The Auckland Grammar School First XV is one of the most important and successful college teams in New Zealand. A history of tradition and success has seen the school produce a record 51 All Blacks and win an awful lot of silverware. The years, 1981-1999, despite a golden-era from Kelston Boys’ High School, saw the high standards of the First XV maintained.

The Playing Record: 1981-1999

Honours

Outright 1A Championships: 1981, 1986, 1989, 1999

Shared 1A Championships: 1983, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994

National Top Four Winners: 1983, 1986, 1992

Overseas Tours: Ireland, Canada, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Japan, South America

1983: National Champions

Results

• St Kentigern College, 46-0
• Takapuna College, 68-0
• Tauranga Boys College, 41-9
• Rosmini College, 25-0
• Mount Albert Grammar School, 17-9
• Aorere College, 27-3
• Westlake Boys’ High School, 20-12
• Hamilton Boys’ High School, 13-3
• Sacred Heart College, 10-0
• Henderson High School, 25-0
• King’s College, 22-9
• Kelston Boys’ High School, 3-7
• Wellington College, 26-3
• St Peter’s College, 19-9
• St Paul’s College, 25-3
• Hato Petera College, 19-0
• New Plymouth Boys’ High School, 20-3
• Palmerston North Boys’ High School, 9-28
• Tauranga Boys’ College, 17-3
• St Bede’s College, 20-10

1983: Top Four Final: v St Bede’s College – Won: 20-10

The Chronicle reported: “Before a sizeable and appreciative crowd the team played great rugby. St Bede’s started well, winning much possession, but eventually the Grammar forwards wore their opponents down.” Tries to Philip Jay, Stephen Crombie and Ant Strachan saw Grammar crowned Top Four Champions for the first time. Above captain Marcus Sherwood is carried off the field.

 1986: National Champions

Results

• Avondale College, 25-10
• Seddon College, 50-0
• Mount Albert Grammar School, 31-13
• St Peter’s College, 10-3
• Liston College, 52-0
• Tauranga Boys’ College, 21-12
• Christchurch Boys’ High School, 20-9
• St Stephens School, 18-6
• King’s College, 28-0
• Otahuhu College, 54-0
• Marcellin College, 36-3
• Aorere College, 43-3
• Mount Albert Grammar School, 10-10
• Kelston Boys’ High School, 20-9
• St Paul’s College, 11-8
• St Patrick’s College, Silverstream, 33-0
• Hamilton Boys’ High School, 40-7
• Westlake Boys’ High School, 32-0
• New Plymouth Boys’ High School, 45-10
• St Andrew’s College, 22-3
• St Stephens School, 15-6

1986: Top Four Final: v St Stephens School – Won: 15-6

The 1986 Top Four final was played on a beautiful, sunny day in Pukekohe. The forward battle was torrid with St Stephen’s looking to maul the ball strongly. Grammar’s midfield defence was impenetrable and their disciple greater as St Stephen’s, despite more possession, wilted under the pressure of the occasion. Todd Bolton scored the only try of the game, the Auckland Grammar Chronicle reported: “The only try of the match came from a blindside move which saw Matthew Ridge split the defence and pass inside for Bolton to score.” Captain Mark George with 3 penalties and a conversion scored Grammar’s other points. George contributed 246 points during the season, including two tries in the crucial 11-8 win over second placed Sacred Heart College in the Auckland championship. Matthew Ridge went on to play for the All Blacks and the Kiwis and remains one of the few players to win back-to back 1A championships at two schools. Ridge played for the Mount Albert Grammar School First XV when they won the 1A title a year earlier. The balance of the Auckland Grammar team is shown by the fact that the backs scored 83 of the teams 104 tries.

1992: National Champions

Results

• Sacred Heart College, 13-0
• Avondale High School, 14-3
• St Kentigern College, 31-9
• Waitakere College, 41-0
• St Peter’s College, 24-6
• King’s College, 17-3
• De La Salle College, 8-3
• Mount Albert Grammar School, 19-6
• St Paul’s College, 11-7
• Hillary College, 62-3
• Kelston Boys’ High School, 6-6
• Hamilton Boys’ High School, 18-6
• Palmerston North Boys’ High School, 9-3
• St Stephens School, 10-3
• Wanganui Collegiate, 65-8
• Marlborough Under 21, 6-0
• Tauranga Boys’ College, 54-0
• Christchurch Boys’ High School, 29-15
• Napier Boys’ High School, 17-3
• All Miyagi Prefecture, 101-0
• Fushimi Technical High School, 43-7
• All Kanagawa Prefecture, 71-5
• All Fujisawa City High School Reps, 108-6

Coach Graeme Syms Reflects On 1992

On Captain And Future All Black Jeremy Stanley: “He is without question the best schoolboy captain I have ever encountered. He was very demanding on himself and the other players. It’s a tragedy that he never captained another team again.”

On The Team In General: “It was a privilege to coach this team which ranks as one of the greatest in Grammar’s history. They had a perfect balance really, big forwards and sharp outside backs which is reflected in the huge number of points they scored.”

On The Most Satisfying Victory:  “One of the toughest victories of the season was against the Marlborough Under 21′s. John Graham was involved with the Auckland team that took the Ranfurly Shield to Marlborough. The organisers of that fixture were looking for a curtain raiser to play beforehand, so John suggested we go to Lansdowne Park and play a Marlborough selection. The Marlborough team turned out to be much older and heavier than as. In appalling conditions we won a brutal game by 6-0. Afterwards we were referred to by the locals as the Auckland Grammar Schools.”

On The National Top Four: “The final was played at Carisbrook in Dunedin against Napier Boys’ High School. I can’t recall much of the game to be honest, accept for the fact we won quite comfortably, after a tough opening. The game that stands out from that tournament was the semi final against Christchurch Boys’ High School. It was played in a fierce wind and we were down 15-13 in the second half, but came back to beat a strong side. Daryl Gibson, a future All Black, played superbly for Christchurch that day.”

Doug Howlett: Try Scoring Machine

Head Boy in 1996, Doug Howlett was the most impressive All Black, since 1980, to come out of the Auckland Grammar School First XV. His try scoring feats are among the greats in New Zealand rugby history.

The Numbers

 Acknowledgments:  Brendan Boyce, Auckland Grammar Chronicle