Top 4 2026 review: St Andrew's and Manukura take out titles

By Adam Julian

Founded in 1917 as an all-boys school, St Andrew's College in Christchurch became fully co-educational in 2001 and are now the only independent, co-educational primary and secondary school in the South Island.

They are also National Top Four champions for the first time after defeating Tauranga Boys’ College 34-24 in the final at Central Energy Trust Arena in Palmerston North. They also won the Moascar Cup for the first time since 2015 and hold the South Island Trustbank Cup.

It was an engrossing decider with ten tries, tied 24-24, until St Andrew’s forward power proved too much to handle in the last quarter. St Andrew’s played into the wind in the first half yet were able to make much of the early running with a quality try in the corner to athletic centre Tom McIntosh. St Andrew’s skipper Seymour Stowers-Smith ran a perfect line, drew in three defenders and got an offload over the top to the tryscorer.

Tauranga Boys, wearing their white alternative strip, hit back with a sustained phase attack try to lock Kahn Charlton, and then Tauranga took control with hooker Matt Bell winning the race to a grubber kick into the in-goal for area.

Both sides traded tries to complete the first half and Tauranga turned with a 19-10 advantage at the break which wasn’t enough. 

There were plenty of stars for St Andrew's. Halfback Ollie Jackways scored a try in both games, Stowers-Smith was potent, lock Charlie Tanner industrious and No.8 Leeson Tiakia and right-wing Jett Timbrell all had stand-out tournament moments.

But perhaps the overriding St Andrew's feature was the emergence of their sensational young props. Coach, former England, Crusaders and Canterbury halfback Willie Heinz paid tribute: "They're good boys and the exciting thing for us is that Sefo Tito is only Year 11, Lennox Kopelani is Year 12, Noah Fihaki didn't play today but he's only Year 11. He's been out for a few weeks with an injury but a great young man as well so I'm excited to put him up next year.

"But yeah, they're good. First and foremost, they're just great kids that love their footy and they've really enjoyed all the work alongside Trent Harris, our forwards coach, and alongside Owen Franks who has done a great job setting those boys up."

Franks is a double Rugby World Cup winner and won 91 of his 108 All Blacks Tests. He was part of three Canterbury NPC winning teams and three Crusaders Super Rugby winning teams. Harris won a National Top Four with Rotorua Boys in 2015 and played senior footy for Sydenham and Canterbury B.

Heinz said a 37-7 loss to St Bede's had been the turning point in the season, after which they were never beaten again in ten games.
"It's incredibly uniquely special, no longer as a player but as a coach and playing a small part in trying to help these boys learn to prepare and become a team and believe in themselves.

"I just think the journey they've been on over the course of the season but in particular the last 6-8 weeks, just the growth and the ability to keep trusting each other and stay in the fight has been pretty remarkable actually. The way that they performed out there today, to do it under the most amount of pressure and to be down and find a way back is - I just couldn't be prouder of them."

In Friday's semi-finals Tauranga Boys College overcame Westlake Boys High 31-17 from 19-17 up at half time, while St Andrew's outmuscled St Patrick's College, Silverstream 24-17 after being narrowly ahead 14-12 at the interval.

Dealing with the wind was problematic for all teams. With the westerly howling behind him, Tauranga first five Fin Curtis adapted fastest to the elements, booting a 50-22 to the northern corner of the swampy Central Energy Trust Arena back field with his first clearance. Tauranga duly won the lineout and hooker Matt Bell rumbled over for a maul try.

Rinse and repeat, right? Nope. In both semis, the victors were better into the wind than with it.

In the case of Tauranga and St Andrew’s, it also helped that their bigger forwards were more committed and precise in hogging the oval.

The National Top Four started in 1982 and it took 16 years for a South Island school to claim a title when Otago Boys High shared a 5-5 draw with Rotorua Boys in the 1998 final in Christchurch. Since then, Christchurch BHS from 2004 to 2006 and Southland BHS in 2023 have been National Top Four winners.

 
Boys Scoring Summary

Final: St Andrew’s College: 34 (Tom McIntosh, Lachie Mitchell, Ollie Jackways, Caleb Collins-Polata, Lennox Kopelani, Ollie Kirk tries; Jett Timbrell 2 cons); Tauranga Boys’ College: 24 (Khan Charlton, Matt Bell 2, Zac Simeon tries; Finn Curtis 2 cons) HT: 10-19

3 v 4: Westlake Boys High School: 52 (Levi Leith, Shea Watene, Harper Wilson 2, Jaxx Latoa-Levi, Matt Fleming, Yisrael Tukania, Flynn Holdbrook tries; Luke Waller 4, Leith 2 cons) St Patrick’s College, Silverstream: 42 (Fletcher Cooper, Troy Waldrom, Mea’ole Ma’i 2, Val Tufui, Shae Taitua tries; Cooper 6 cons) HT: 33-14.

Semi: Tauranga Boys’ College 31 (Matt Bell, Seremaia Salikikoro, Cohen Satiu, Zac Simeon, Jacob Bidois) Westlake Boys’ High School 17 (Flynn Holbrook, Matt Fleming, Demetrius Sanft tries; Luke Waller con) HT: 19-17.

Semi: St Andrew’s College 24 (Ollie Jackways, Moleli Lagokamu, Jock Sidey, Jairo Senio tries; Jett Timbrell 2 cons) St Patrick’s College, Silverstream 17 (Shae Taitua, Fletcher Cooper tries; Cooper con) HT: 14-12.
 
Season records (played, win, loss, draw plus points for and against):
St Andrew’s College: 13-5-1 (678-452).
Tauranga Boys College: 13-7 (646-483).
Westlake Boys High School: 20-5-1 (1246-513).
St Patrick’s College, Silverstream: 13-7 (940-471).
 
St Andrew's Squad: Sefo Tito, Henry Tayler, Lennox Kopelani, Charlie Tanner, Mac Greer, Lachie Mitchell, Jiutaisa Manumanuniliwa, Leeson Tiakia, Ollie Jackways, Ollie Kirk, Otis Wheeler, Seymour Stowers-Smith (C), Tom McIntosh, Jett Timbrell, Jock Sidey, Caleb Collins-Polata, Zac Lang, Hugo Harris, Jairo Senio, Marshall Coles, Zac Hoshek, Stian Pelser.
 

Five in a row for Manukura

Manukura maintained their five-star status in female First XV rugby by winning a fifth consecutive Hine Pounamu Trophy, defeating Hamilton Girls High School 48-38 in a replay of the 2025 final.

In contrast to last year’s frantic scramble, Manukura had the silverware secured with 30 minutes remaining, while leading 34-5. Four tries five minutes either side of the interval settled the outcome despite a brave rally from the Chiefs champions.

Manukura coach Kristina Sue was delighted with the purple patch and commended Hamilton’s heart. “We were outstanding just before and after half time," Sue said. "We backed our fitness, skillsets and game plan to endure. Pewhairangi Ashby, Rerekauia Huina, Tiana Walsh-Addenbrooke, Nevaeh Harris and Keighley-Rein Araia were among those to have huge games. I’m really proud of the whole team and management staff.

“They certainly had the personnel to hurt us and showed that with their finish.  Libby Kearins Te Whare is part of the New Zealand Rugby U18 pathway and is very dangerous. Their No. 8, Ella Rose-Conder, is a beast and charged all day. They used their backs well and asked a lot of questions."

Ngakahu Mathieson-Julian wore her No 3 sevens jersey on the wing and was anointed Manukura player of the match. 

The diminutive flyer, one of five siblings from a Taranaki farming background, scored two tries and created another with her jet shoes. 

Manukura had to go to the well to subdue Christchurch Girls 19-14 in the semis. In the dying stages, the South Island champions battered the Black Wall, with Manukura lock Rerekauia Hunia squirming on the ground as play switched to the opposite side.

As Christchurch continued to pepper, Hunia found her feet and, with stealthy movement, timed a textbook jackal to snuff out the last raid. A mix of guts and calculated precision edged it to Manukura. For most of the game, they were outplayed and struggled to contain Christchurch’s superior size.

Leading 19-0, Christchurch reduced the deficit to 19-14. Loose forwards Tiara Lambert and Aurelia Heslop and Tighthead prop Maddy Judd charged tirelessly. First-five Mika Lene used her big frame to stretch and bend Manukura, who remained staunch.

With the wind, Manukura were two tries ahead at half time. Second-five Payten Peka struck first after nine minutes, but it took another 25 minutes for left winger Asha-Rose Waerea to sneakily slither short-side for a vital blow right on half time.

In the 44th minute, a Manukura scrum on their ten-metre line saw the ball curled audaciously to Ngakahu Mathieson-Julian. The tiny tearaway swerved around her opposite, cut inside swiftly, and dashed 60m.

Hamilton Girls’ had beaten Blues champions Epsom Girls’ Grammar School 29-10 to make the final. Epsom recovered to win the third-place playoff 36-31 against Christchurch Girls, their first win in a National Top Four game.

Girls Top Four Scoring

Final: Manukura: 48 (Kotuku Hennessy, Keighley-Rein Araia 2, Ngakahu Mathieson-Julian 2, Tiana Walsh-Addenbrooke, Pewhairangi Ashby, Taylah Seng tries; Gabby Wright 2, Kaylani Anaha 2 cons) Hamilton Girls’ High School: 38 (Ariana Katipa, Talei Tuwere, Cahleisha Pakau, Preya Richardson, Ashlee Marra, Jessica Hayward tries; Libby Kearins -Te Whare 4 cons) HT: 22-5.

3 v 4: Epsom Girls Grammar School: 36 (Melenaite Opeti-Fianu 2, Emacyn Ieremia, Tabitha Schaumkell, Dellis Tuitupou, Mikaya Tonga tries; Ieremia 3 cons); Christchurch Girls’ High School: 31 (Emma Edwards, Ati Liley, Tiara Lambert, Alice Geary, Maddy Judd tries; Sienna Soper 3 cons) HT: 17-12.

Semi: Hamilton High Girls High School: 29 (Savannah Anderson, Ariana Katipa, Cahleisha Pakau, Ariana Katipa Te Atawhai Katipa tries; Libby Kearins Te Whare 2 cons) Epsom Girls Grammar School: 10 (Melenaite Opeti-Fianu 2 tries) HT: 19-5.

Semi: Manukura: 19 (Payten Peka, Asha-Rose Waerea, Ngakahu Mathieson-Julian tries; Gabby Wright 2 cons); Christchurch Girls’ High School: 14 (Tiara Lambert, Eseta Qalivutu tries; Sienna Soper 2 cons) HT: 12-0.

Manukura squad: Peizha Cassidy, Kōtuku Hennessy, Ngawhakahonore Matakatea, Tiana Walsh-Addenbrooke, Rerekauia Hunia, Neveah Harris, Elley-May Taylor, Pewhairangi Ashby, Riley Cribb, Saydee Ngametua-Smith, Erin Allison, Malina Leatherby-Millar, Kaylani Anaha, Asha Waerea, Payten Peka, Taylah Seng, Ngakahu Mathieson-Julian, Keighley-Rein Araia, Scarlett Hodder, Gabby Wright, Ellah Haerewa, Shay O'Brien