St Paul’s were once a national heavyweight. They would very much like to be that again.

St Paul’s Collegiate were once one of the strongest schools in New Zealand. They would like for that to be the case again. ADAM JULIAN reports.

St Paul’s Collegiate is recognised as one of the finest rugby schools in the Waikato. The First XV in particular has a noteworthy pedigree. In 1993 St Paul’s contested the National Top four final against Wesley College and narrowly lost. Wesley’s captain was Jonah Lomu.

St Paul’s has produced two All Blacks, Geoff Hines and Kit Fawcett.

In 2002 future Chief, Toby Lynn captained a First XV regarded as the school’s best. The side won 25 out of 27 games, scored 136 tries, and beat powerhouses, Palmerston North Boys’, Hamilton Boys,’ Tauranga Boys’ and Church College.

From 2003 to 2010, St Paul’s won the Waikato First XV competition five times.

That competition, however, was not stiff enough; St Paul’s withdrew in 2012 and were the main driving force behind the newly conceived Central North Island series, now known as the Taine Randell Cup.

Randell, a 51- test All Black, earns the

Our strength is definitely up front; we will have a bit of size and we always enjoy physical confrontation.”

ANDREW GIBBS

naming rights for the series because of his stellar schoolboy career at Lindisfarne College, one of the schools involved. In 1999 Randall was named that school’s athlete of the century.

The Taine Randell Cup is modelled on the Super 8. Each team, the others being, Francis Douglas Memorial College, Rathkeale College, Wanganui Collegiate, St John’s College, Hastings, St. Peters School, Cambridge and Fielding High School, playoff in a round- robin tournament before a final crowns the champion.

Last season St Paul’s were runners up, pipped 25- 21 by Francis Douglas in the final. Coach Andrew Gibbs was delighted by the standard of play in last year’s Taine Randell Cup.

“The most impressive thing about last year was the quality of play in the Central North Island series. With the exception of one game, all the teams were evenly matched.”

Despite some initial scepticism from local schools Gibbs has no regrets about exiting the Waikato competition.

“We were not getting quality rugby for much of the season. We would play a competitive game against Cambridge High School or St. Peter’s, Cambridge and then thrash another local team by 50 points.”

Gibbs insists they had to offer more for the community.

Gibbs says the experience of getting into a final and “knowing what it takes to win a final” will be invaluable in 2014. He recalls the 2013 heartbreaker.

“We played into the wind in the secondhalf, and though we had a good lead, Francis Douglas were very good in the tackle ball area and had some good decision makers.”

Gibbs has six returns from last year. Historically St Paul’s have been a forwardorientated side and he doesn’t expect that to change this season.

“Our strength is definitely up front; we will have a bit of size and we always enjoy physical confrontation.”

A standout last season was hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho. Gibbs expects big things from Taukei’aho in 2014.

“Samisoni is a quality young man. He came over from Tonga where he captained the Tongan Under 15s. He has a strong all- round game and is a well- balanced boy. He wants to study law or medicine when he leaves school.”

Other forwards to watch for will be lock Shneil Singh and flanker Thomas Gordon. Gibbs elaborates: “Singh is of Indian extraction and is a decent lump of a man. He has a lot of potential. Gordon is a tough flanker from the Bay of Plenty region.”

In the backs all eyes will be focused on first- five Kip Fawcett. Fawcett was the victim of a tackle that made ‘ smashed em bro’ on the Crowd Goes Wild and has nearly million views on You Tube. Blindsided, Fawcett was crushed from a Ruslan Casey torpedo.

Gibbs laughs: “That was against Wanganui Collegiate. Fawcett made a break and pass that led to a try. What the video doesn’t show is that he got up immediately and kicked the conversion. I really admire that. He is a courageous and talented young player.”

Gibbs is an old boy of Hamilton Boys’ High School where he played for the First XV. He has played rugby league professionally and represented Northland and Manawatu in first class rugby. Additionally he has coached the Manawatu Secondary Schools’ and the first fifteens at Whangarei Boys’ High School and Feilding High School - an impressive track record.

Is Gibbs shocked that his alma mater has flogged his teams by 60 points in the last two years?

“Hamilton’s Year nine intake is bigger than our entire school so weight of numbers is really against us.”

Gibbs says Hamilton’s rugby programme is fantastic and gaining ground on them will take time.

Gibbs says: “Our plan is to solidify and improve the Central North Island series. We want to make it a really special competition.”

Future expansion is a possibility with talks of a Colts or 2nd XV competition been added or even other sports and schools to be included.

Gibbs says: “Parents don’t just send their kids to the local school down the road anymore. Schools have to provide facilities for a wide range of activities and you have to really promote yourself.”

In 2014 St Paul’s are eager to promote thems elves by playing tough, committed rugby.