School leavers to watch in 2018 club rugby

In 2017, Asafo Aumua became an All Black just two years out of St Patrick’s College, Silverstream. Aumua’s place in the National roster was announced on the day of the Wellington Condor Sevens finals where he had run amok two years previously.  

Aumua’s All Black ascent at the age of 20 might be an aberration, but younger players are making a bigger impact quicker these days.   What does the 2018 class school-leavers entering Wellington club rugby offer?  

The Cream  

What do Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Taine Plumtree, and Ben Strowger-Turnock all share in common?  

They are representative standard lock forwards and all featured in the Hurricanes U18 camp. Ah Kuoi was selected for the New Zealand Secondary Schools while Plumtree was picked for the Barbarians and Strowger-Turnock for the Under-18 Maori. The three Wellington College products are joined by Rathkeale’s Dom Herily, who recently played for the Hurricanes U20 side against their Blues counterparts.  

The quality of tall timber is the most outstanding feature of the school leavers possibly entering senior rugby this year.   Ah Kuoi is aligned to Marist St Pats, but is recovering from hip surgery and won’t be seen until at least April. Ah Kuoi is a fine leader with the power and skill to play in the loose.  

Plumtree will be hoping to avoid the misfortune of his brother Reece who missed all of last year due to a serious leg injury. Taine is headed to Old Boys University and in addition to being a fine jumper and skilful presence around the park occasionally kicks goals.  

Strowger-Turnock is big and appeared ungainly at first sight, but grew in stature to become one of the most hard-working and valuable locks in the Wellington First XV Premiership. Strowger-Turnock was headed to Christchurch, but has returned to Wellington to join Oriental-Rongotai.  Herily also joins OBU, along with Tai Neli out of Scots College, Caleb Delany from Waimea College in Tasman and Tane Te Aho out of Hamilton Boys’ High School.

Kienan Higgins and Neli, both members of the WRFU academy, appear to be amongst the most promising backs out of school. There was a clamour to secure the services of Higgins who has decided to head to Norths near where his family lives. Higgins improved vastly in three years in the Silverstream First XV, so much so the second-five was selected in the New Zealand Barbarians where he started two matches.  

Chris Aumua, Asafo's younger brother, joins the Avalon Wolves from St Pat's Silverstream and if he can play regular Premier rugby on the front foot then he will be a big asset to them. 

Porirua College had a positive year last year, qualifying for and finishing seventh in the First XV Premiership, winning the Beard Trophy (played between themselves, Bishop Viard College, Aotea College, Tawa College and Mana College), and went within a whisker of upsetting Feilding High School for a place in the National Co-ed Top Four finals.  

First five-eighth Eli Moata’a and centre Junior Time-Taotua were two exciting players in their side and both also join Norths this year. If they can replicate their form at that level for Norths on Porirua Park with a group of older players around them there could be fireworks.  

Others  

Hutt Old Boys Marist has recruited well, gaining the services of Freddie Sunia, Nic ‘Apikotoa and Teagan Harawira out of the champion St Pat's Silverstream First XV last year. Sunia and Apikotoa are mobile tight forwards who may spend a bit of time in the Colts before stepping up to Prems. Harawira is a diligent battler in the loose and was one of Silverstream’s most consistent in 2017.  

Also joining the Eagles are Matiu Samuels and Willie Rua,  both exciting talents from Rongotai College. Samuels is a fleet-footed first-five with the ability to cover multiple positions while Rua is a strapping loose forward who with better fitness could crack a Premier side.    

Xavier English out of St Pat’s Town is headed to Marist St Pats where a rare opening has surfaced in the seven jersey following the departure of Wellington Lion, Isaac O’Connor. English is robust over the ball and grew in stature while captaining a poor side last year.  

Melleniuma Leota from Wellington College is headed to Norths. A powerful loose forward, Leota plays in the abrasive style that Norths promotes.    

Poneke have gained Mitchell Gough, Daniel Taoipu and Conrad Taafuli from their regular feeder school Rongotai College. Gough was the head prefect at Rongotai and is a Wellington U18 standard hooker.  

Todd Svenson is headed to the Upper Hutt Rams, one of four brothers to have represented the Rams. Svenson is a wing and fullback who scored a try for St Pats Silverstream in the First XV Premiership final last year.  

Finally two players who stood out for their First XV’s in the last couple of year’s have joined Paremata-Plimmerton. Liam Tooman led Kapiti College to sixth in the Premiership from hooker, though is perhaps undersized for that position in the adult game but has the natural attributes to play openside, while Darius Patau out of Bishop Viard was forced to do a lot for a struggling team last year but will have to decide if he’s a loose forward or midfield back.