Scots College “Top 200 Era” Team 2013-2020

Scots College just like Hastings BHS have created and grown a Rugby Program over the past 8 years and have appeared in two National Title games and won one National Title. They have  had 7 NZSS players, 3 Barbarian players and a huge number of U18 Hurricane Reps selected in the past 7 years of HS Top 200. Judging from that we know the Rugby Program is working and on it’s way to doing more in the next few years.

Whatever you think about Scholarship players you still need to put a game plan together, build a team bondage and make them believe they can win. Coaching staff at Scots College over the years have been so strong. Now because of the strength of the Coaching players from the Region have wanted to go there and accepted the offered Scholarships. This has increased the number of players attending and has bettered their Education and Rugby skills because they attended Scots College. This is the team I have selected for the “Top 200 Era” Scots College Team.

My Scots College “Top 200 Era” Team

1.     Junior Uelese – Barbarians 2018
2.     Sase Va’a – 2019
3.     Alex Fidow – NZSS 2014-2015
4.     Jarimar Schuster – 2015
5.     Isaac Sailo – 2019
6.     Patrick Fenika – 2014
7.     Ezra Dunlop – 2016
8.     Henry Stowers – 2014
9.     TJ Va’a – NZSS 2014
10.   Roderick Solo – NZSS 2019
11.   Connor Garden-Bachop – Barbarians 2016
12.  Thomas Umaga-Jensen – NZSS 2015
13.  Ethan Webster-Nonu – NZSS 2018
14.  Malo Tuitama – NZSS 2014
15.  Peter Umaga-Jensen – NZSS 2015

16.  Lotunu’u Haueia – 2014
17.   Jonty Bird – 2020
18.  Blake Rogers – 2019
19.  Dominic Ropeti – 2020
20. Jack Loader  – 2017
21.  Oryaan Kalolo – 2020
22.  Malo Manuao – 2018
23.  Caleb Cavubati – Barbarians 2018

You have got to put up Alex Fidow as one of the best 1st XV players in the “Top 200 Era”. Not only the fact that Alex destroyed every tackler that tried to bring him down, but that he did it right to the end. Alex also was a very good passer who wasn’t really seen as one. He knew what attention he would get and knew how to set up those around him who had space ahead of them because of the attention he had. Junior Uelese who came a few years after also had that same kind of presence as Alex and ended up making the NZ Barbarians. Junior was a lot taller but did play the same kind of role that Alex set in 2014.

Scots College really hasn’t been a Lock heavy school but have had some talent with Jarimar Schuster being the first one that I really rated. Isaac Sailo last year was a Blind Side but could easily fit in as a Lock. I really think that Dominic Ropeti who is there right now could be the best Lock they have had so far. Dominic is a Young Year 13 who is still growing and still learning the game, he is very busy and physical around the rucks. The Loose Forwards is one of the strengths that Scots College have always had in the team because the role is key to getting this team to go forward.

The focus has always been the back line at Scots but they do it by way of the loose forwards playing at speed and crash ball into the defence. The Loose forwards for Scots create the mismatches in size and speed with defenders when carrying the ball. They are always very good ball distributors and right to cleaning out the rucks. If you take Henry Stowers and what he did on the field just carrying the ball and getting those off loads out and then his speed to then back up the play was awesome to watch. Patrick Fenika was kind of the same and was so solid and physical in contact which Ezra Dunlop was similar. Ezra also got in over the ball very well and would tie up players off the ground and hold them up for the turnover.

We are starting with the best back line you could put together in this “Top 200 Era” from one school. Ethan Webster-Nonu the last NZSS player who is such a powerful runner and not sure if he is a better Center then he is a Winger. Malo Tuitama the best open fielder runner of the lot was usually a guy that wasnt caught if he broke that line. Malo had Peter and Thomas Umnga-Jensen around him always there to get that offload if he was tackled. Thomas maybe the hardest guy in the back line to tackle. Big runner yes, but also so much balance when he was hit, he just never really went down without a fight. Peter to me was the more strategic one that would mix in speed, ball movement, kicking and also pure strength. You always knew that when Thomas broke that line Peter was close by and in the National Championship game in 2014 a young Connor Garden-Bachop was scoring tries off their setups.

TJ Va’a in 2014 just ran the show and showed how much talent this team had by sharing the ball around to everyone. I think without his influence in that team and his game play, the other players wouldn’t have had much space and opportunities to have such an affect in the game. It wasn’t just about his passing game but also that he was able to step through and around defenders and draw in extra tacklers and then find the right player to carry it on.

The Coaching Staff at Scots College is very strong and they are not going away anytime soon. They will have talent coming through that system for a long time to come. I think there are going to be more and more NZSS, NZ Barbarians and U18 Hurricanes players to come.

“Fan Team Selection”

1.    Joe Whitmore
2.    Sase Va’a
3.    Alex Fidow
4.    Isaac Sailo
5.    Henry Mexted
6.    Henry Stowers
7.    Michael Findley
8.    Patrick Fenika
9.   Elliot Morrison
10.  TJ Va’a
11.  Malo Tuitama
12.   Thomas Umaga-Jensen
13.  Peter Umaga-Jensen
14.  Connor Garden-Bachop
15.  Roderick Solo

16. Lotonu’u Haueia
17.  Junior Uelese
18.  Blake Rodgers
19.  Isaac Sailo
20.  Ezra Dunlop
21.  Malo Manuao
22.  Ethan Webster-Nonu
23.  Caleb Cavubati