Harry Irving and OBU preparing for Jubilee Cup final on Saturday

Harry Irving on the attack against Petone earlier this season. Photo: Andy McArthur.

• By Adam Julian

Most players go through their careers without winning a Jubilee Cup even if they are of rare quality and durability. Jason Goble played 275 games for Avalon and never contested a decider. Similarly, Paul Hakaraia made 255 starts for Poneke and never touched the silverware.

This Saturday Old Boys University flanker Harry Irving gets a crack as an 18-year-old in his first season when the Billygoats joust with Tawa at Jerry Collins Stadium on Saturday.

“It feels pretty surreal. I’m the first in my family to play for it. It’s a serious competition with a long history. It’s a cool opportunity, I’m really excited,” Irving said.

It’s the second major final Irving has contested in the past two seasons. Last August he captained Scots College to a 29-27 victory over St Patrick’s College, Silverstream in the Premiership final at Jerry Collins Stadium.

“Winning that Premiership last year was epic and was down to good culture and connection between the boys,” Irving said.

“Even where we were training we were having fun, enjoying each other’s company. It’s much the same at OBU. The management of both teams set things up so well all the players had to do was their job.”

A Poneke junior from Island Bay, Irving played first five until he became “too tall.”

Adjusting to lock at Rongotai College wasn’t without challenges but Irving soon stood out with his leadership, nimbleness, work rate and aggression. He was a Wellington Under 16 and 18 representative and last year, he was named College Sport Wellington Rugby Player of the Year after being the only player from the capital selected for the New Zealand Barbarians.

Irving is no stranger to finals at Jerry Collins Stadium – above captaining Scots College in the First XV decider last year. Photo: Andy McArthur. 

Irving joined Old Boys University because of a strong relationship with coach Anthony Rehutai who taught at Scots. He has shifted to blindside flanker to accommodate impressive locks Jack Riley (latterly at openside flanker), Boston Hunt, Finn O’Sullivan (also first year out of school at Wellington College) and Oskar Lynch.

Irving has started 13 matches this season and scored four tries, three of those in the last month. Old Boys University won the first-round Swindale Shield for the fourth time since 2016

“My favourite game was last week’s semi-final against Hutt Old Boys Marist. They’re a massive team but we matched them physically and I was stoked to get a try,” Irving said.

“Tomasi Palu reminds us is about more than the rugby team. We’re a brotherhood and that means we dig deep for each other.”

Director of Rugby and assistant premier coach Palu was a Tongan international halfback who won the Jubilee Cup with the Goats in 2015 and 2017.

Reece Plumtree, Callum Harkin, Kyle Preston and Ty Poe are the only survivors from the 2020 final victory over Norths (22-14). Cody Quinn played in the 2018 final win over Norths and Boston Hunt was the Jim Brown Memorial Medalist as player of the final for Norths in their 23-20 win over Petone in 2022.

Irving scores for OBU in this past Saturday’s semi-final win over HOBM. Footage by Mike Lewis Pictures. 

Tawa, champions in 2013, 2016 and 2021, will take some stopping. Tawa have won nine matches in a row, including their previous meeting against OBU 31-30 on July 6.

“Tawa have heaps of experience. Their set piece was super-dominant last time so we have to be better there. On attack and defence, they have threats,” Irving said.

“Physically they’re bigger than us so we must acknowledge it’s going to be a battle and get into that hardened mindset.

“We hope to move them around a little and back out skillset and fitness.”

OBU and Tawa have won seven of the last 11 Jubilee Cup finals but have not played each other in the decider.

Tawa beat OBU 25-20 in the 2011 Hardham Cup final. This was the only time that Tawa and OBU contested a final. They have also met in two Jubilee Cup semi-finals, with Tawa beating OBU in 2013 and OBU beating Tawa 50-22 in 2017. Current Tawa fullback Randall Bishop played in all these three games.

Tawa last lost a Jubilee Cup final to Wests (21-53) in 1998. In 2002 OBU was beaten 18-13 by Marist St Pat’s.

Meanwhile, Harry’s parents work for the PPTA and his sister Sophie plays for the Poneke-OBU combined women’s side. Harry is studying building science with a  major in project management. He is a member of the Wellington Rugby Academy, training every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Old Boys University v Tawa, Jubilee Cup final. Jerry Collins Stadium, 3.15pm Saturday.