Familiar foes Wellington College and St Patrick’s Silverstream clash in Sunday’s Premiership final at Jerry Collins Stadium in Porirua

• By Adam Julian
• Photos by Andy McArthur 

Wellington College and St Pat’s Silverstream meet on Sunday at Porirua Park in the 2026 Wellington First XV Premiership final.

Since the Premiership began in 1979, both schools have won it 23 times. The final started in 1993 with a 20-20 draw between Bishop Viard College and Hutt Valley High School. Wellington and Silverstream have faced each other 10 times, each winning five, though Silverstream has won the last three.

Silverstream has nine Premierships but never a hat-trick. They have appeared in every final since 2017, winning 94 of 107 Premiership games in the last decade, including the finals of 2017, 2018, 2021 (shared), 2022, 2024, and 2025. Between 2017 and 2018, they set a record of 28 consecutive wins. Between 2024 and 2026, they won 21 games in a row. Since 2024, Silverstream have won 18 games by scoring 50 or more points. All seven wins this season have been by 50 or more points.

In the same period, Wellington have won 67 matches but lost finals to Silverstream (31-12) in 2024 and (35-14) in 2025.

Wellington won their first of 14 Premierships in 1979 and holds the record for most successive wins with five between 2004 and 2009. Their overall record in that span was 94 wins in 113 games. All Blacks Dane Coles, Lima Sopoaga, and Jeff Toomaga-Allen passed through.

Since 2010, the lower-ranked qualifier from the round robin has won the final nine times.

Wellington last won in 2016 when they beat St Pats Town 12-9. There were no tries in the game, with Reece Plumtree, a three-time Jubilee Cup winner with Old Boys University, kicking four penalties.

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Three talking points

Cooper v Barry

Super-dooper Fletcher Cooper has evolved as one of the most prolific scorers and gifted playmakers in the country.

The 2025 Hurricanes U16 tournament MVP scored a school record 234 points for St Patrick’s College Silverstream last year, breaking a 36-year-old record set by future All Black Simon Mannix while in Year 11.

Now he’s captain. The Upper Hutt Catholics had a high turnover of 2025 Premiership-winning talent and have become more reliant on the precocious playmaker’s class. Without him, they look directionless, though they beat New Plymouth BHS 34-33, who were third in Super 8, without Cooper.

Able to kick off both feet, skip-pass accurately on both sides, and run smartly and quickly, if Cooper is guilty of anything, it is occasionally overplaying his hand.

Still, he has bettered his 2026 points tally, scoring 237 points and amassing 20 or more points in his last five matches. His highest haul is 39 against Mana College. He scored a record 27 in a long-standing fixture against Rongotai College. Most impressively, he scored 21 points against St Pats Town in a 38-36 loss and again in a 51-24 Premiership semi win.

Cooper is an absolute rarity: a Wellington schoolboy that even Auckland followers have heard of.

Wellington’s Joe Barry isn’t half bad either. Composed, mature and competitive, he wasn’t the starter at the beginning of the year but usurped Cooper Werkhoven with his superior ability to read the game, kick to space and release his outsides.

Cooper is spectacular, and Barry workmanlike and competent. The performances of the tens will go a long way towards deciding this one.

Lineout

When Wellington beat Silverstream 26-17 on June 10, they played a territory-based game, kicking long and often and baiting a restless Silverstream into mistakes. Another reason for frequent kicking is the strength of their lineout.

Wellington has four jumpers, with Year 12 locks Tom Ward and Ike McGuinness reliable targets and third-year backrowers Laifone Kamoto and Z’Kdeus Schwalger a towering presence.

Wellington maul powerfully and enjoy a height advantage over Silverstream, who did manage to win 78 per cent of their ball on June 10, just two per cent less than Wellington.

Silverstream, however, may throw fast to the front to avoid the taller Wellington timber. Be wary, though; their lineout maul is very effective. They scored a try that way on June 10 and three times without Fletcher Cooper in the New Plymouth traditional. Bronson Martin is a player who has improved massively after last season at Aotea College.

Who’s Peaking

Speculating on the mental disposition of teenage boys is often a futile task. While Wellington was unbeaten in the round-robin, their recent final record is poor. How will they respond if under pressure?

Six games against Super 8 sides were all lost, but valuable lessons were learned in tight tussles. Silverstream won three of four games against Super 8 sides.

Silverstream has a chip on its shoulder after its narrow Wellington loss. After a run of ridiculously easy games, they lost to St Pat’s Town and then dispatched them 51-24 in the semis in their best performance of the season, yet they still bombed three tries and conceded three from lineout drives after ill-discipline allowed Town inside the 22.

Silverstream scored nearly 200 points more than Wellington in the round-robin. If the game opens up, Silverstream are disciplined and hit their stride, nobody stays with them.

Both sides are very adept at the “pick and go.” Watch for the pace of Troy Waldrom and the liveliness of Silverstream’s Jaxon Ropitini. Wellington second five Ben Faitala is Wellington’s most threatening back. Can he catch fire?

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Season Records

Wellington College 2026

• Played: 18
• Won: 12
• Lost: 6
• Drawn: 0
• Points For: 611
• Points Against: 300

Trial Traditional: OBU Colts, Won, Feilding HS, Won

Nelson College, 43-5

Hamilton BHS, 20-26

Tauranga BC, 19-32

Hastings BHS, 36-38

Rotorua BHS, 12-20

Palmerston North BHS, 5-14

Napier BHS, 12-31

Whanganui Collegiate, 50-10 (Quad)

Nelson College, 43-13 (Quad)

St Pats Town, 31-26 (WP)

Scots College, 53-3 (WP)

Rongotai College, 62-19 (WP)

St Pats Silverstream, 26-17 (WP)

St Bernard’s College, 34-12 (WP)

Wairarapa College, 51-5 (WP)

HIBS, 55-12 (WP)

Rathkeale College, 42-17 (WP)

Rathkeale College, 17-0 (WP Semi)

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St Pats Silverstream 2026

• Played: 15
• Won: 10
• Lost: 5
• Drawn: 0
• Points For: 775
• Points Against: 328

Trial: Feilding High School, 31-29

Baker College, 36-40

Napier BHS, 12-52

Hastings BHS, 50-10

St Bede’s College, 31-29

New Plymouth BHS, 34-33

Palmerston North BHS, 14-31

Wairarapa College, 59-0 (WP)

Rathkeale College, 57-0 (WP)

St Bernard’s College, 94-10 (WP)

Wellington College, 17-26 (WP)

Rongotai College, 109-0 (WP)

HIBS, 71-6 (WP)

St Pats Town, 36-38 (WP)

Mana College, 104-0 (WP)

St Pats Town, 51-24 (WP Semi)

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Below: Re-live last year’s final highlights: