Wellington College – classic wins of yesteryear

Wellington College v Whanganui Collegiate 2023 – a modern day classic. Photo: Andy McArthur.

• By Adam Julian

In 2026, the Wellington College First XV will celebrate 150 years since their first win in the first secondary school rugby match.  More details for a once-in-a-lifetime weekend can be found here: https://www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/423419

In the meantime, Club Rugby decided to look back at some classic Wellington College wins yesteryear.

1876 v Nelson College Won: 2-0

The inaugural secondary school rugby match in New Zealand took place on July 20, 1876, at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, despite a typhoid outbreak at Wellington College. Nelson arrived at 8:00 am after a difficult journey on the SS Phoebe. Their team included 12 boys and a master, JP Firth, who weighed 16 stone, considered large for the era. For comparison, the first official All Black, James Allen, weighed 14 stone in 1883.

The match was played in calm weather, divided into four half-hour periods, and ended five minutes early due to darkness.

Wellington won two goals to nil, as matches were then decided by goals from kicks. Captain Adam Burnes, the school’s first  Wellington senior representative in 1875, and Charles Brandon, whose family had 14 members attend Wellington College, each scored a goal.

Since that haphazard beginning, Wellington and Nelson have forged a keen rivalry, largely through an annual Quadrangular (Quad) tournament that also features Whanganui Collegiate and Christ’s College, and turns 100 in Whanganui in June. Wellington and Nelson have played 87 times, with Wellington leading 46-38, with 9 draws. Together, the schools have won the Quadrangular tournament 59 times and produced 58 All Blacks. Notable Nelson alumni include locking titian Nev MacEwan and current Crusaders players Ethan Blackadder and David Havili. Wellington All Blacks range from 1924 Invincibles captain Cliff Porter and 2015 Rugby World Cup winner Dane Coles.

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1916 v Christ’s College – Won: 19-18

Wellington College pulled off the biggest comeback in tournament history during the 1916 series decider. Christ’s, with the wind and sun on their side, pushed hard and built an 18-0 lead by halftime. In the second half, Christ’s gave away penalties, giving Wellington chances to attack. Arthur Keene stood out, scoring two tries as Wellington fought back. With just minutes left, Wellington trailed 14-18. Then, a clever blind side move let Frank Morton slip past a defender to score, making it 17-18 with almost no time left. Morton calmly converted his own try, sealing the win for Wellington. This match was the highest-scoring between the two schools since 1905 and remained so until 1961. Christ’s points total would have been enough to win 54 out of 93 Triangular series matches and 55 of the first 71 Quadrangular finals up to 1998!

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1969 v Nelson College – Won: 19-17

The Wellingtonian praised the First XV for delivering “one of the finest twenty minutes in Wellington College rugby history” as they ended the host’s hopes. Wellington jumped to a 16-6 lead, scoring four tries in the first quarter. Graeme Moody, Grant Smith, and Robert and William Deterte all scored, and Wellington’s strong start was enough to secure the win. Smith led the team in points that season with 158. Moody later became New Zealand’s top radio rugby commentator. The 1969 First XV won 11 games and drew 2 out of 18.

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1972 v Wanganui Collegiate: Won: 13-6

With both the Moascar Cup and Quad titles on the line, the game didn’t quite live up to expectations as a spectacle. Arthur Reeve noted that “too much kicking marred the contest.” Still, there was plenty of tension, and Wellington only secured the win in the last ten minutes. Murray Osten scored the first try for Wellington, but two penalties from Collegiate captain Phillip Young and a Colin McLea drop goal left Wellington just one point ahead at halftime, 7-6. In the second half, Wanganui’s strong defence kept things close, but Wellington’s determination paid off.

Wanganui won a scrum about 35 yards from their own line, but Wellington got the ball back and Steve Murray “burst 35 yards, brushing off some seven players to dot down by the posts.” Robert Deterte converted, and Wellington College became the first Wellington school to win the Moascar Cup. That year, Wellington College won 18 out of 21 games. They lost the Moascar Cup to St Patrick’s College, Silverstream in 1973.

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1981 v St Pats Silverstream – Won: 27-12

The 50th match against Silverstream was a major event. Played in perfect conditions at Wellington College, the home team hadn’t beaten Silverstream since 1976 and had only won 15 of the previous 49 games. This time, Wellington delivered an outstanding performance, scoring the first 27 points. Tim Dowden, Dean Walker, Peleti Liam (after a 40-meter run), Nouata Saifoloi, and Captain Tim Ritchie all scored tries. The Blue and White, St Pats Silverstream’s magazine, called it Silverstream’s “worst performance for many years.” Wellington finished the 1981 season with 17 wins from 21 games and scored 72 tries.

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1989 v Wanganui Collegiate- Won: 25-14

Wanganui Collegiate came into the Quad final as clear favourites. Wellington College had just edged past Christ’s College 6-0 in the first round and was having an average season, finishing with 14 wins from 22 games. In contrast, Wanganui won 20 of 23 games and scored 683 points, with Jason Bowie and Ra Pomare contributing 518 of those. On the first day, they beat Nelson College 49-13.

Still, the Wanganui Collegian noted, “One thing that was quickly apparent was a lack of concentration on our part.” During the game, Wellington had seven fairly straightforward penalty shots, and Marc Ellis, who would later play for the All Blacks and Kiwis, kicked five of them. Wellington’s strong forward pack, led by future English international Perry Freshwater and All Black Filo Tiatia, helped them build a surprising 21-6 lead. But Jason Bowie responded, scoring two quick tries in the 29th and 32nd minutes of the second half to complete his hat-trick and close the gap to 21-14. Wellington stayed calm, and another try sealed what might be the biggest upset in Quad history. Benson Kerse and Jason Woolley also scored tries for Wellington.

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1992 v Christ’s College – Won: 10-7

The 1992 final was closely contested, and if Christ’s had kicked more accurately, they might have won. Wellington secured the quadrangular with a try from Fa’atoto Moananu and a penalty and a conversion by Toby Robson, later a US international, a Jubilee Cup winner with Wests, and a senior rugby writer for the Dominion Post. This win came after two losses to Wanganui in the 1990 and 1991 finals. Wellington finished the 1992 season with a 16-4 record, outscoring their opponents 454-192, and beat St Patrick’s College Silverstream by a record 43-5.

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1993 v Christ’s College – Won: 31-5

Wellington won the tournament outright and back-to-back for the first time since 1963-1964 with a dominant win over Christ’s. An early break by Michael Whitehead set up a try for Barrett Blaylock, and after that, Wellington took control, scoring five tries in total. Oliver Gazley, Tristan Meo, and Fa’atoto Moananu all played key roles and each scored a try. This win marked the start of a great period in Wellington College rugby. Between 1994 (a season in which they won 24 of 28 games) and 2014, Wellington won or shared the quadrangular tournament 14 times. In 1995, Wellington reached the National Top Four final, narrowly losing to 1A Auckland champions Kelston Boys’ High School. The 1995 First XV won 20 out of 22 games.

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2000 v Christ’s College – Won: 33-20

The 2000 First XV reached the National Top Four final but lost both that and the Premier One Wellington decider. In the quadrangular final, though, they delivered their best performance of the season, beating a strong Christ’s College team 33-20. Wellington started fast, jumping to a 12-0 lead. Christ’s fought back and trailed just 20-23 with six minutes left, but Wellington finished with two more tries to secure the win. For Wellington, Brendan Watt scored twice, with Soti Fa’amausili, Hone Patrick, and Matthew Poutoa also scoring tries. Brent Moresi added a conversion and two penalties. For Christ’s, Greg Norris scored two tries, Fraser Hutchinson added another, and Guy Nure kicked a conversion and a penalty.

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2011 v Nelson College – Won: 18-10

Nelson controlled the first half and scored the opening try with a 40-meter intercept by Kerehama Barrett. But they missed several scoring opportunities, and with the score tied at 10-10, the game’s key moment arrived. Fullback Andrew Quinlivan picked up the ball inside his own 22 and ran through the entire Nelson defence to score a brilliant try. Andrew Wells then kicked a drop goal to secure Wellington’s ninth straight quadrangular win. Wells scored 195 points that season and went on to win a Jubilee Cup with Marist St Pats a year after leaving school in 2012.

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2013 v Nelson College –Won: 16-10

Wellington dominated Christ’s College 47-5 to reach their 11th straight final. Nelson Asofo-Solomona scored twice, while Leni Apisai, Wesley Goosen, Jack Hocking, Tamiti Hauraki-Tyrell, and Arthur Crawford also scored tries. Pakaitore Turia added six conversions. The final against Nelson was a tough battle. Playing their third game in five days, Wellington came back from 10-3 down to win the Quad again, keeping Nelson scoreless in the second half. Arthur Crawford and Wesley Goosen scored tries, and Pakaitore Turia kicked two penalties. For Nelson, Larry Banse scored a try, and Finn Hart-Strawbridge added a penalty and a conversion.

Wellington College won the Premiership final 25-22 against St Patrick’s College, Silverstream. Silverstream’s fullback Josh Robertson-Weepu scored 17 points, but Pakaitore Turia was on fire, kicking 20 points and converting a try by Nelson Asofo-Solomona. Sadly, Turia passed away in 2025 after playing 10 games for the Wellington Lions. In club rugby, he played 136 games for Pōneke and Hutt Old Boys Marist, scoring 901 points and helping his teams to 78 wins.

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2016 v St Pats Town – Won: 12-9

Wellington defeated the defending champions in a final without any tries. The match was tense, with both teams refusing to give ground, and it was decided by penalties. Wellington College fullback Reece Plumtree earned Player of the Match for his strong defence and accurate kicking, including the winning points after a key turnover by openside flanker Gus McPherson. Reece “Lightning” Plumtree later won three Jubilee Cups with Old Boys University. He scored 200 points in the 2016 season, including 19 in a memorable 29-26 win over St Patrick’s College, Silverstream, in the Ken Gray Memorial Trophy match. His brother Taine Plumtree, who later played for Wales, locked the scrum with Naitoa Ah Kuoi, a well-liked Bay of Plenty and Chiefs player.

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2023: Whanganui Collegiate: Won 32-31

Suggestions that this would be a unique tussle were immediate. Wellington started the match like a freight train with two tries in 10 minutes to wing Jacob Kennedy. His first was opportunism, tapping swiftly from a penalty and exposing slack markers. A second was scored by collecting a spillage from a Garryowen kick and dashing 40m. Gradually, Whanganui settled and began to assert its authority. Their attack was built around the size and offloading of second-five Tali Ioasa and the height of locks Ratunui Latus and Oscar Mabin, who bossed the lineouts.

With Whanganui leading 26-15, it seemed they would win their first Quad since 1991. But Wellington staged an unlikely comeback. Kennedy scored his third try to narrow the gap, and with Wellington trailing 31-29, Year 11 first-five Archie Sims kicked a penalty from 35 meters out, 15 meters in from touch. Whanganui made a desperate attack the length of the field, but Wellington held on to win the Quad for the first time since 2014, delighting the home crowd.

On the first day, Wellington came back from 19-0 down to beat Christ’s College 32-26. Christ’s started strong, attacking close to the ruck and scoring three tries through their forwards: lock George Austin, prop Ethan Jones, and lock Will Ockwell. First-five Leo Jelly made good decisions, and centre PJ Paiamo broke through the defence several times. Just before halftime, Wellington finally scored. After a lineout in the corner, they moved the ball toward the posts and halfback Henry Bremer scored their first try. First-five Archie Sims converted and then kicked a 30-meter penalty, bringing Wellington to 19-10 soon after the break.

Christ’s quickly regained the ascendancy when Jelly snatched an intercept and dashed 30m. Christ’s looked more than comfortable at 26-10. Wellington’s previous form provided no clues that a winning revival was possible. With a miserable 2-4 record, Wellington was languishing in sixth place in the local premiership. How did Wellington pull a rabbit out of the hat?

The bench added significant enthusiasm and impact; Christ’s struggling to handle their size. Experienced individuals took ownership, eliminating the frustrating errors of the first half and playing with a level of passion not seen in 2023. Fullback Carisma Faitala scored by outmanoeuvring his marker following a penalty and quick tap inside the 22 to make it 26-15. Wellington stormed back into Christ’s 22 and earned a scrum.  Captain and No.8 Jack Riley blasted into a hole off an attacking scrum and left a trail of would-be tacklers as the gap closed to 26-22. Kennedy was the star of the tournament, though. He scored a 70m solo stunner to win the St Pats Town traditional, and in this game found space at halfway and, with swerve, swagger, and speed, skinned Christ’s.

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2024 v St Patrick’s College, Silverstream Won: 27-24

Stanley Solomon, who would go on to win the Billy Wallace Best and Fairest Medal for Petone and play for the Wellington Lions and New Zealand Under-20s, scored a brilliant 80-metre try in Wellington College’s 31-27 win over Silverstream in 2021. But Archie Sims’ drop goal to win a Ken Gray classic 27-24 on Silverstream’s main field was perhaps even more impressive. Drop goals are so rare in New Zealand now that none were kicked in the 2023 Premiership and only one in the entire 2023 NPC season. With calm precision, Sims sent the winning goal through the posts from 40 metres as if he had done it all his life. After the match, Wellington coach and All Blacks Rugby World Cup winner Piri Weepu told Club Rugby, “The kid has never practised.” Only Piri could deliver that line so calmly.

The match was a wild contest. Wellington took an early lead, and even though Silverstream had a player sent off, they managed to score 17 unanswered points. But with Sims in top form, scoring in every way possible – penalty, try, three conversions, and a drop goal – Wellington won at Silverstream for the first time since 2016. Later in the season, Wellington made the Premiership final in 2024 for the first time since 2017.

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Wellington College

Founded: 1867

Roll: 1925

Motto: Lumen Accipe et Imperti – Accept The Light And Pass It On. (Or in a rugby sense, ‘Accept the Ball and Pass it on?’)

Wellington Premier One Grade Champions: 1979, 1988, 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2016

Annual Triangular Winners: 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1909, 1910, 1913, 1915, 1916, 1918, 1920.

Quadrangular Winners; 1925, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1937, 1945, 1955, 1957, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2023

Entire Season Unbeaten: 1909, 1910, 1929, 1931, 2007.

National 1^st XV Appearances: 1994 (3), 1995 (2), 2000 (2), 1999 (3), 2008 (4), 2013 (3).

Moascar Cup Holders: 2 defences from 1972-1973.

All Blacks: 35