The National Top Four First XV championship for the New Zealand Barbarians Cup will be staged at Rotorua Boys’ High School this weekend.
The first top four was staged in 1982 and won by Mount Albert Grammar School. Since that inaugural tourney, the tournament has became the preeminent event in secondary school rugby.
The 2015 version features four fine teams. Who is your pick?
Chiefs – Rotorua Boys’ High School
Record: 20-3
Hosts Rotorua Boys’ High School return to the top four for the first time since 2006. They have been winners on three previous occasions (1998, 2002 and 2003).
Rotorua upset Hamilton Boys’ High School 30-23 in the Chiefs region semi-final two weeks ago. Rotorua had lost to the Super 8 champions twice, but dethroned the reigning National champions on their home ground. Rotorua is only the third school in ten years to beat Hamilton at home.
The following week Rotorua predictably dispatched a spirited, but less explosive New Plymouth Boys’ High School outfit. It was the second time this season Rotorua had tipped over the Taranaki Champions.
Rotorua won the Chiefs Cup in pre-season beating the top two sides in Counties, Manurewa High School and Wesley College. They finished second in Super 8 by winning six games, it was their best result since 2004. Additionally Rotorua won all six games on a South American tour in the term two holidays.
Rotorua is a big, experienced and expansive side. They have scored 122 tries this year and feature the bulk of players who helped them win the Condor Sevens and National touch titles in December 2014.
Key players to watch include: Isaac Te Aute who will play his 80th game for the First XV on Friday. The captain is versatile, creative and fleet-footed.
Wing Ngarohi McGarvey-Black has scored 17 tries in 23 games and fullback Kaleb Trask is a prolific scorer amassing 238 points this season.
In the forwards openside Jade Honeycombe is adept at poaching a turnover and is a powerful with ball in hand. He will bring up 50 games for the First XV on Friday. Hooker Jaya Moore is a model of consistency.
Rotorua at their best are arguably the best team at this tourney. Their combination of size and speed make them extremely difficult to contain. However in a few games they have gone completely off the boil (they were shocking in the Super 8 final) and that might cost them this weekend.
Blues – St. Kentigern College
Record: 17-1
Since 2011, St. Kent’s have won 106 out of 113 games including four Auckland titles and the 2012 National Top Four championship.
St. Kent’s are a well-balanced team with a powerful forward pack and flair out wide.
However the St. Kent’s forwards are not as imposing as the 2012 class. Perhaps the teams’ greatest strength is their defence.
They had no right to win the 1A final and were under the cosh for 15 minutes in the semi-final, but scrapped their way to wins. St. Kent’s are very hard to breach.
Still they feature three particularly classy forwards.
Prop Sesimani Tupou has played five Auckland finals and will appear in his fourth top four.
Captain and openside Dalton Papalii is supremely talented while lock Paripari Parkinson stands nearly seven foot tall! He is rarely beaten in the lineout’s with his combination of height and athleticism.
St. Kent’s have lost three key backs this weekend. The outstanding Braydon Ennor, Wesley Tameifuna and Salimoni Tukania are all injured which removes some serious potency.
That will put a lot of pressure on the illusive and creative Carlos Price (9/10) and Etene Nanai (fullback) to produce some spark.
St. Kent’s are a model of consistency, but will injures cost them?
Hurricanes – Scots College
Record: 19-2-1
The joint defending champions return despite losing the Wellington final. Scots earned a second life because of the gap left by Taranaki’s departure from the Hurricanes region.
Can a team given a second life win the Top Four?
In 1999 Kelston Boys’ High School lost to Auckland Grammar School in the 1A final, but beat Grammar a week later in the Top 32 competition (as it was then) and went onto to win the National Top Four.
Despite losing the decider in the capital, Scots beat every side in the competition. They also accounted for Nelson College and Marlborough Boys’ College in pre-season and scored five wins on tour in Japan.
They have scored 147 tries in 2015 and feature the Umaga-Jensen twins.
Peter and Thomas are arguably the best players in school rugby. Their combined impact is immense. Between them they have scored 55 tries in the last two seasons and created many more. Peter is captain and can play anywhere in backline while Thomas was man of the match in last year’s top four final.
Prop and No.8 Alex Fidow is a massive threat. He is 143kg and has scored 47 tries in 58 games with his free-running approach.
Scots have an honest forward pack. Henry Mexted and Harry Saker are a pair of locks who grind away and burley flanker Jack Loader has improved immeasurably.
However as a collective the Scots pack was beaten decisively by Town in the scrums and have struggled with their set-pieces at other times during the season.
Two key players are injured as well, sorely testing the depth of the small school whose 2nd XV play premier four.
Wing/Fullback Connor Garden-Bachop is out with concussion. He scored two tries in last year’s final and has 31 tries in 29 games for the First XV. Lock Jarimar Schuster broke his leg in the Wellington final.
Can Scots go back to back? They sorely miss the leadership and flair of TJ Va’a and really need another very special showing by the Umaga-Jensen twins.
South Island – Otago Boys’ High School
Record: 17-5-3
Otago Boys’ High School return to Rotorua for the third time in four years with perhaps their best chance of taking out the National title.
Otago has little school competition in their region. This year they extended their unbeaten run against schools in the Highlanders region to 59 consecutive matches.
In light of this lack of competition they switched grades to play in the Premier Colts competition.
What is the standard of this competition?
In 1998 Otago Boys’ featuring Richie McCaw shared the top four title while playing in this grade. Coach Ryan Martin was the Otago captain.
Otago has the highest number of registered under-19 players in the country.
Boys’ High, despite boasting a heavier forward pack than the All Blacks, failed to make the semi-finals -nine of their 13 games were decided by less than ten points.
Otago are battled-hardened, experienced and a serious threat.
Their strength is upfront. Prop Sione Asi is 137kg! He scrimmages well and carries with gusto. He scored three tries in the Highlanders final against Southland Boys’ High School.
Alex Frood is a fine hooker who has height to throw to and openside Slade McDowall is a real pest.
Otago lack the flair and speed of the other teams out wide, but they still boast a handy backline. The key figure is huge centre Hemaua Samasoni who has played 68 consecutive games for the First XV. Fullback Josh Buchan has scored 175 points (20 tries, 26 con, 7 pen)