Former All Blacks converge on the capital for historic Wellington College and Nelson College match

A momentous milestone will be marked on Saturday, when Wellington College hosts Nelson College in a one-off fixture to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first interprovincial secondary school rugby match in New Zealand.

The match will be preceded by a golf day at Shandon Golf Club on Thursday, giving attendees the chance to meet and play with or against former All Blacks Christian Cullen, New Zealand Rugby patron Ian Kirkpatrick, Victor Vito, and Lima Sopoaga. On Friday, two of Wellington’s All Blacks, Marc Ellis and Dane Coles, along with 2011 Rugby World Cup-winning coach Sir Graham Henry, will speak at a special luncheon. The game itself kicks off at 1:30pm and will be broadcast live on Sky Sport.

Despite a typhoid outbreak at Wellington College, the first school rugby match took place on July 20, 1876, at 2.30 pm at the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

Nelson arrived at 8.00am that day after a rough voyage on the SS Phoebe. The visiting team consisted of 12 boys and a master, Joseph Pentland Firth, who weighed 16 stone (101.6 kg), a whopper at the time. By contrast, the first official All Black, James Allan, nicknamed the Taieri Giant, was 14 stone in 1883.

The game was played in calm conditions, divided into four half-hour spells and called off five minutes early when it became dark.

Wellington won 2-0, with matches then decided by which side scored the most goals from kicks. Wellington’s captain, Adam Burnes, their first Wellington senior representative in 1875, kicked a goal, as did Charles Brandon, who had 14 family members pass through Wellington College.

Meanwhile, Firth later served as the principal of Wellington College and was influential in the further development of rugby in New Zealand. His passion for the game was a major reason rugby had cemented its position as the leading sport in Wellington by the turn of the 20th century.

Wellington and Nelson have since forged a keen rivalry, largely through an annual Quadrangular (Quad) tournament that also features Whanganui Collegiate and Christ’s College and will turn 100 years old when it is played in Whanganui this June.

Wellington and Nelson have clashed 87 times, with the former holding a 46-38 advantage, while nine games have been drawn. Combined, the schools have won the Quad outright 59 times and collectively produced 58 All Blacks. Nelson’s include recently deceased locking titan Nev MacEwan and current Crusaders lynchpins Ethan Blackadder and David Havili. Wellington counts Invincibles captain Cliff Porter and legendary prop Ken Gray among their 35 All Blacks, which is the third highest total in New Zealand.

Visitors Nelson College, who’ll arrive by ferry the day before the game as their 1876 predecessors did, might be the marginal favourites.

In last year’s Quad final, Nelson beat Wellington 31-24 to win the Quad for the sixth time in the past seven seasons. Since 2019, Nelson has won 73 out of 90 matches in the Crusaders region Miles Toyota Premiership, claiming title honours in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2024.

Reiahumanaru Pouri-Lane walks out to Captain Nelson College (Photo supplied by Nelson College)

Nelson’s captain is Reiahumanaru Pouri-Lane, the younger brother of Black Ferns Sevens captain and Olympic gold medallist Risi Pouri-Lane. The openside flanker is determined to make the most of the occasion. “It means everything to be a part of this. There’s so much history, rivalry and greatness in this fixture,” Pouri-Lane said. 

“I was lucky to be part of the Quad final last year. I came on in the last 20 minutes and basically defended the whole time. It was pretty hectic, some of the most physical and intense rugby I’ve played. Saturday won’t be any different.”

Wellington College No.8 Z’Kdeus Schwalger (son of former Wellington, Hurricanes and All Blacks prop John Schwalger) scored a try in that Quad final. The Wellington Under-16 and Centurions Under-18 representative, who turned 18 last week, agreed it was special to “honour those who’ve come before.”

Schwalger is eager to get one back on Nelson College, having also lost to them in Nelson in 2024. 

Z'kdeus Schwalger is Wellington's No.8 and Captain (Photo supplied by Wellington College)

“We came out a bit slow in Christchurch, but in the middle of the first half, we showed we could compete. Then we dropped off, and they capitalised with three tries. We came back hard in the second half and could have won. On their last defensive shift, they held out. We attacked for about 20 phases, which was awesome, but they showed they’re a great side. They didn’t fold under pressure,” Schwalger said.

When it comes to handling pressure, both boys have great mentors and a clear understanding of their approach to the game.

“It’s pretty awesome seeing Risi do all these supernatural things,” Pouri-Lane said. “But to be honest, I’m the youngest of four siblings, so I have that drive to be even better. I might not be the biggest or most natural athlete, but I love the grind. I think my work ethic is good.”

Schwalger said: “My strengths are definitely tackling and jackling. I love the physical side mixed with some technicality. It might look like I’m just running hard and straight at people, but I try to find weak shoulders on the carry and be clever when I attack rucks. 

Wellington has nine returning players, with Julius Toimata, Ben Faitala, Tom Hughson, Taysian Davey-TioTio, and Connor “Notorious” Gregor shaping as key figures. Centurions Under-18 midfielder Liam Phelps arrived from Hutt International Boys’ School and scored two tries on debut on March 28 when Wellington beat 2025 National Top Four runners-up Feilding High School 33-29. Wellington has also beaten Old Boys University Colts and narrowly lost to Australian tourists Barker College from Sydney this season.

In early April, Nelson beat Auckland’s Liston College, who had beaten them in 2025 by 22-12. Before Saturday’s game, Nelson heads to Murchison for a pre-season camp.

“That’ll be about connection and fitness,” Pouri-Lane said.   

“We’ve got a young team this year. Some of the players in our team to watch are Coby Davis, Liam Soper, Flynn Simkin, and Sonny and Paihia Kaho, who are brothers.” 

Wellington College are coached by former All Blacks Neemia Tialata and Piri Weepu. Nelson’s head coach is former Samoan international and Wellington Lions loose forward Greg Foe.

Nelson College, with a roll of 1033 boys, was founded in 1856, the same year that, by Royal Charter, Christchurch was proclaimed New Zealand’s first city. Wellington College, with a roll of 1936 boys, was founded in 1867, the same year the Māori Representation Act was passed. This Act established four separate Māori parliamentary seats (three for the North Island, one for the South Island) and granted all Māori males aged 21 and over the right to vote.