IT’S MID-TERM break at King’s College in Auckland, but the pristine rugby facilities are not going to waste.
Andy Farrell’s Ireland are training on the main pitch in preparation for Saturday’s massive Nations Championship clash with the All Blacks at Eden Park.
France based themselves in King’s College when they toured New Zealand last year, while Scotland have also trained here in the past. That list of honours is as good a testimonial for the set-up at King’s as you could get.
It’s not just rugby that the Auckland school caters to. Close to the carpet-like main rugby pitch, which is one of three for rugby, are facilities for hockey, football, cricket, netball, rowing, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and more. There’s an athletics track that loops around the hockey pitch, as well as a swimming pool.
There are two gyms at King’s, one for regular use and the ‘high performance gym’ for the leading sports programmes in the school. That’s where Ireland have been doing their gym work, and it’s an impressive set-up.
With more than 1,000 students, both boys and girls, this is one of the most prestigious private schools in New Zealand, and they’re delighted to have Ireland training at their sprawling campus, which looks more like a university than a secondary school.
It’s all the more special for King’s First XV head coach, Dublin native Ian Robinson.
“To see Ireland come through is amazing and it’s a real privilege for us to have the facilities to enable them to prepare for this Test because it’s a pretty special week for them,” Robinson.
He moved to New Zealand in 2019 to pursue his dream of being a professional rugby coach and now works full-time as head coach at King’s. He guided the school to trophy success in the famed Auckland 1A First XV competition last year.
It was nice for Robinson to see lots of familiar faces at the school this week.
He works closely with King’s head of rugby, former All Blacks centre Pita Alatini, to deliver the programme.
Alatini explains that the school, which has boarding and day students, has 10 rugby teams, over 20 coaches, and around 290 players. It’s not the biggest schools rugby programme in the world, but they’re highly ambitious.
“It’s pretty awesome to have the facilities for international teams to use, which I think is a huge buzz for our school,” says Alatini, who came through King’s himself.
“It’s a showcase for our school.”
Ireland have been impressed with the offering at King’s.
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The school’s alumni include 77-times capped All Blacks lock Ali Williams, Connacht out-half Josh Ioane, ex-All Blacks back row Daniel Braid, and Maori All Blacks brothers Zarn and Bailyn Sullivan.
The Auckland 1A competition is a big deal. Robinson explains that there can be up to 10,000 people in attendance at King’s games against rivals Auckland Grammar, with temporary stands built around the main pitch for those occasions.
Sitting in a staff house that looks like something from the Augusta National Golf Club in the US, Robinson and Alatini explain that the rugby programme at King’s isn’t just for young players who want to be All Blacks or professional players.
When students get into the equivalent of Irish schools’ senior cycle, there’s an U17 team, a Second XV, and the First XV, as well as an Under-85kg side.
“It’s a pretty cool grade, and it has taken off,” says Robinson. “It’s gone big because they’ve brought a New Zealand U85kg team in. It’s quite popular at our school, and that’s coached by Daryl Williams, who’s an ex-Hurricane.”
Ireland at training in King's on Tuesday. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
But there’s no doubt that First XV rugby dominates. Robinson and Alatini have a game model that is focused on developing their young players’ core skills and understanding of the game, rather than overly-prescribed and highly-detailed game plans.
“We’re closely aligned around our game model, what we want to see, and what we produce from a kid who walks through our gate. We want to put him on a pathway to get to the best level he can get, but then what do we want in terms of skill development, in terms of rugby IQ, in terms of character as well,” says Robinson. “That’s huge for us.”
King’s College won the Auckland 1A title last year, enjoying a thrilling run to the final at Eden Park, where Ireland play the All Blacks on Saturday.
This season has proven more challenging, partly due to the large turnover in players in the new school year. King’s have won three of their nine games so far, with two still to go.
“Last year we had a lot of success,” says Robinson, who also coaches with Auckland men’s club side Grammar TEC and the Auckland U20s.
“We had a very mature team. But with anything in school sport, it’s cyclical. We had 25 boys graduate last year and go on and do amazing things in the club space and academy space, and we’re in a new phase.
“We’re seeing a younger group this year learn some amazing lessons in their rugby.
“We use a theme around ‘baby steps to big moments.’ We knew it was a young group coming through. We had 19 debuts in the first game. That was amazing.
“We’ve had a few good wins and a few tough losses, but they’re a pretty resilient bunch, which is exciting because as they progress through the programme over the next two years, we’re going to see some pretty amazing kids come out of this school and into the competitive space, which we want to see.”
Robinson and Alatini say that it’s important to challenge young players to improve, as well as providing the support they need for what is a pressurised level of schools rugby.
Pita Alatini [second from right] and Ian Robinson [first on right] after last year's success at Eden Park.
The Auckland 1A competition attracts plenty of scrutiny.
“We’re very aware around the pressures that the kids go through,” says Alatini. “We always have a pulse check. We check in with everyone.
“The kids have been fantastic this year, especially how young they are. They have really stood up to learn, have really taken strides in their development from when they started with us.
“And we change things up weekly to try and get a bit of fun, get a bit of laughter going.”
Many players on the rugby team at King’s have aspirations of being All Blacks, while others view rugby league’s NRL as a potential avenue for a professional career in sport.
Recent graduates the boys look up to now include Blues back row and New Zealand 7s international Che Clark, as well as NRL players Francis Manuleleua and Ali Leiataua.
Whenever a player from King’s attracts interest from rugby league, the coaches at the school look to support them and help them to find balance between playing the two codes and staying focused on their schoolwork.
“We’re a rugby programme within a school, not a school programme within a rugby team,” says Robinson.
But rugby will be back on the agenda next week even before the mid-term break is finished.
King’s want to finish the season strong and kick on next year. Alatini explains that they’ve left their players to themselves for the two-week break, so he’s curious to see how they all return to rugby.
King's College in Auckland. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
He’s not sure they’ll be too impressed that Ireland have been training in their school during the mid-term.
“I don’t even know if some of them know the All Blacks are playing Ireland this weekend,” says Alatini with a smile.
Rugby is certainly a big deal in King’s, but these are still young people trying to find their way in the world.
“You’re dealing with teenage men,” says Robinson. “And they are men. When you see them, they physically look like men, but they’re still teenagers.
“I’m hearing stories of kids up in the north and their holidays are spent fencing, and they could come back like a ball of muscle because they’ve been lifting fence posts, or they could be eating pies every day, you just don’t know.
“We’ve got two games left this season, there’ll be some good reviews done at the end of the year, and we’ll really look deep into the programme and see how we can set it up for the next couple of years.
“There’s been 100-odd years of history before us, and we just want to make sure that we’re doing the best we can.”
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King's College, where Ireland have been preparing to face the All Blacks
IT’S MID-TERM break at King’s College in Auckland, but the pristine rugby facilities are not going to waste.
Andy Farrell’s Ireland are training on the main pitch in preparation for Saturday’s massive Nations Championship clash with the All Blacks at Eden Park.
France based themselves in King’s College when they toured New Zealand last year, while Scotland have also trained here in the past. That list of honours is as good a testimonial for the set-up at King’s as you could get.
It’s not just rugby that the Auckland school caters to. Close to the carpet-like main rugby pitch, which is one of three for rugby, are facilities for hockey, football, cricket, netball, rowing, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and more. There’s an athletics track that loops around the hockey pitch, as well as a swimming pool.
There are two gyms at King’s, one for regular use and the ‘high performance gym’ for the leading sports programmes in the school. That’s where Ireland have been doing their gym work, and it’s an impressive set-up.
With more than 1,000 students, both boys and girls, this is one of the most prestigious private schools in New Zealand, and they’re delighted to have Ireland training at their sprawling campus, which looks more like a university than a secondary school.
It’s all the more special for King’s First XV head coach, Dublin native Ian Robinson.
“To see Ireland come through is amazing and it’s a real privilege for us to have the facilities to enable them to prepare for this Test because it’s a pretty special week for them,” Robinson.
He moved to New Zealand in 2019 to pursue his dream of being a professional rugby coach and now works full-time as head coach at King’s. He guided the school to trophy success in the famed Auckland 1A First XV competition last year.
It was nice for Robinson to see lots of familiar faces at the school this week.
He works closely with King’s head of rugby, former All Blacks centre Pita Alatini, to deliver the programme.
Alatini explains that the school, which has boarding and day students, has 10 rugby teams, over 20 coaches, and around 290 players. It’s not the biggest schools rugby programme in the world, but they’re highly ambitious.
“It’s pretty awesome to have the facilities for international teams to use, which I think is a huge buzz for our school,” says Alatini, who came through King’s himself.
“It’s a showcase for our school.”
Ireland have been impressed with the offering at King’s.
The school’s alumni include 77-times capped All Blacks lock Ali Williams, Connacht out-half Josh Ioane, ex-All Blacks back row Daniel Braid, and Maori All Blacks brothers Zarn and Bailyn Sullivan.
The Auckland 1A competition is a big deal. Robinson explains that there can be up to 10,000 people in attendance at King’s games against rivals Auckland Grammar, with temporary stands built around the main pitch for those occasions.
Sitting in a staff house that looks like something from the Augusta National Golf Club in the US, Robinson and Alatini explain that the rugby programme at King’s isn’t just for young players who want to be All Blacks or professional players.
When students get into the equivalent of Irish schools’ senior cycle, there’s an U17 team, a Second XV, and the First XV, as well as an Under-85kg side.
“It’s a pretty cool grade, and it has taken off,” says Robinson. “It’s gone big because they’ve brought a New Zealand U85kg team in. It’s quite popular at our school, and that’s coached by Daryl Williams, who’s an ex-Hurricane.”
But there’s no doubt that First XV rugby dominates. Robinson and Alatini have a game model that is focused on developing their young players’ core skills and understanding of the game, rather than overly-prescribed and highly-detailed game plans.
“We’re closely aligned around our game model, what we want to see, and what we produce from a kid who walks through our gate. We want to put him on a pathway to get to the best level he can get, but then what do we want in terms of skill development, in terms of rugby IQ, in terms of character as well,” says Robinson. “That’s huge for us.”
King’s College won the Auckland 1A title last year, enjoying a thrilling run to the final at Eden Park, where Ireland play the All Blacks on Saturday.
This season has proven more challenging, partly due to the large turnover in players in the new school year. King’s have won three of their nine games so far, with two still to go.
“Last year we had a lot of success,” says Robinson, who also coaches with Auckland men’s club side Grammar TEC and the Auckland U20s.
“We had a very mature team. But with anything in school sport, it’s cyclical. We had 25 boys graduate last year and go on and do amazing things in the club space and academy space, and we’re in a new phase.
“We’re seeing a younger group this year learn some amazing lessons in their rugby.
“We use a theme around ‘baby steps to big moments.’ We knew it was a young group coming through. We had 19 debuts in the first game. That was amazing.
“We’ve had a few good wins and a few tough losses, but they’re a pretty resilient bunch, which is exciting because as they progress through the programme over the next two years, we’re going to see some pretty amazing kids come out of this school and into the competitive space, which we want to see.”
Robinson and Alatini say that it’s important to challenge young players to improve, as well as providing the support they need for what is a pressurised level of schools rugby.
The Auckland 1A competition attracts plenty of scrutiny.
“We’re very aware around the pressures that the kids go through,” says Alatini. “We always have a pulse check. We check in with everyone.
“The kids have been fantastic this year, especially how young they are. They have really stood up to learn, have really taken strides in their development from when they started with us.
“And we change things up weekly to try and get a bit of fun, get a bit of laughter going.”
Many players on the rugby team at King’s have aspirations of being All Blacks, while others view rugby league’s NRL as a potential avenue for a professional career in sport.
Recent graduates the boys look up to now include Blues back row and New Zealand 7s international Che Clark, as well as NRL players Francis Manuleleua and Ali Leiataua.
Whenever a player from King’s attracts interest from rugby league, the coaches at the school look to support them and help them to find balance between playing the two codes and staying focused on their schoolwork.
“We’re a rugby programme within a school, not a school programme within a rugby team,” says Robinson.
But rugby will be back on the agenda next week even before the mid-term break is finished.
King’s want to finish the season strong and kick on next year. Alatini explains that they’ve left their players to themselves for the two-week break, so he’s curious to see how they all return to rugby.
He’s not sure they’ll be too impressed that Ireland have been training in their school during the mid-term.
“I don’t even know if some of them know the All Blacks are playing Ireland this weekend,” says Alatini with a smile.
Rugby is certainly a big deal in King’s, but these are still young people trying to find their way in the world.
“You’re dealing with teenage men,” says Robinson. “And they are men. When you see them, they physically look like men, but they’re still teenagers.
“I’m hearing stories of kids up in the north and their holidays are spent fencing, and they could come back like a ball of muscle because they’ve been lifting fence posts, or they could be eating pies every day, you just don’t know.
“We’ve got two games left this season, there’ll be some good reviews done at the end of the year, and we’ll really look deep into the programme and see how we can set it up for the next couple of years.
“There’s been 100-odd years of history before us, and we just want to make sure that we’re doing the best we can.”
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Auckland Auckland 1A Ian Robinson Ireland King's College Nations Championship Pita Alatini Training Base