A Young Whangarei BHS Squad in 2026

Whangarei BHS has a massive 2025 with the 1st XV making the North Harbour Finals against Westlake BHS and then winning the Condors 7’s for the first time with a few boys making NZ Reps. I have always said that if Whangarei BHS made a Rugby Academy for Northland they would win 1st XV Nationals almost every year. Northland has so much talent that most would go to Whangarei BHS and so if you really look at the Boys School closely you would see how well rounded they are in everything. The 1st XV however is just one of those Jerseys that the boys want to wear and show it proudly taking that field and just honouring it to the fullest. 2025 was a big year and 2026 could be the start of the next big thing for this program.

I want to start off with naming two boys that I think the country should look out for this year and they are Hooker Ryan Leyland and also Center Casey Wright. Ryan Leyland had a massive year last year and was even fighting for time on the field with a stacked Hooker position but he got what he needed and was able to make the Northland U18 side mainly as a starter. Ryan Leyland has a very physical presence about him and can show up in the big moments of the game with big clean outs, heavy tackles or just a strong set scrum that really gets the boy moving forward as one. I like that his energy carries his value and that when he makes those big runs he is able to carry two tacklers or get his arms free to find an open offload which will always get that momentum flowing. For me Ryan Leyland is going to be a big deal for this side but also watch for him in U18 Blues and see that growth happen.

We have at Center Casey Wright who was selected as an U18 Blues player last year and really showed out. Casey Wright was on my radar last year but not as a Blues U18 quality player and for me maybe was a bit early but when he made it into camp and was around everyone I was wrong. Casey fit in just nicely and you can tell that when he plays and pushes that speed and footwork and what he is able to create I understand why he was there. I think that every team needs a guy like Casey who is trustworthy on defence and knows how to read the flow of the ball and the movements of bodies that he can then shut down plays. Casey would be the main guy in that backline when they go wide and he’ll be able to work the others around him into the mix and Casey is the type of player that can take the attention away from his teams and draw in defenders and then feed the ball where it needs to be, this backline and also as a team is going to be very young and so having two players like Casey Wright and Ryan Leyland in your side will give your side a lot of confidence.

I said this team as a whole is going to be young but in this backline along with Casey Wright it is important to name Jordan Parangi who is a Halfback that can play at 1st 5/8 as well if needed. Here is my dilemma that I have and also I think the coaches might have as well because they have a very good 1st 5/8 in Year 11 Tommy Erceg who is very very good but young and in the North Harbour Comp you can get away with playing him with some teams but other it might not be a good idea at first. Tommy Erceg is a very good game manager who has a good kicking game around the field and can put guys into position following the game plan. In my head Tommy would be good but I would maybe put Jordan Parangi at 9 and Casey Wright at 2nd 5/8 just to help him feel out the game a bit and then switch back to Center. The reason I say this is because you will need a player like Tommy to grow but also there are players like Isaac Brown, Carter Cleaver and Keelan O’Neil who can cover at Center. All those boys Isaac, Carter and Keelan have the skills to be able to play wide and open up space for wingers and  also switch if they need, and again if Jordan needs to be at 1st 5/8 I would just go to Charlie Woods to play 9 in the 1st half of the game because he is such a solid player and then Jordan take over in the second and then bring on Tommy. I also like Isaac Brown at 2nd 5/8 or Center because he has that physical approach and can also play make out wide and along with Zac Procter could fill in the back line but I do want to see if Year 11 Fullback Quintyn Mahanga-Edmond would get a jam this season because he is a slick player.

So we should start with the front row right because I have mentioned Ryan Leyland at Hooker and so I would go with Vjeki Lamb at Prop who proved himself last year being able to come off the bench and hold a standard that was set by some solid Props. I see Vjek Lamb not being this stand out player that you take notice of right away but you can see his value when you watch the film and see how much he does. Then I would go with Henry Thompson who also had really good minutes last year and even started a few games where he was able to shine and show up around the rucks and lay his power into some of those rucks and move bodies and make big solid tackles as you should. I think that front row with Callum Tutaia and Lachlan Horsford who one would be turned into a Prop from Hooker but also add in Year 11 Prop who is a good prospect to watch is Grayson McBeth. Grayson McBeth is just your hard nosed front row that goes about his business and gets the job done and puts in his time in the scrums and I’m so keen to see that this year. If these big boys up front are able to set this tone and are able to hold up the front line this team will be one to watch.