Monday 22 June 2026
First XV 28 vs 12 St Paul's College First XV
Our first XV delivered a strong performance at home on Saturday, securing a vital 28-12 bonus-point victory over St Paul's College to distance themselves from the bottom quarter of the 1A table.
Following a cagey opening exchange dominated by tactical kicking, King's ignited the match in the seventh minute. A brilliant set-piece move from the scrum saw Leo Kirkland (Year 13, Selwyn) slice through the defensive line before linking up with Bassy Tupou (Year 13, Selwyn) who delivered a sharp inside pass to Finn Thompson (Year 12, School) to score under the posts. King's maintained relentless pressure inside the St Paul's 22, and despite some unforced errors slowing their momentum, they extended the advantage in the 20th minute. Opting for a scrum from a five-metre penalty, the forward pack built consecutive phases before Tupou spotted an opportunity to grab the ball from the ruck and place it over the line, sending the hosts into half-time with a commanding 14-0 lead.
King's carried their clinical edge into the second half, capitalising immediately after a brilliant counter-attacking run. Following a quick-thinking penalty tap-and-go to gain metres and approach the St Paul's try line, the ball was shifted rapidly by Ruka Smythe (Year 13, Parnell) to the left flank, where Matthias Petelo (Year 11, Marsden) crossed the line out wide. The momentum remained entirely with the home side, and in the 50th minute, Kirkland rewarded a sustained block of attacking phases by driving over for the team's fourth and bonus-point try.
St Paul's refused to yield using the final 15 minutes to launch a spirited, physical fight-back. The visitors finally breached the King's line to open their account, and capitalised on a late handling error after a scrum to cross for a second unconverted try, narrowing the margin to 28-12. King's defensive resolve was thoroughly tested in the dying moments as St Paul's threatened again, but a spectacular, try-saving tackle in the corner by Tevita Lo (Year 11, Marsden) snuffed out the danger, allowing King's to clear the ball into touch to seal the win.
Reflecting on the victory, Head Coach Ian Robinson praised the squad's immense defensive grit, particularly the outstanding first-half shut-out. While noting a slight drop in intensity late in the game, he emphasised that the bonus-point win at home represents a massive building block.
Moving forward into next week's physical clash against Kelston Boys' High School, the focus remains entirely on taking daily small steps and maintaining the impressive standards and growth this group has established.
Second XV 25 vs 31 Auckland Grammar School Second XV
The Second XV suffered a narrow six-point defeat to traditional rivals Auckland Grammar on Saturday, despite out-scoring the competition leaders by five tries to four.
King's produced one of their most competitive performances of the season, enjoying the majority of possession and territory throughout the match. However, a number of unforced errors and lapses in discipline proved costly, allowing Grammar to capitalise on their opportunities and take a 17-0 lead into half-time.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with King's continuing to create scoring opportunities but unable to overcome the visitors' efficiency and composure. While the result was disappointing, there were plenty of positives to take from the performance, particularly the side's attacking play against the top team in the competition.
Honourable mentions go to Finn Jones (Year 13, Parnell), Nikau Henwood (Year 12, St John's) and Keanu Nathan (Year 13, St John's) in the forward pack, who worked tirelessly throughout the morning. Centre Ruan Tahi (Year 11, St John's) and skipper Felix Spary (Year 13, Selwyn) also produced their best performances of the season.
MVP: Felix Spary
Colts XV 14 vs 0 Aorere College 2B
Building on lessons learnt from last Saturday's match, the Colts XV demonstrated patience and growing maturity against a spirited Aorere College 2B team in a match cut short by an accidental but severe head clash injury between two Aorere players.
Both teams had to deal with the slippery conditions created by a crisp frosty morning. The Colts adapted well to the conditions with the First Five-Eighth Cory Parlane (Year 12, Selwyn) and Half-back Remy O'Neill (Year 11, Averill) employing tactical kicking to keep Aorere on defence in their own half. As a team, they patiently applied sustained pressure throughout the first half as forwards and backs combined well to coordinate strikes, but Aorere's determined defence held off our attempts at their line.
Close to half-time, Aorere struggled to exit off the back of a scrum midfield. From loose play, Fullback Ben Wilson (Year 12, Peart) confidently caught a desperate midfield punt on the full. Centre Wai Lee-Lemon (Year 12, Parnell) slotted a textbook conversion five metres in from the right sideline. Half-time score: Colts 7 - Aorere 0.
Colts regained possession immediately at the restart off the dropped kick, but then conceded the scrum seven metres out from Aorere's tryline. Aorere struggled to exit their own 22. From loose play, after several phases of play, Colts' forwards set up the platform to strike. Second Five-Eighth Josh McEniery (Year 11, School) received the pass from halfback O'Neill then ran through four defenders to score right field. At this point, an Aorere player was down unconscious. Play was stopped immediately as first aid was administered and the ambulance was called. The player was eventually taken to Middlemore ED, and the referee ended the match.
Our thanks to the field-side parents who were quick to respond and jumped in to assist. The injured player was treated and cleared by Middlemore Hospital medical staff. His parents and the Aorere Deputy Principal reached out to pass on their thanks for the quick and calm assistance from all involved.
1R Maroon 20 vs 14 Sacred Heart College 1RA
Being 0-14 down to log leaders, Sacred Heart College, after seven minutes could have been the start of a big loss. Instead, the plucky King's team continued to defend like their 'lives depended on it' and created some of their own attack in the correct part of the field. Leading just into half-time, a line-out in their 22-metre allowed a set play that saw an incredible individual effort by Harry Rutherford (Year 13, School) to score from the rolling maul with him beating 3 players to plant the ball near the posts - the conversion for Matt Cunningham (Year 13, Greenbank) a formality. Half-time saw the score at King's 7 - SHC 14.
The second half was the same defensive plan; chop, tackle and disrupt their ball, but we started to play with some good continuity that was rewarded with captain Jack Jamison (Year 13, Peart) bursting over near the corner after several pick-and-goes. Cunningham kicked the very difficult conversion to much applause from the impressive number of King's supporters present.
The last 8 minutes were tense, but King's were sufficiently dominant. They made all their tackles, they took quick taps to put the opposition under pressure and deservedly earned two penalties that Cunningham, in such fine kicking form, was never going to miss. The final score read 20-14 to King's, and shocked the Sacred Heart team as they received their first loss of the season. The highlight was keeping them scoreless for the second half - defence wins big games!
Player of the day was Charlie Rutherford (Year 12, Greenbank) who stopped multiple attacking forays with great leg tackles, at times having to launch himself with no concern for the consequences.
5A 5 vs 25 St Peter's College 5A
"The whole point of the White Stripes is the liberation of limiting yourself." — Jack White.
If the above quote helps as an antidote to the 'white line fever', I hope all our players take it on board. On 9 May, King's 5A conceded 69 points to St Peter's College. While a week is a long time in politics, 41 days is only 5 games in junior rugby. So to go from a deficit of 69 points to 20 points, the team should be happy with the progress. However, there is a feeling that this is one that got away from us.
To say we dominated the first 15 minutes, is just 'fake news'. St Peter's College were never in our half and great recycling by Sammie Richardson (Year 11, St John's) from strong runs by Taylor Kijowski (Year 11, School), Lennox Williams (Year 11, St John's) and Jack Freeman (Year 11, School), meant we were battering at their try line. Unfortunately, we just do not yet possess the antidote to 'white line fever'. So, much like the MAGS games, SPC with their first foray up the field, managed to score. Our players wore a deserved bemused look.
Fortunately, we are starting to show some backbone and this was best displayed by Freddie Dryden (Year 11, School) who won a Superb Jackal on our own goal line and prevented a try. The loss of captain Hudson Hooker (Year 11, Parnell) was a major blow and we hope the injury is not too grave. The realigning of our backs was exploited by SPC and they ran over from half way to increase their lead. Half-time saw the score at King's 0 - SPC 12.
The game runs for 60 minutes, and to date, the best this side has shown was 25 minutes. This was well and truly put to bed on Saturday when King's dominated the first 10 minutes again, but to no avail. There were crunching tackles from Diego Chen (Year 11, Selwyn) and Zac Ogg (Year 11, Selwyn) and both Edward Cormack (Year 11, School) and Rocco Hrstic (Year 11, School) displayed their raw speed when given the chance.
There were good displays from Tom Victor (Year 11, Parnell), Ethan Chatkeonopadol (Year 11, Parnell), who simply loves tackling, and Jake Heatherbell (Year 11, Parnell). Arthur White (Year 11, Selwyn) returned from injury and continues to improve.
The thankfully injury-free James Cunningham (Year 11, Greenbank) is starting to drive the pack around the field and he was able to do some kicking for territory which helped with forward momentum. Lennox Williams (Year 11, St John's) was once again outstanding and he scored the try which makes him our top try scorer. The team can be proud of the 45 minutes we played and if we can replicate our performance next week against Sacred Heart, then we may be able to cause a surprise!
6A 40 vs 21 St Peter's College 6A
King’s 6A secure their first win of the season after showing plenty of promise in its first set of round robin games.
The team had a good build up during the week to focus on goals for the game, and the team came out and immediately showed. With a bit more game time under their belts for the larger squad, combinations are starting to gel which is good in areas. Luke Leuschke (Year 10, Peart) was named captain before the game and led the team well to achieve its goal for the day.
Our game plan started off on the right foot thanks to our hard running fullback Daniel Wu (Year 11, Major), who crossed for two outstanding tries in the first half. One effort came from 50 metres out running through defenders holding onto the ball and using his strength past contact to continue and break free with his pace.
Another great effort for the day came from hooker Max Candy (Year 10, School) who worked hard in forward play and his endeavours were rewarded with a try. Riley Gardner (Year 10, St John's) finished off a well worked team effort with his pace. To finish off the half, centre Toby Broadhurst (Year 10, School) who used his strength and size well during the game, barrelled over for his try to close the first half out. Tommo Edgar (Year 10, School) controlled play well at first five and converted 4 of the 5 tries and we turned at half time up 33-0 and in control of the game.
Our second half saw changes and hope of sustained pressure, but sometimes the scoreboard can be a curse and our play was good in parts but also scrappy until the final whistle. We scored another good individual effort by Harry Thompson (Year 10, School) converted by Edgar, but St Peter's came back and scored 3 tries with the final scoreline 40-21.
Our second half ‘bomb squad’ is a work in progress and plenty of work ons this week as we continue to work towards another redemption game versus Sacred Heart College this coming Saturday.
U14A 85 vs 5 Liston College U14A
A big win on Saturday, and the signs are clear — this team is starting to click.
With two players down with sickness, it was all hands on deck, leaving just three players on the bench. Despite the depleted numbers, King's never missed a beat.
From the kick-off, the boys defended a handful of phases before forcing a turnover, and Niko Tipping (Year 9, Selwyn) punished it immediately with the first try of the game. His speed and strong running caused constant problems for Liston throughout the afternoon, and he finished the day with an outstanding seven tries.
That opening try set the tone. Brutal carries from forwards Tu-Ao Hau (Year 9, St John's), Brooklyn Collins (Year 9, Averill), Sam Fifita (Year 9, Averill) and Brock Biddles (Year 9, School) created continuous opportunities for the backs out wide, while the rest of the pack dominated at the rucks and breakdowns. In wet, greasy conditions, our ball retention was clearly superior to Liston's, and every turnover we forced was followed by punishing tackles and relentless work at the breakdown. Liston's only response was a try off a charged-down kick — beyond that, it was one-way traffic. Half-time saw King's leading strongly at 47-5.
The second half began in spectacular fashion with an 80-metre individual effort from Niko, setting the tone for what was to come. Willoughby Wheldale (Year 9, Peart) was outstanding, finishing with four tries of his own, including a couple of long-range individual efforts.
Every player did their job, and this group is increasingly playing as a true unit — reflected clearly in the final score.
Player of the Day: Niko Tipping
U15R 7 vs 31 Sacred Heart College U15R
In this round of the competition, we faced an incredibly well-drilled and clinical Sacred Heart U15R side.
Our boys showed incredible heart from the opening whistle, starting with a very quick runaway try from Charlie Crighton (Year 9, Averill), followed by a perfectly placed conversion by Harry Davidson (Year 9, Parnell). This gave us the perfect start, and the boys were excited and ready for a great match. However, Sacred Heart fought back in slippery conditions, drawing level with a converted try a few minutes later after some quality play.
Our team worked hard against a relentless opposition. The forwards worked tirelessly in the tight stuff to contest he breakdowns, and the backs scrambled brilliantly under immense pressure, showing great character to stick together as a unit throughout a demanding first half. This defensive shift saw us head into halftime trailing 7-24.
The second half saw our boys really step up to the competition, working incredibly hard throughout the next 30 minutes. They put on a defensive masterclass, keeping the second-half score at 0-0 until the very last minute when Sacred Heart managed to score on the final whistle.
Despite the mounting pressure and tough day on the scoreboard, our boys never let their heads drop. They dug deep, fought for every inch until the final whistle, and put together some very promising defensive sets.
While a 7-31 loss is tough, the scoreline doesn't reflect the immense effort and work ethic the boys put into every single phase of play. Well done to the boys for fighting to the very end; we look forward to a great game next week at King's.
U15A 28 vs 23 Auckland Grammar School U15A
We were set for a big contest on Saturday morning, one of the great traditional fixtures between King's College and Auckland Grammar, a rivalry that stretches back many years.
Grammar came out of the blocks quickly, scoring an early try and putting King's under pressure. However, the boys showed real determination to stay in the fight, and what followed was a tough, physical, and closely contested match.
With just 10 minutes remaining, King's trailed 14-23. After a strong forward drive from the line-out, James Auva'a (Year 10, Peart) showed great awareness to take a quick tap and dive over for a crucial try, narrowing the score to 21-23.
As full-time approached, the tension was high. In the final moments, Max Maire (Year 10, Peart) made a brilliant break-through the defence, setting up Trey Williams (Year 10, Selwyn) to finish a superb team try as time expired.
This marks our first win of the season and is a testament to the boys' perseverance. Week by week, they have been doing the little things well, and this result reflects their growing belief and effort.
Player of the Day (The Cowboy): James Auva'a
The Rock (Greatest Hit): Trey Williams
A fantastic result and a well-earned victory for the team.
1R Gold 12 vs 46 Selwyn College 1R
A tough fought game against a big team this week for the lads. After starting the game short of players, the boys kept fighting till the end with good heart. This week the boys showed their best performance, showing better skills in the rucks and through the hands.
Great tries from Ollie Perry (Year 12, Marsden) and Toby Richardson (Year 13, St John's). Toby scored after a big run from Maka Soakai (Year 12, St John's) to get the boys down the field, and a tidy finish off the ruck from Toby. Ollie scored off a backline move off the scrum which saw him receive a good pass from Leighton Westerlund (Year 12, Selwyn). Ollie proceeded to run down the field beating two defenders to score.
Very proud of the fight these boys showed against a big team, and hoping the boys can use this positive momentum into the coming weeks.