Coach Rasch and HOBM Eagles looking to defend title in 2026

HOBM Head Coach Otto Rasch with his family and the Eagles on the field after last July’s Jubilee Cup Final. Photo: Stewart Baird.

• By Adam Julian

Otto Rasch cuts an imperious figure as a coach, physically imposing and forthright.

He’s got Hutt Old Boys Marist humming, too.

In February, the 2025 Jubilee Cup champions and McBain Shield holders added the National Club Sevens and Foxton Tens titles to their burgeoning trophy cabinet at the “Eagles Nest.”

From 2022 to 2024, Rasch helped rejuvenate a floundering Wellington College Rugby programme markedly improving the fortunes of the First XV who made the Premiership final for the first time in seven years in 2024.

Celebrating Wellington College’s 27-24 win over St Pat’s Silverstream in 2024. Photo: Andy McArthur.

How does Rasch explain his quick success?

“I’m honest. You want straight up, you’re in the right place,” Rasch responded.

“I’m a vocal coach who cares. Players respect that. I try to keep things relevant and simple “

Refreshing. A 2007 and 2014 Jubilee Cup winning prop, Rasch played 104 games for Hutt Old Boys Marist, retiring after he “blew his knee” in the Eagles’ 2016 Hardham VC Memorial Cup win against Petone. He also spent seven years in France, the peak of which was a stint at Pro D2 club, Grenoble.

Rasch playing in the 2014 Jubilee Cup final. Photo: Hugh Pretorius. 

Today he is Managing Director of his aptly named construction company, Straight Forward Building Solutions. He has 15 staff. Some could be described as larrikins.

“I wish they were all like Harry Law,” laughed Rasch, referencing the erudite former Wellington College prefect and First XV lock who flourished under Rasch’s tutelage.

“I’m dealing with young people in my business every day. That’s got to help.”

Fellow coach Phil Katene is a longtime friend of Rasch.

“I first met Otto in 1999, playing for the Bishop Viard College First XV against Wellington College. I was 75kg dripping wet. He was six-foot-five and 135kg.

“I slapped the ball out of his hand, looking to tap quickly from a penalty. At the next stoppage, he stood over me. I was freaking out until he gently handed me the ball and laughed.

“Otto has a softer side but when it comes to work, you work. When he speaks, you listen. He commands respect because of his immense knowledge of and passion for the game. His ability to honestly connect with players and coaches is outstanding.”

Industrious personalities resonate with Rasch. Last year, assisted by Kent Harris and Norths Jubilee Cup winner Aiden Cains, his jumbo-sized Hutt Old Boys Marist Eagles stormed to their first Jubilee Cup title since 2014, winning six of their last seven games. In the final, they conquered Tawa 29-22.

Coach Rasch in the back row with the Eagles on Kilbirnie Park after their Jubilee Cup win last July. Photo: Warwick Burke.

“We were lucky to have a big pack. It made sense to play direct, territorial footy,” Rasch said.

“But if you look back at the final, it was our backs who scored all the points. Credit to Tawa for standing up to our set piece.

“Everyone remembers Dom Ernst’s try winning us the game. I reckon it was his tackle on Hemi Fermanis. Pulling him down one-on-one, dripping wet at 60 kg, is no mean feat.

” Kapu Broughton Winterburn. I gave him a serve at the start of the season. Look how he turned out. He got into the Wellington Lions.”

“Our plan was to build a Jubilee Cup-winning team in three years. We did it in one, so we’ve got to do it again.

“We’re in good shape. Building depth is important. That’s why a lot of our young guys got a go in the Sevens and tens,” Rasch said.

New Zealand Secondary Schools loose forward Rupeni Raviyawa, St Pat’s Silverstream Premiership-winning hooker Riley Browne, and Scots College tearaway Brandon Lo are quality first-year school leavers likely to see Premier time.

Captain Waylon Tuhoro-Robinson, Phelan Rona, and the aforementioned Ernst and Broughton-Winterburn are a clean pair of heels in the backs.

Front row beef comes from props Vili Tauofaga and Brett Manaia. Towering Wellington Lions locks Teofilo Paulo and Ben Tuiomanufili hinted at retirement in 2025 but could return. Luca Rees, scorer of 100 Premier tries, joins from Norths.

Mentored by “master of the dark arts,” Rasch, Hutt promises to be formidable.

Last Millennium, Rasch was a member of the Wellington College First XV between 1997 and 1999, with the ‘99 team winning 22 of 27 games, the Wellington Premiership, the annual quadrangular tournament, and finishing fourth in New Zealand. Rasch trained against the All Blacks. In France, the ball was “never run in your own half.”

Phil Katene: “The Wellington College front row in 99 was future All Black Neemia Tialata, Pōneke centurion Soti Fa’amausili, and Otto. They trained against Kees Meeuws, Carl Hoeft and an All Blacks captain, Anton Oliver. Years later, when Otto was up in France, he smashed into a ruck and cleaned out Oliver. Oliver stopped to thump him. “Hang on,” Oliver said, “I know you.”

Rasch (back right in the photo) and the Eagles celebrating their 2007 final win. Having won the Jubilee Cup as a player twice and now as a coach, Rasch joins illustrious company. Who was the last coach to achieve this?

Hutt Old Boys Marist open their new season at the Graveyard at Hataitai Park against the Wellington Axemen this coming Saturday at 2.45pm.