Season so far: Auckland Grammar First XV keep the perfect run going in 2026

Halfway through winter, Auckland Grammar School's First XV are giving their supporters plenty to sing about. As of mid-July 2026 the side sits top of the Auckland 1A First XV competition with a perfect record, and along the way they have delivered some of the standout team performances of the New Zealand schoolboy season.

A campaign that built momentum

Grammar set the tone from the opening weekend, opening their 1A account with a 31-5 win over Mt Albert Grammar School on 2 May, per the Auckland RFU match centre. From there the wins kept coming.

The display that really caught the eye came in early June. NZ Herald school-rugby writers Adam Julian and Bruce Holloway described Grammar's 39-12 win over St Kentigern at Pakuranga on 8 June as "the most complete First XV performance seen this season", with the Augusta Army cheer squad in full voice. It was, they noted, Grammar's most feverish display since the school's last 1A title back in 2014.

Top of the table

A fortnight later the side reached a milestone. According to the NZ Herald's First XV wrap on 22 June, a 26-15 home win over St Peter's lifted Grammar two points clear at the top of the 1A table for the first time, with captain and hooker Connor Murdoch crossing twice.

The run continued into July. The Herald reported a 45-36 home win over Sacred Heart that made it nine straight victories, and observed that Grammar were the only major-competition First XV team in the country to have won all their matches at that point in the season. Standings in early July had Grammar narrowly ahead of a chasing Kelston.

The King's College derby

One of the season's marquee days came on 13 June, when Grammar travelled to King's College and came away 52-27 winners, per the Auckland RFU match centre reclaiming the Cooper-Greenbank Cup in this famous fixture. RUGBE covered that occasion in full in a separate report, so we will let that one speak for itself.

What is ahead

With the round-robin still to be completed and finals football on the horizon, Grammar's supporters will be daring to dream of a first premier crown in more than a decade. A packed 1A field, led by the likes of Kelston, means nothing is settled yet, and the run home promises plenty more big Saturdays.

Whatever comes next, it has been a campaign to enjoy. Follow the team through the school's official channels: @aucklandgrammar on Instagram and the Auckland Grammar School website.

Results and match facts sourced from the Auckland RFU match centre and NZ Herald school-rugby coverage; see the links above.