NZ Rugby announces enhanced Secondary Schools and U18 Pathways Programme

The two-week 2026 Pathways Programme and tournament week will run from 22 September to 5 October, and feature eight teams converging on St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton.

The NZ Schools, NZ Barbarians U18 and the Māori U18 Whatukura teams will be joined by Australia Schools and the U18 teams of Australia Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. Each team will play three matches over the tournament period with NZ Schools to play Fiji U18, Australia U18 and Australia Schools.

NZR National Pathways Head Coach Kane Jury will lead the NZ Schools with current secondary school teachers, Scott Manson (Otago Boys’ High School) and Marlborough Boys’ College’s Tui Raeli as his Assistant Coaches.

The NZ Barbarians will be coached by former All Black prop Greg Feek, with former Samoa representative and long-time St Kentigern’s first XV coach Tasesa Lavea and Kelston Boys’ High School Rugby Director Matt Howling the Assistant Coaches.

The Māori U18 Whatukura team coaching group will be announced at a later date with the three New Zealand-based squads to be named in September.

Jury said the revised 2026 programme was tailored to giving a wide group of young players the best experience possible as they entered the high-performance system.

“For many of these young men, this will be their first experience of a national team environment. It is an opportunity to challenge them, support them, and help them understand what it takes to keep progressing as players and people.

“Between the NZ Schools team, the Barbarians and Māori squads we will expose a group of 75-plus players to our high-performance environment.”

The selection process has been refined with a centrally managed online school and club nomination process plus an online talent identification platform, set up, and shared with every Provincial Union academy and Super Rugby club. A series of two-day Provincial Union development camps will be held during the July holidays to develop and educate players who have been nominated by their schools for their respective camps. 

“I’d encourage players and parents to talk to their school coaches and Provincial Union academy managers about attending these camps. They will form a vital part of the final selection process for the NZ Schools, Barbarians and Māori squads,” Jury said.

Otago Boys’ High School Rector and Principals’ Group spokesperson on the NZ Schools Rugby Board Richard Hall also welcomed the coaching appointments and the revamped schools’ programme.

“It’s been great to see the collaboration and alignment between schools and New Zealand Rugby in shaping the programme and putting the wellbeing, education and school commitments alongside the high-performance element.

“Having two current teachers in the NZ Schools coaching group is a great result and Kane, Scott and Tui collectively have the skills and experience to both and coach and mentor the boys selected for the 2026 squad.”

New Zealand Secondary Schools coaching team 2026/27

• Head Coach: Kane Jury, New Zealand Rugby National Pathways Head Coach
• Assistant Coach: Scott Manson, Otago Boys’ High School
• Assistant Coach: Tui Raeli, Marlborough Boys’ College

New Zealand Barbarians U18 coaching team 2026/27

• Head Coach: Greg Feek, Blues
• Assistant Coach: Tasesa Lavea, Saint Kentigern College
• Assistant Coach: Matt Howling, Kelston Boys’ High School

The U18 Pathways Programme tournament week match schedule is below. 

*Kick off times TBC.

Game Day 1: 26 September: 
•    NZ Schools v Fiji U18
•    NZ Barbarians U18 v Tonga U18
•    NZ Māori U18 v Samoa U18
•    Australia U18 v Australia Schools (to be played in Australia)

Game Day 2: 30 September 
•    NZ Schools v Australia Schools
•    NZ Barbarians U18 v Australia U18
•    NZ Māori v Fiji U18
•    Tonga U18 v Samoa U18

Game Day 3: 4 October 
•    NZ Schools v Australia U18
•    NZ Barbarians U18 v Samoa U18
•    NZ Māori v Australia Schools
•    Tonga U18 v Fiji U18