The New Plymouth Boys High School (NPBHS) 1st XV is one of the most prestigious and historic rugby programs in New Zealand secondary school sports. Operating out of the rugby-mad province of Taranaki, the school’s black-and-white jersey represents a relentless, forward-dominated style of play that has produced legendary All Blacks and shaped regional rugby for over a century.
The Cradle of Taranaki Rugby
Rugby was firmly established at the school by the early 1900s. Due to Taranaki’s rural footprint, NPBHS became a massive boarding school, and the boarding house (Hatherly) historically formed the backbone of the school’s toughest forward packs.
The spiritual home of NPBHS rugby is “The Gully”—the school’s iconic, amphitheater-like main ground. Surrounded by steep, grassy banks that can hold thousands of roaring students, playing a traditional college fixture in The Gully is considered a daunting rite of passage for any visiting first XV in the country.
The Era of Legendary Coaches
The reason NPBHS developed such an elite, systematic approach to rugby comes down to a succession of incredibly long-serving, brilliant coaches. In a stretch spanning over 60 years, the 1st XV was primarily guided by just four legendary figures, each coaching for roughly 15-year tenures:
• Arthur Papps & Vic Kerr: Laid the early foundational standards of discipline and physical fitness.
• J.J. Stewart (1950s–1960s): A visionary teacher and rugby tactician who later went on to coach the All Blacks (1973–1976). He instilled a deeply analytical approach to forward play at the school.
• Max “Scattergun” Carroll (1970s–1990s): A legendary figure who championed the efficiency of the forwards at the breakdown and a return to expansive, 15-man rugby.
Tradition and the Super 8
NPBHS boasts some of the oldest traditional inter-school rivalries in New Zealand. Every winter, the school plays highly anticipated annual fixtures against old foes like Auckland Grammar, Wellington College, Palmerston North Boys’ High, and Whanganui Collegiate. Local bragging rights are also fiercely contested annually against cross-town rivals Francis Douglas Memorial College for the John George-Max Carroll Trophy.
In 1997, NPBHS became a foundational member of the New Zealand Super 8 competition, joining the top boys’ schools across the central and upper North Island (including Hamilton Boys’, Napier Boys’, and Hastings Boys’). The Super 8 is widely regarded as one of the most brutal and elite schoolboy rugby competitions in the world.
The All Black Production Line
NPBHS has produced an astonishing array of international talent. Notably, the school is famous for producing world-class captains and tough-as-nails forwards. Iconic alumni include:
• Graham Mourie: The legendary flanker who captained the All Blacks 57 times, including the famous 1978 Grand Slam tour.
• Reuben Thorne: Robust loose forward who captained the Crusaders through a perfect Super 12 season and led the All Blacks through the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
• Greg Feek: 1st XV star of the early 90s who became a stalwart All Black prop and a world-renowned scrum coach.
• Beauden, Scott, and Jordie Barrett: Though they finished their schooling at other institutions (Francis Douglas and Opunake), the famous Barrett family holds deep ancestral ties to the school’s historic rugby region.
