. No doubt Napier will come back strongly and in yesterday’s Hawke’s Bay Manawatu game ( at last ) there were 4 past Lindisfarne players and at least 3 ex Napier. One thing in our favour is the quality of our coaches esp Tafi Ioasa.