Crushing win for Christchurch Boys' High School in rugby grand final against oldest rivals Christ's College
Saturday, 9 August 2025
Christchurch Boys’ High School were singing in the rain after a crushing 52-0 win over arch rivals Christ’s College in the Miles Toyota Premiership Crusaders secondary schools rugby final.
The ball was a bar of soap on the gloopy ground at Straven Road, but clinical Boys’ High nailed eight tries - four in each half - to complete an unbeaten premiership campaign.
Such was their dominance CBHS scored twice when down to 14 men for 10 minutes after a yellow card to bustling midfielder Francis Afolaufou.
They still completed a shutout despite losing replacement forward Vili Finau to a late red card.
Boys’ High and Christ’s College have one of the oldest and fiercest schools rugby rivalries in New Zealand, dating back to 1892.
But CBHS - coached by school staffer Pete Chaplin and former Crusaders halfback Willi Heinz - extended their bragging rights to 89 wins, 43 losses and nine draws.
They regained the title last won in 2023, with a clutch of players backing up from last year’s grand final defeat to Nelson College.
Both sides had made the title decider after two-point semifinal wins, and neutral observers were probably anticipating a low-scoring encounter in challenging conditions.
But Chaplin and Heinz had their charges primed for wet weather tackles, using their powerful pack to rumble up the field and create openings.
Co-captain Blake Robinson and fellow lock Liam Newfield led from the front, but the entire eight muscled up, serving up a slew of ball for third-year halfback Hiro Fuchigami to cannily distribute.
“We knew it was going to be wet, muddy and bloody cold,’’ a shivering Robinson told Sky Sport after fulltime. We just had to front up and keep going that full 70 minutes.”
He said it was “really good to get that zero’’ and keep a clean sheet.
Five of the eight tries, fittingly, went to forwards, with prop Frano Chaplin, flanker Sam Dunnett, No 8 Sione Manu Telefoni, Finau and Jonty Leary getting on the scoresheet.
CBHS opened their account when Chaplin crashed over from a pick-and-go in the fifth minute. The 15-year-old prop then instantly forced a turnover with a tackle.
Afolufou was too powerful to stop close to the line for Boys’ High’s second try, but he was sinbinned for a high tackle on Christ’s College fullback Gavin Holder.
But Christ’s, who had limited ball in the first spell, could not capitalise on their one-man advantage.
Indeed, Boys’ High struck twice when Fuchigami squirmed over from a ruck and fullback Delahoia Te Pakeke-Kakoi finished off a sweeping move sparked by Newfield’s fine carry and kick from a restart.
By the start of the second half, the players’ numbers were barely discernible such as the morass at Boys’ High’s home ground.
There was no reprieve for Christ’s College - coached by former All Blacks back rower Sam Broomhall - as Dunnett barreled over soon after the restart.
Telefoni, who had a fine game in the back row with Dunnett and Leary, grabbed the sixth try.
Boys’ High’s bench provided great impact, especially free-running Nikao Panapa.
Finau got the seventh try but was sent off soon after. Referee Will Day blew for a penalty at a breakdown and was heard on the Sky Sport feed to tell CBHS co-captain Mac Chaplin that he wasn’t “prepared to repeat what he just said, he’s going off”.
Leary, the workaholic opensider, deservedly had the final say on the final whistle.
The victory was a sweet moment for head coach Chaplin. A CBHS front rower in the 1990s, he shared the moment on Saturday with sons Mac and Frano.
CBHS will meet Southland Boys’ High School in the South Island final next weekend, with a spot in the national top-four finals beckoning.
Captain Jimmy Taylor kicked a last-gasp dropped goal to give Southland BHS a 27-26 win over King’s High School from Dunedin in the Otago-Southland schools final on Saturday.
King’s were seeking their first title in seven years and led by two points after a late penalty by two-try scorer Lafa Tofiga.
But Taylor - whose older brothers, Jack and Harry, are in the Southland and Otago squads, respectively - potted the winner to go with his earlier try.
Results
Christchurch Boys’ High School 52 (Frano Chaplin, Francis Afolaufou, Hiro Fuchigami, Delahoia Te Pakeke-Kakoi, Sam Dunnett, Sione Manu Telefoni, Vili Finau, Jonty Leary tries; Hanroux Wessels 4 con, Cam Jones 2 con) Christ’s College 0. HT: 24-0.
Southland Boys’ High School 27 (Luka Salesa, Josh Cairns, Jimmy Taylor, Jack McKeay tries; Taylor 2 con, dg) King’s High School 26 (Lafa Tofiga 2, Jeremiah Tuhega-Vaitupu tries; Tofiga con, 3 pen). HT: 12-16.