Potent Warriors flavour in St Thomas of Canterbury success

Warriors-contracted players including seven from the title-winning St Thomas of Canterbury College team dominated the national under-16 and under-18 squads named after the New Zealand Rugby League’s National Secondary Schools tournament staged in Papakura.

Heading the list was outstanding second rower Bishop (Immanuel) Neal, named the premiership tournament MVP after St Thomas of Canterbury won the title for the second year running beating De La Salle College 24-18 in the grand final.

Neal’s teammate and fullback Meihana Pauling, who appeared for the Warriors’ SG Ball Cup (under19) side this year, won the MVP award for the final.

Injury prevented Neal, only 15 at the time, from being involved in the Warriors’ premiership-winning campaign in the Harold Matthew Cup (under-17) competition played earlier this year.

The 16-year-old was exceptional throughout the tournament week culminating in him being named in the New Zealand Secondary Schools 16s side while the 18-year-old Pauling was selected in the New Zealand Secondary Schools 18s.

Also included in the 18s from the St Thomas side were loose forward Lennox Tuiloma and hooker Isaiah Savea, who were both in the Warriors’ grand final-winning Harold Matthews Cup side, plus centre Jackson Stewart and front rower Zeke Faga-Leti. As well as Neal, St Thomas halfback Christiano Elia was selected in the 16s.

Named the coach of the tournament was St Thomas of Canterbury’s Andrew Auimatagi, who’s involved as one of the coaches at the One New Zealand Warriors’ well-established academy in Christchurch.

St Thomas of Canterbury’s success again underscored the strong relationship the Warriors have built with the school over a number of years.

Other Warriors-contracted players included in the 18s were halves Tyrone Hurt-Pickering (St Paul’s College) and Rico Toeava (De La Salle College) plus St Paul’s duo Waka Tate and Compton Purcell named on the bench. Tate played for the Warriors in the SG Ball Cup (under-19) this year while Purcell appeared for the club’s Jersey Flegg Cup (under-21) side.

A total of seven Warriors players were named in the 16s with Neal and Elia joined by fullback Jacksyn Hill (Rotorua Boys’ High School), wingers Justice Pua (St Paul’s College) and Dreytin Marriott (Te Kōpuku High School) and bench inclusions Victor Kenese (Manurewa High School) and Tyson Hansen (Rotorua Boys’ High School). Hansen and Marriott both had outings for the Warriors in the Harold Matthews competition this year.

Two others named on the bench for the 18s were hooker Kaawyn Patterson and prop Hudsyn Frost who were also in the Warriors' champion Harold Matthews side in April.