Quad tournament celebrates 100 years

Photo credit: Andy McArthur 

By Adam Julian

New Zealand's and possibly the world’s oldest four-way secondary school rugby tournament turns 100 on Thursday when Whanganui Collegiate hosts the 100th annual Quadrangular, known as the Quad, also featuring Wellington College, Nelson College and Christ’s College.

The four schools have produced almost eight percent of the 1,232 All Blacks. Wellington and Nelson contested the first official secondary school match in New Zealand on June 20, 1876, which Wellington won.

Then, from 1890 to 1924, a Triangular tournament was staged. Whanganui won 11 times, Wellington 10, Christ’s 7, with seven shared.

In 1925, Nelson College was included, starting the Quad. In each school's first match, it plays the school it did not face in the previous tournament.

On Thursday, hosts Whanganui play 2025 runners-up Wellington College, while defending champions Nelson College face Christ’s College.

The 2025 final at Christ’s College was a thriller with Nelson prevailing 31-24, withstanding a 20-plus phase attack by Wellington in their 22 as regulation time extended to at least four minutes of extra time. Nelson captain Tom Perkins, now with the Newcastle Knights NRL team, was in stirring form and scored a try.

Nelson College - Winners of six of the last seven tournaments, Nelson will have their work cut out to prevail again after being thumped 43-5 by Wellington in a sesquicentennial fixture in April. Nelson has won the Crusaders region Miles Toyota Championship four times since 2019, but hasn’t been in vintage form in this campaign, heavily beaten by Southland Boys (44-12), Timaru Boys’ (21-5) and Christchurch Boys (55-24).

Still, Nelson at their best remains a threat and have racked up fine wins against St Andrew’s College (31-28), despite trailing 21-0 in that game, and King’s High School (42-24), where they also trailed. On Thursday, they beat local rivals Marlborough Boys’ College (35-21) in arguably their best display of the season.

Nelson’s strength is their backline. Fullback Liam Soper might nudge the New Zealand Schools, winger Isaac Harvey is a flyer, and Viliami Holani is only Year 10 in midfield but physically equipped to dominate. The best of the Nelson forwards are loose forward and skipper Rei Pouri-Lane (brother of Black Ferns Sevens captain Risi Pouri-Lane) and Tasman Under-18 prop Coby Davis.

Wellington College - Wellington last won the Quad in 2023 when Jacob Kennedy, leading try scorer in Wellington’s Swindale Shield competition with 12 in 11 matches, scored a hat-trick in the final against Whanganui Collegiate.

Wellington is top of the Premiership this year and has beaten the tougher side of the draw with wins against top three teams St Patrick’s College, Silverstream (26-17), St Patrick’s College Town (31-26), as well as 2023 champions Scots College and traditional rivals Rongotai College (62-19).

In pre-season, Wellington caught fire in their sesquicentennial romp of Nelson College. Prop Julius “Caesar” Toimata was man of the match with two tries.

Wellington played a mini Super 8 in pre-season, losing to Rotorua, Hamilton, Hastings and Tauranga Boys’, but lost three of those games by less than a converted try and are battle-hardened.

No. 8 Z'Kdeus Schwalger is an outstanding captain and a New Zealand Schools-quality loose forward. Centre Ben Faitala is arguably Wellington’s most potent attacking threat. He scored brilliant tries against Nelson, Hamilton Boys’ (twice) and St Pats Town.

Christ’s College - Christ’s last won the Quad in 2018 when future All Black Sam Darry was locking the scrum.

A small team in 2026 has struggled to match the size and power of the leading South Island Boys’ Schools, but Christ’s have improved rather than regressed. A 42-41 win against King’s High School came after a late sideline conversion by Jackson Grace, who nailed all six kicks in that game and bravely scored 16 points in the “College match,” a heavy 55-26 defeat to a so far unblemished Christchurch Boys High School.

Besides Grace, Christ’s best back is hulking centre Hoani Kahukiwa, who in three games this season has scored two or more tries.

The pick of Christ’s forwards are hooker and captain Adriaan Pieter Van Wyk and No.8 Max Osmers, who’s been absent recently.

Whanganui Collegiate - Suffered a rough start to the Central North Island competition with heavy defeats to leading contenders St John’s College, Hamilton (34-7), St Peter’s Cambridge (49-5), Feilding High School (43-17) and Lindisfarne College (51-10).

Recent outings have been significantly better with near misses against Francis Douglas Memorial College (21-17) and Wesley College (15-10). Whanganui led Wesley 10-0 and rallied from 21-0 down against Francis Douglas to secure their first bonus point of the CNI season.

Collegiate’s captain, James Olds, will compete in his third Quad. The openside has been a hearty, consistent performer. Charlie Mabin follows in the footsteps of his brother Oscar Mabin, who scored an epic 40-metre try against Wellington in the 2023 final and has played first-class cricket for the Central Districts. Seremaia Waqanisau charges with gusto at No.8. In the backs, Jonathan Afamasaga was also in the Wellington Under 16s when at Tawa College.

A nostalgic spirit will be abundant among the spectators this weekend. One of the most famous Quad wins by Whanganui was in 1986. On the first day, they beat Christ’s 11-10. In the final, they overcame Wellington 14-6 with Mark Lockyer scoring two tries to take his First XV tally to 58. His record is only bettered by Robert Hunter, who scored 62, including five in one game against Nelson College in 1970, and Jason Bowie, current chair of the board of trustees, who scored 78 tries in 61 games.

Thursday 18 June

12pm: Nelson College v Christ’s College

1.40 pm: Whanganui Collegiate v Wellington College

Saturday 20 June

11.40 am: Minor Final

1.10 pm: Major Final