Mt Albert First XV experience Blues life
Mt Albert Grammar School’s First XV have dominated the numbers at the latest Blues rugby development camp.
Eight MAGS students were selected to take part in the Blues’ Under-18 Development Squad in the first week of the July holidays.
All up 55 players from schools throughout the Auckland, North Harbour and Northland rugby regions were selected for the programme.
‘‘It was about having experience of what it would be like to be a Super Rugby player,’’ MAGS’ First XV vice-captain Caleb Clarke says.
‘‘Nutrition was one of the big things, [and] training and mental skills which is something big in terms of First XV because we would never really think about mental skills.’’
The most valuable part of the week on a personal level were the core skills, the 17-year-old says.
‘‘Especially as a winger with my positional tactical thinking.’’
The year 13 student was placed in the camp’s leadership group enabling him to encourage other players.
‘‘I was talking to a few of the boys from Rangitoto [College] and I really had to encourage them to step out and show what they have because they were nervous around the bigger [rugby] schools.’’
Run by the Blues coaching staff and players, MAGS First XV coach Geoff Moon says it was about lifting the school’s own rugby culture.
‘‘It was a real eye-opener… what we’ve tried to do is get the boys to bring back what they’ve learned from the camp to put it to our team to grow our environment,’’ he says.
‘‘So make our culture better, make the boys more self-reliant, self-aware and just understanding the game and we don’t get lost in the lights of trying to be anything we’re not going to become. So we keep it real.’’ The MAGS First XV are unbeaten in 2016 and have already secured a home semifinal with two regular season rounds remaining. They face Kings College away tomorrow.