Today is the Top 4 Rugby Final
High sporting prestige with Hamilton Boys vs Nelson College.
If is was the boys final for Academics it is not until the 15th highest high school achiever – Hutt International Boys High (UE for LEAVERS 88.4%) for play St Peter’s (Epsom) 2nd at 84.5%.
The comparisons of the provincial Boys’ schools is not flash to the top girls schools – 11 of the top 15. Iona the top at 97% of their leavers having UE. It is also not flash, for most, against their matching girls schools either.
| % of LEAVERS with UE 2023 | Boys | Girls |
| Tauranga | 29.6 | 39.9 |
| Hamilton | 44.8 | 41.1 |
| Rotorua | 23.8 | 11.0 |
| Palmerston North | 35.8 | 66.2 |
| New Plymouth | 27.3 | 48 |
| Hastings | 15.1 | 23.4 |
| Napier | 32.4 | 67.7 |
| Gisborne | 25.4 | 35.1 |
| Nelson | 35.8 | 51.0 |
| Christchurch | 46.8 | 69.1 |
| Otago | 49.7 | 70.5 |
I coached rugby for many years including three as a 1st XV coach of Tauranga Boys. I cannot help concluding it is now well out of perspective. For a school of 2000 less than 2% will play in the 1st XV in any given year … are the resources dedicated to that proportional to the academic needs of students struggling with assessments?
I discuss this issue and other for our high schools here with Peter Williams.
If you want the data set that compares a range of outcomes for every NZ high school please email me at alwyn.poole@gmail.com