Loads of talent in all-time colleges XVs

Heading into the WelTec 1stXV Premiership rugby season in Wellington, which starts this coming Saturday with the College at Club round, we’ve taken a look at the four traditional First XVs in Wellington and named all-time XVs.

The schools are Wellington College, Rongotai College, St Patrick’s College Wellington and St Patrick’s College Silverstream.

The naming of the four all-time XVs below is a subjective exercise. With the exception of the St Pat’s Town all-time XV which was named last year by the school, these have been compiled by us.

For the most part, we have retained players in the positon they are most known for, with several exceptions. Some positions pick themselves, others have competition and we had to leave out All Blacks. Examples here are Earle Kirton over both Simon Mannix at first five-eighth for the St Pat’s Silverstream team and Harry ‘Ginger’ Nicolls over other two other Wellington College All Black halfbacks – Eric Leys and Joey Sadler - and four All Blacks to choose from on the right wing for Wellington College. Similarly, St Pat’s Silverstream is much younger that than the other four schools, started in 1931.

Players have been chosen on their achievements in their senior representative careers, over and above their deeds at school. Some players, such Wellington College second XV prop and future 50-game All Black Ken Gray’s rugby career took off post-school.

Please see our respective colleges All-time XVs below. The next challenge is to name a combined all-time XV from the four Wellington traditional secondary schools.

Rongotai College

1 Brian McGratten 6 Tests for the All Blacks 1983-86; 105 games for Wellington
2 Motu Matu’u Currently in his fourth season with the Hurricanes
3 Whetu Henry Wellington Lions and modern-day Ories club stalwart
4 Mark Reddish Wellington, Hurricanes and Highlanders 2009 -
5 Ron Horsely Didn’t start playing rugby until he left school; 31 appearances for the All Blacks 1960-64
6 Ardie Savea Wellington Lions, current Hurricane, All Blacks apprentice
7 Graham Williams 174 games for Wellington; 5 Tests for the All Blacks 1967-68
8 Richard Watt Wellington lock , Poneke FC legend as a player 1990s and coach 2000s
9 Ofisa Tonu’u Wellington, Auckland, Blues, Samoa (1992-93); 5 Tests for the All Blacks 1996-98
10 Grant Cederwall Wellington, Junior All Blacks (1980s); also a first-class cricketer
11 Roy Kinikinilau Hurricanes, Highlanders, Chiefs, All Black 7s 2002-07, professional rugby in Japan
12 Ma’a Nonu Hurricanes, Blues, Highlanders, All Blacks 2003-, over 150 Super Rugby matches and 50 Super Rugby tries
13 Clive Currie Wellington 1975-77, Canterbury 1978; 2 Tests for the All Blacks 1978; also a first-class cricketer
14 Julian Savea Bus-like qualities; 33 Tests for the All Blacks 2012 -
15 Mick Williment 108 first-class matches for Wellington 1958-68 and 1,255 first-class points; 9 Tests for the All Blacks 1964-67

St Patrick’s College, Silverstream

1 Des O’Donnell 1 Test for the All Blacks 1949; Wellington 1945-51
2 Shane MacDonald 118 first-class matches for Taranaki 1991-2000
3 Tim Fairbrother 59 appearances for the Hurricanes; Western Force 2009-10; Wellington; Hawke’s Bay; English Premiership
4 Michael McCool 2 matches including 1 Test for the All Blacks 1979; 77 Matches for Hawke’s Bay 1972-78; 50 matches for Wairarapa-Bush 1979-83
5 Bernie Upton Hurricanes 2007-08, Chiefs, Wellington, North Harbour, Bay of Plenty; Irish and Japanese clubs
6 Pat Ryan 5 matches for the All Blacks 1976; 51 appearances for Bush/Wairarapa Bush 1969-74; 56 matches for Hawke’s Bay 1975-78
7 Martin Leslie 37 Tests for Scotland 1998-2003; 71 matches for Wellington 1991-98; 21 matches for the Hurricanes 1996-98
8 Thomas Waldrom 4 Tests for England 2013 - ; Hurricanes 2004-2008; Crusaders 2009-10; Wellington; Hawke’s Bay; English Premiership
9 Kayne Hammington New Zealand Colts, Wellington, Manawatu
10 Earl Kirton 49 matches for the All Blacks 1963-70 including 13 Tests; Otago 1960-68; English first-class teams 1970s
11 Jim Taitoko Wellington, Manawatu, New Zealand Maori; utility at first five-eighth, wing, fullback
12 John Leslie 23 Tests for Scotland 1998-2002; Otago 1991-98; 32 games for the Highlanders 1996-98
13 Murray Tocker 34 matches for Hawke’s Bay 1976-86; 78 matches and 601 points for St Pat’s Silverstream first XV
14 Terry O’Sullivan 12 matches including 4 Tests for the All Blacks 1960-62; 104 matches for Taranaki 1955-56
15 Joe Karam 42 matches for the All Blacks including 10 Tests 1972-75; Wellington; Horowhenua; rugby league in Auckland

St Patrick’s College, Wellington

1 Kas Lealamanua 20 matches for Samoa; 1 match Pacific Island Combined team
2 Kevin Horan 98 matches for Wellington, 1971-80.
3 Brendan Reidy 18 matches for Samoa; two Rugby World Cups
4 Gerard Wilkinson 106 first-class games for Wellington 1980-87
5 Steve Hinds 70 plus first-glass games for Wellington 1979-85
6 Issac Feaunati 13 games for Samoa; Wellington 1994-97; Crusaders 1997; English professional career
7 Maurice Brownlie 61 matches for the All Blacks including 8 Tests and 19 games as captain; Hawke’s Bay legend of the 1920s
8 Jerry Collins 48 Tests for the All Blacks; 85 matches for the Hurricanes 200-8; 47 matches for Wellington 1999-07; European and Japanese club sides
9 Patrick McCarthy 1 match for the All Blacks 1923; Canterbury 1923; SPC First XV captain 1911-13
10 Fa'atonu Fili Samoan 15, 7s international. Two Rugby World Cups
11 Eric Harper SPC’s first All Black 1904 – 11 matches including 2 Tests for the All Blacks 1904-06; Canterbury
12 Paul Kane 1 match for the All Blacks 1921; West Coast 1919-20; Wellington 1921
13 Patrick McEvedy Selected for British Isles/Anglo-Welsh tours to New Zealand 1904 and 1908 (vice-captain)
14 Thomas “Tiger” Lynch 23 matches including 4 Tests for the All blacks 1913-14; scored 37 tries in 23 games for All Blacks; South Cantebury
15 Albin Evenson Maori All Black - 1908

Wellington College

1 Ken Gray 125 first-class games for Wellington 1959-69; 50 matches for the All Blacks 1963-69
2 Quentin Donald 47 matches for Wairarapa 1918-1928; 23 matches for the All Blacks (including the Invincibles tour) 1923-25 (7 as captain)
3 Neemia Tialata 86 matches for the Hurricanes 2003-11; 43 Tests for the All Blacks 2005-10
4 Kenneth Elliott 2 Tests for the All Blacks 1946; various NZ Defence force sides 1940s
5 Peter Webb Foundation Wellington FC and Wellington province player 1870s and 1880s; 8 matches for New Zealand 1884
6 Filo Tiatia Founding Hurricane, 57 games 1996-01; 80 matches for Wellington 1992-01; professional career in Wales, Japan; 2 Tests for the All Blacks 2000
7 Cliff Porter All Blacks Originals captain and 41 matches for the All Blscks 1923-30; 48 matches for Wellington 1917-30
8 Graham Mexted 2 Tests for the All Blacks 1950; 38 matches for Wellington 1949-54
9 Harry ‘Ginger’ Nicholls 7 matches for the All Blacks 1921; Wellington 1917-1926 including playing in many Ranfurly Shield matches
10 Marc Ellis 20 matches for the All Blacks 1992-95, including scoring 6 tries against Japan in 1995; Otago, North Harbour, Blues and Highlanders
11 Ralph Caulton 50 matches for the All Blacks including 16 Tests 1959-64, Wellington 1957-65
12 Mark Nicholls 51 matches for the All Blacks including 10 Tests 1921-30; 58 matches for Wellington 1920-31
13 Jack Griffiths MC 30 matches for the All Blacks in including 7 Tests (three as captain) 1934-38; Wellington 1931-38
14 Charles Rushbrook 10 matches for the All Blacks 1928; 18 matches for Wellington 1926-30; 29 tries in 33 first-class games
15 Arnold Perry 1 match for the All Blacks 1923; Otago 1919-23; New Zealand Universities 1920-23

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