“It’s not about the rugby,” Carey explained, giving quite a variation on the usual post-match coach-speak, amid joyful celebrations.
“Once you get collective Māori all as one, doing everything together, you have the missing energy and link.
“There are plenty of models in high-performance sport – but the wairua, nobody else can offer that.”
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Either way, it was an occasion of historic note as New Zealand Schools, having been tripped up by the Australia U18s four days earlier, lost consecutive matches for the first time.
New Zealand Schools have only ever lost five of 78 fixtures that weren’t test matches and the last time they were defeated in a non-test fixture was on September 25, 2012, when they were beaten by a record score of 37-11 by the Waikato U20s. (In the same campaign, New Zealand were beaten 16-14 by Australia on October 6 – and no future All Blacks featured.)
And in that regard, Carey called this “a year-long victory” in pointing to regional camps in April and July which first forged this sense of wairua.
“We profiled well. These guys were third picks, behind New Zealand Schools and Barbarians, so it was really easy to motivate an underdog story. It’s not hard for Māori.”
But it still came down to some standout individual performances, and these started with flankers Caleb Woodley and Jayden Broome, whose breakdown work was fearless, disruptive and full of steely determination.
Sacred Heart No 8 Cruiz Simpson also tackled with the muscle of McBain, while Hamilton Boys’ High lock Alex Arnold was similarly brutal.
Dallas Rata-Makene played with guile and assurance alongside his Hamilton Boys’ High School second five, Hiraka Waitai-Haenga – who was just as solid – and got proceedings under way with a third-minute try after multiple phases close to the line, though missed the conversion.
But Schools hooker Tyi Sinkinson – always busy and combative – quickly levelled in the corner, though Mason Verster had his conversion attempt bounce off from the post.
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Broome then caught the eye as he charged through to score after 25 minutes and a fine conversion from Rata-Makene built a 12-5 lead which they never surrendered, though Verster did reduce the deficit with an offside penalty.
Māori fullback Wiremu Brailey, who has played 51 games for the Rotorua Boys’ High School First XV, was daring and imaginative and hit the accelerator at full-throttle for a 25m first-half try, completed with an Inspector Gadget-like extension of the arm.
After halftime, Rata-Makene extended the lead to 22-8 with a penalty from in front.
New Zealand Schools managed the odd break. Fullback Cohen Norrie made one scintillating run, but mostly they played robot rugby. The scoreboard eventually forced their hand but mistakes from greater risk only reinforced their Māori migraine.
Options for a Plan B were limited by mercurial first five Harry Inch being reduced to waterboy through an injured shoulder.
Finally, substitute flanker Aio Keith wormed his way through for a converted try which put the Schools side within reach of a draw with minutes remaining and their mauls building steam.
But Māori defended like it was Ruapekapeka Pā to savour a famous win.
It was a poignant success for Māori tighthead prop Alex Hewitt, son of Norm Hewitt, the Māori and All Blacks warrior who lost his battle with motor neurone disease in July.
A converted lock, Hewitt endured a torrid test from New Zealand loosehead Charlie Wallis, but was sufficiently durable against a pack that tried to outmuscle the Māori from set piece to set piece.
New Zealand Māori were originally scheduled to play Fiji but their availability was snookered when they agreed to host Australia Schools.
And it’s a shame there was never a chance to have a crack at the tidy Australian U18s.
“Don’t worry, that will come in time,” Carey reflected. “We’ve left a pretty big mark on the field here today.
“People will recognise the strength of Māori rugby, not just at this age group, but through to the Māori All Blacks.”
As they might say back at the marae: “Mā pango, mā whero, ka oti te mahi.” (With black and with red, the work is completed.)
New Zealand Māori Under-18 Ngā Whatukura 22 ( Dallas Rata-Makene, Jayden Broome, Wiremu Brailey tries; Rata-Makene 2 cons, 1 pen) New Zealand Schools 15 (Tyi Sinkinson, Aio Keith tries; Mason Verster pen, con). HT: 19-8.
New Zealand Māori Under-18 Ngā Whatukura starting XV: 1 Isireli Qaranivalu (Hastings Boys’ High), 2 Jericho Wharehinga (St Patrick’s College Silverstream), 3 Alex Hewitt (Upper Hutt Rams RFC), 4 Oliver Church (Wellington College), 5 Alex Arnold (Hamilton Boys’ High), 6 Caleb Woodley (Grammar Tech RFC), 7 Jayden Broome (Māruawai College), 8 Cruiz Simpson (Sacred Heart College), 9 Kah’nal Ngawati (Rangiora High), 10 Dallas Rata-Makene (Hamilton Boys’ High), 11 Charlie Carroll (Wairarapa College), 12 Hiraka Waitai-Haenga (Hamilton Boys’ High), 13 Ryder Crosswell (Palmerston North Boys’ High), 14 Brayden Neilson (New Plymouth Boys’ High), Wiremu Brailey (Rotorua Boys’ High). Subs: Kane Paranihi (Linwood RFC), Raharuhi Palmer (Hautapu Sports), Riley Grant-Faiva (Saint Kentigern), Clark Sutcliffe (Palmerston North Boys’ High), Kobe Brownlee (Nelson College), Noah Gregory (Mount Albert Grammar), Le’Sharn Reiri-Paku (Wairarapa College), Isaac Turoa (Otago Boys’ High), Ethan Mcmanemin (Tauranga Boys’), Kaden Makea (St John’s College).
New Zealand Schools starting XV: 1 Charlie Wallis (Auckland Grammar), 2 Tyi Sinkinson (Tauranga Boys’ College), 3 Liam Van Der Heyden (Hamilton Boys’ High), 4 Bede Giera (St Bede’s), 5 Johnny Falloon (Rathkeale College), 6 Saumaki Saumaki (Nelson College), 7 Jake Hutchings (Rotorua Boys’ High), 8 Aidan Spratley (Tauranga Boys’), 9 Charlie Sinton (Tauranga Boys’ C), 10 Mason Verster (Tauranga Boys’), 11 Siale Pahulu (Saint Kentigern), 12 Jarrel Tuaimalo Vaega (Kelston Boys’ High), 13 Nico Stanley (Auckland Grammar), 14 Oliver Guerin (Hamilton Boys’ High), 15 Cohen Norrie (Sacred Heart). Subs: Bradley Tocker (Palmerston North Boys’ High), Aio Keith (Kelston Boys’ High), Oliver Gibbons (Nelson College), Rios Tasmania (Auckland Grammar), Peni Havea (Feilding High), Thomas Jennings (Southland Boys’ High), James Moore (Christchurch Boys’ High),
Did the selectors get it wrong?
The most common question schoolboy rugby followers are asking this week is this: in the wake of two consecutive losses, did the New Zealand Schools selectors choose the wrong players, given they get first dibs?
Also bear in mind there were no fewer than 14 players selected in the Schools and Barbarians teams that were also eligible for New Zealand Māori.
One of the most difficult challenges national selectors face is judging the relative strength of different competitions. Could a good flanker in Southland stack up to the rigour of 1A in Auckland every week?
Conversely, could that same flanker be exceptional but be overlooked at the expense of an inferior talent at an “established” school. Selection has never been an exact science, but the great selectors see pounamu instead of rocks.
But here’s another way of looking at the issue.
Given the selectors’ over-riding objective is to develop players capable of coping in a professional rugby environment in six to eight years’ time, employing a structure based around running Schools, Barbarian and Māori teams and utilising an annual tournament budget of between $250,000 to $300,000, a better question might be: did New Zealand Rugby get the best value for money in having three even and competitive teams comprised of 75 players in camp over the past fortnight?
We will look at these issues in more detail in next week’s wrap (and report on what happens next).
Some Schools and Māori U18 history
The Māori almost pulled off the same result in the corresponding fixture in 2022. New Zealand Schools hung on by the length of a nostril hair to win 27-24, pummelled into retreat for the best part of the last 10 minutes.
The Māori had repeat scrums 5m shy of the New Zealand Schools’ line, appealed feverishly for a try (a pick-and-go drive was called short), and reduced New Zealand to 14 players for repeat infringements.
But a fairy-tale win wasn’t to be and New Zealand Schools, to their credit, and a huge relief, held firm against the third-string selection.
The Māori beat the New Zealand Barbarians 21-20 in Porirua in 2018 and 37-26 in 2022 in Hamilton. In 2018, All Blacks halfback Cortez Ratima featured, as did 2024 All Blacks squad member Ruben Love, who snatched a 40m intercept.
Meanwhile, in 1990, the New Zealand Schools suffered two losses, beaten 17-11 by Wales and 9-7 by Australia. Future internationals included: Todd Miller, Tabai Matson, Marc Ellis, Filo Tiatia, Charles Riechelmann, Taine Randall and Perry Freshwater (England).
In 2012, New Zealand Schools lost 16-14 to Australia Schools and 37-11 to the Waikato U20s.
The Māori beat the New Zealand Barbarians 21-20 in Porirua in 2018 and 37-26 in 2022 in Hamilton.
Remarkably, the head coaches of the losing 1990 and 2012 New Zealand Schools teams were both college titans.
Dick Glover presided over the 1990 New Zealand side, having won 197 out of 226 matches in three tenures with the Gisborne Boys’ High School First XV side.
And Nigel Hotham was the coach of the 2012 team, otherwise having won 402 of his 478 matches with Kelston and Hamilton Boys’ High.
So two of the very best coaches had terrible records at this level.
For context, this year’s Schools coach, Paul Tito, was assistant coach with Super Rugby Pacific champions the Blues, while his assistant, Kieran Coll, was assistant coach with the Super Rugby Under-20 champions, the Crusaders.
2022: New Zealand Schools: 27 (Xavier Tito-Harris, Caelys-Paul Putoko, Stanley Solomon, Sagi-Fuimaono, Star Sami tries; Solomon con) Māori U18 Ngā Whatukura: 24 (Max Ratcliffe, Kade Manuel-Green, Josh Evans tries; Rico Simpson 3 con, pen) HT: 21-17
Chiefs beat Samoa
In the curtain-raiser, the Chiefs U18s beat the Samoa U18s 64-21, with the feature being four tries to nimble centre David Lewai.
It was the best showing on tour by Samoa, who were only trailing 19-7 at halftime and secured tries through hooker Aaron Evalu, lock Simon Soma and centre Mavaega Siole.
However, Samoa conceding 257 points in three games did nobody any favours. Extending a helping hand to the Pacific Islands is honourable, but Samoa were simply over-matched throughout this series.
In response to suggestions Samoa might have been better playing individual schools, New Zealand Rugby’s high performance pathways manager, Ben Fisher, said it was his understanding Samoa wished “to see where they were at” in terms of playing top selections, while to secure funding for such a tour they also needed to be able to justify the proposition with international matches.
Meanwhile, anybody familiar with Samoan rugby governance will appreciate the national body has major challenges far beyond schoolboy rugby. In their centenary season, Samoa couldn’t even send their proud senior team to the UK for what would have been a momentous tour.
Chiefs U18 64 (David Lewai 4, Bronson Van Der Heyden, Apensia Naevo 2, Conrad Jackson, Jack Wiseman, Mitchell Swann plus 1 other tries; Aaron Riley 2 cons, Alapati Tusa Soaia 5 cons) Samoa U18 14 (Aaron Evalu, Simon Soma, Mavaega Siole tries; Tony Kaisalika 3 cons).
Haka time
Those following recent news items on rugby rules around haka and cultural challenges might note that when the Māori Under-18 Ngā Whatukura performed their pre-match haka, they were joined by members of the New Zealand Māori Under 18 Ngā Māreikura (girls’) team.
New Zealand Rugby’s rules for other competitions state: “Only the 23 players named in the match teams are permitted on the playing area for cultural challenges. All non-playing team members, including technical zone personnel, must remain outside the playing area until the cultural challenges have finished.”
Future looks bright
It was a roll call for the future when the New Zealand Barbarians Under-18 girls beat the Māori Under-18 Ngā Māreikura 29-15 in Pukekohe in their recently conceived annual fixture.
From the Barbarians, Phoenix Reid-Stowers (Hawke’s Bay), Fou Sefo (Counties Manukau), Ashlee Matapo (North Harbour/Auckland), Taufa Bason (Manawatū), Danny-Elle Fesola’i (Auckland), Briar Hales (Hawkes Bay), Caitlyn-Jain Bushell (Auckland), Maleta Pailate (Hawke’s Bay), Dani Mafoe (Auckland), Sariyah Paitai (Counties Manukau), Presayus Singh (Auckland), Esther Amataga (Counties Manukau), Aleiyah Tuala (Auckland), Ffion Penney (Counties Manukau) and Mele Latu’ila (Counties Manukau) have already played in the Farah Palmer Cup (FPC).
The Māori were represented in the FPC by Mikaya Kaipo (Auckland), Te Kihiora Kuka (Bay of Plenty), Lucy Mahuika (Tasman), Psalm Maletino (Auckland), Arlia MacCarthy (Northland) and Manu Anderson (Bay of Plenty).
In a lively tussle at Navigation Homes Stadium, the Barbarians monopolised possession in the opening quarter and were rewarded with two tries scored in almost identical fashion.
A barging run from tighthead prop Feu Sefo paved the way for urgent blindside Taufa Bason to accelerate into a hole. Taufa is the sister of New Zealand U20 representatives Vernon and Mosese Bason.
The Barbarians employed some enterprising tactics, including a 10-woman rolling maul, nifty decoys, and uninhibited offloading.
The Māori were finally provided a reprieve with a penalty and illustrated their lineout muscle with a pushover try scored by hooker Lashaye Blake out of the Kia Toa club. Blake was selected for the 2023 match but missed out because of injury.
The Māori enjoyed momentum early in the second half and drew level in the 50th minute when second five-eighths Keria Mete-Renata out of Cullinane College, Whanangui bustled over after a frantic attack. Cullinane College is the former school of one-test All Black, Brett Cameron.
Presayus Singh helped Ponsonby win the Coleman Shield in their 150th anniversary season and a sizzling 50m break by the Storm fullback gave the Māori little choice but to infringe. From the penalty tap, Bason flashed clear to complete her hat-trick.
Two minutes later the Barbarbins distributed briskly to space where Millie Lautue caught the ball 40m short of the paint. Lautue skinned three defenders who tumbled over each other like ten pins. It was a breathtaking try, converted from the touchline by Esther Amataga.
The next period was jumbled until the Māori snaffled a turnover anchored inside their 22. An incredible 18 passes saw Te Kihiora Kuka finish at the opposite end. The blindside flanker was a hooker a dozen months ago.
Bason would have the final say with another decisive 20m stride through a hole in the ruck. A stampeding charge by lock Ashsley Motrou provided the initial impetus.
Barbarians centre Asha Taumoepeau-Williams is a powerhouse. The Howick College First XV Blues champion is already well established in rugby league. In April, she collected four tries as the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs etched their place in history with a convincing 36-0 win over the Wests Tigers in the inaugural grand final of the Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup. Taumoepeau-Williams scored 15 tries in 10 wins throughout the season.
The Barbarians were coached by Rugby World Cup-winning Black Ferns Anna Richards, Aleisha-Pearl Nelson, Emma Jensen and Eloise Blackwell, with Monalisa Urquhart serving as manager.
The Barbarians also won a warm-up match against a Moana Pasifika age group selection 71-0 at Wesley College last Tuesday.
The value of the Māori is that they can find and expose talent in the remotest parts of the country. Sisters Whaiora and Mikaya Kopa play for the tiny Tihirau Victory Club nestled at the base of Tihirau Maunga, Whangaparāoa in Te Whanau-a-Apanui.
Winger Whaiora Kopa was named Charmaine McMenamin women’s club player of the year in the Ngāti Porou East Coast competition.
New Zealand Barbarians Under-18: 29 (Taufa Bason 4, Mele Latu’ila tries; Esther Amataga 2 cons) New Zealand Māori Under-18 Ngā Māreikura: 15 (Lashaye Blake, Keria Mete-Renata, Te Kihiora Kuka tries) HT: 10-5
Auckland 1A news
Sacred Heart First XV coach Mark Selwyn has been appointed as the college’s new director of rugby, taking over from Francis Stowers. Selwyn will be continuing as First XV coach, while Sacred Heart are also creating a new position for a rugby development officer.
# Pace and youth prevailed over experience as a De La Salle College combined First and Second XV beat the La Salle Collegians Old Boys rugby team 51-26 in what was the inaugural contest for the newly minted De La Salle Brotherhood Shield.
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