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- By Adam Julian
- Photos by Andy McArthur
St Patrick’s College, Silverstream is irrefutably the best rugby school in the capital. The Upper Hutt-based Catholics won five grades in 2024, their nearest rivals one.
The First XV Premiership is the most coveted prize and in the final at Jerry Collins Stadium, Silverstream overpowered Wellington College 31-12.
Wellington College was unbeaten heading into the decider but was subdued by a dogged and disciplined Silverstream pack. The second-placed qualifier has won the final eight times since 2010.
Wellington started briskly, defining the inclement weather with bold and expansive attack. A break by winger Teina Hingston-Mill took Wellington College within a nostril hair of the stripe. Captain Ollie Church followed up and wouldn’t be denied.
Shea Bosher was denied by a fluffed pass and a skidding Connor Tuifao. Wellington College had Silverstream cooked on the right edge when the ball bounced in front of Bosher. The lively winger gathered before the prop knocked on with an unorthodox intervention.
Silverstream resorted to convention to settle. A 15m lineout drive restored some claim and structure. Several pick and goes were finished by Drew Breg-McLean.
Heart rates were sent into potentially fatal territory when Silverstream halfback Kian O’Connell passed to nobody in his own in-goal area. First-Five Thompson Tukapua clammily retrieved the loose possession and earned a penalty against an overzealous Wellington defence. A quick tap by Breg-McLean advanced that advantage to halfway. From the lineout Silverstream surgically built phases and lock Samuel Thompson smashed over for a try.
Trailing 14-5, Wellington’s early zip had now totally vanished. The black and golds were lucky not to concede a third try on the halftime siren. Hooker Jericho Wharehinga tried to outwrestle a handful of defenders when others were unmarked. Silverstream winger William Davis had splintered the defense. Crucially Silverstream turned with the wind.
Slapstick was the source of Silverstream fortune to start the second half. Tukapua torpedoed the referee in the head. Maybe it was a protest about rate increases by Lower Hutt Major Campbell Barry. At least Barry survived his own blue card examination and was generous enough to give Silverstream a scrum and then a penalty which fullback Liam Slight nailed from 45 metres.
Tukapua alternated between first receiver and fullback. His general kicking was thoughtful and challenging and a fumble induced out of Chrisma Faitala spelled trouble for Wellington. Silverstream patiently built phases and Thompson bullied his way over again.
Four reserves rushed on for Wellington College and initially, there was a spike of momentum. Second-five Te Aowera Para made a searing outside break and a sideline conversion by Ariche Sims closed the gap to 24-12.
New halfback Rio Kosaka channeled the spirit of Fumiaki Tanaka, the threat of Bosher had Silverstream on edge, and Z’Kdeus Schwalger applied big hits to match his big hair.
Silverstream appeared to be waning until Wharehinga bustled ahead and this time created space that didn’t exist by improbably offloading in the grasp of two to Tukapua who sailed 30m clear.
Under the coaching of former All Blacks, Neemia Tialata, John Schwalger and Piri Weepu Wellington never stopped trying in their first final since 2017. With a greater contingent of players back than Silverstream in 2025, there is good reason for optimism.
Silverstream’s eighth Premiership title is one of their sweetest. The margin of victory was the largest in a final since Wellington belted Silverstream 45-9 in 2009. Silverstream’s biggest win in a final was 28-14 against St Pats Town in 2022.
Under the diligent coaching of John Herbert and Karl Davis, Silverstream won six games in a row after their June 12 meltdown against Wellington College where they had a player sent off and were on the wrong end of a 21-6 penalty count.
Silverstream won all three Premier divisions in 2024 as well as the Under 15a final. Much kudos for the strength of Silverstream’s rugby program belongs to understated Rugby Director Tim Mannix.
Tim played for the famous 1985 Silverstream First XV that won 19 out of 21 games, swept their traditional fixtures, and won the Wellington Under 19 championship. A foundation Hurricane in 1996, Mannix played 80 games at prop for Wellington and won three Jubilee Cups for Petone.
In his first season as First XV coach in 2016, Silverstream failed to make the semi-finals. Since 2017 they haven’t missed a Premiership decider winning titles in 2017, 2018, 2021 (shared), 2022 and 2024. The overall record of the First XV since 2016 is 105 wins in 144 games.
Since 2016, Silverstream has won 22 grades. With double the population, Wellington has won 11.
The Mannix family is something of a dynasty in Silverstream rugby. Tim’s brothers Simon (All Black) and Ollie played for the First XV as did sons Luke, Tom and Nic with the former two winning Premiership titles. Tim’s father Peter was captain of the 1959 St Bede’s College First XV that won the Canterbury Schools championship and 15 out of 21 games.
Silverstream plays Palmerston North Boys’ High School in a Hurricanes Regional semi-final next week. The winner of that game will earn a place in the Hurricanes Regional final which decides the Hurricanes representative for the National Top Four.
Earlier in the season Palmerston North beat Silverstream 22-8 and set up a Stream rematch yesterday by defeating Hastings Boys’ High School 32-27.
Palmerston North had lost to Hastings in Super 8 and with six minutes remaining was down 27-20. Richie Schaaf crashed over for a match-levelling try but Hastings was still ahead by virtue of scoring the first try. Hastings lineout wobbled; a lineout steal gave Palmerston North a lifeline. Hastings discipline cracked and Schaaf celebrated a second.
On the other side of the draw, Gisborne Boys’ High School will play Feilding High School. Feilding was beaten 42-33 in their Central North Island final by St John’s Hamilton yesterday. Gisborne, winners of only 7 of their last 56 Super 8 games, caused the upset of the season when stunned Napier Boys’ High School. Ben O’Brien-Leaf reports.
Gisborne Boys’ High School showed rare steel to beat age-old foes Napier BHS 27-26 away in their Hurricanes quarter-final.
Tries to the Duane Hihi-coached, Puna Hihi-led visitors’ loosehead prop Malosi Luafalealo, openside flanker James McKay, hooker Tyrone Mauheni and left-wing Safin Tuwairua-Brown – as against a five-pointer to NBHS mighty scrum-anchor Fasitau Lapa and a hat-trick to his captain lock George Prouting – had the 1,321 students released to watch the game at their most vocal.
On a fine, cool day Napier struck first four minutes in, first-five Luke Thomas converting his skipper’s try. Gisborne hit back through Luafalealo in the 26th minute. Thomas’s opposite Ruan Ludwig’s goal made it 7-7, the half-time score. McKay cut the line three minutes after the break and Ludwig did his duty for 14-7; Napier tighthead prop Lapa returned serve in the 48th minute, Thomas again proving his worth. Mauheni scored in the left corner at the 51st minute, Tuwairua-Brown an intercept try in the 56th minute. Neither of these were converted – the Black and Red team led 24-14.
At the one-hour mark and with 65 minutes up, Prouting dotted down twice to tie the scores, Thomas then converting the hat-trick try foe 26-24 to the Sky Blue and Whites. But it was in the 67th minute that Gisborne were awarded a penalty by referee and ex-Waikato Chief Daniel Waenga for not releasing the ball at a ruck.
From 16m to the left of the posts and 37m back, Ludwig judged the gusting northerly to perfection for 27-26.
Napier beat Gisborne for the Football Challenge Cup 21-20 in 2016 and have held that trophy since, but this was GBHS’ first victory, home or away against NBHS, for eight years.
Hihi junior said: ‘This was a huge for us. As with the 24-20 result v New Plymouth BHS – our only Super 8 win this season – on Rectory No.1 the Saturday before, we put this win against Napier down to our defence. And the job’s not done.”
Prouting felt that the 2024 edition was the best Gisborne 1st he’d played during his three years in Napier colours. His head coach Tai Te Rito said: “GBHS had done their homework and outmatched us physically. As a unit, they’ve improved all year and shown real passion for rugby.”
