CRL SECONDARY SCHOOLS NINES TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHT RANGATAHI RUGBY LEAGUE GROWTH
Canterbury Rugby League’s 2025 Ngā Puna Wai schedule kicked off on Saturday courtesy of the CRL Secondary Schools Nines tournament – featuring 17 teams across three grades, playing in 36 matches in total.
An action-packed day brimming with free-flowing rugby league, outstanding tries and gutsy defence got underway at 9.30am and continued until the last final at 3.15pm with 250 rangatahi showing their skills.
“All the teams played in great spirit and we had a lot of positive feedback from the schools and the players, everyone enjoyed themselves,” CRL Director of Football Jamie Lester confirmed.
Rolleston College took out the Girls’ title, defeating Avonside Girls’ High School 10-8 in a tough final – and reversing Avonside’s 16-12 victory in the teams’ round-robin encounter.
Christchurch Combined Schools outlasted Te Whānau Tahi Kōtiro 16-8 in the third-place playoff.
The Junior Boys grade (Years 9 and 10) featured eight teams, including entries from Marlborough Boys’ High School and Greymouth.
Marlborough Boys’ impressive tournament came to an end with a 28-6 semi-final loss to St Thomas’ of Canterbury College Red, while in the other semi St Thomas’ Blue powered to a 20-0 win over Shirley Boys’ High School.
The undefeated St Thomas’ teams played out an entertaining final, with Red taking the spoils over Blue 20-12.
St Bede’s Red defeated Greymouth Combined 24-16 in the Bowl final. St Bede’s Black and Haeata Community Campus were the other teams to compete in the grade.
In the five-team Senior Boys grade (Years 11-13), Christchurch Boys’ High School went through the round-robin undefeated – scoring 98 points and conceding just 18 – and went into the final against St Thomas’ of Canterbury College with all the momentum after winning the schools’ preliminary clash 20-6.
But St Thomas’, with the experience of winning back-to-back NZRL Secondary Schools Tournament finals to call upon, turned the tables on CBHS 14-10 in a tight, heated decider.
St Bede’s College, Haeata Community Campus and a Hornby-Rolleston Combined team all produced some eye-catching performances.
“The really cool thing is we are introducing the game of rugby league to new players – people that might play already had the opportunity to bring their friends along and represent their school,” Lester added.
“Having new players playing the game was a big part of the day. If 20 percent of the players today were new to the game, it means we’ve introduced rugby league to 50 rangatahi.
“I’d like to acknowledge all the teachers and volunteers involved with their teams. I know it’s a lot of work getting school teams together. They should take a lot of pride in the on-field performances and sportsmanship displayed by their teams throughout the day.”
