Feilding win in Napier, then Palmerston North Boys' take the Manawatū Condor qualifier

Feilding High School started the schools' sevens season the way their First XV finished the winter: winning. In the space of a week the Manawatū school won the Napier Boys' High School tournament in Hawke's Bay and then booked a place at the national Condor Sevens through the Manawatū boys' qualifier, where Palmerston North Boys' High School took the title and Whanganui Collegiate missed out.

Napier Boys' High School tournament, Saturday 17 October

The Napier Boys' High School-hosted tournament was the first big schools' sevens day of the spring. Feilding High School beat the hosts 12-5 in the Cup final. In the Plate, Hastings Boys' High School beat Rathkeale College in the semifinal and then Whanganui Collegiate in the final.

Rathkeale, from the Wairarapa, were the only Wellington-competition school to make the trip, and Club Rugby noted it was a pity no other Wellington side travelled. Rathkeale later withdrew from the Wellington qualifier at Naenae College after what the outlet called a tough day in Napier. Feilding's win was a reminder of how strong the school's sevens programme has been: they won the Hurricanes Schools Sevens boys' title in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 before Palmerston North Boys' High School took it off them in 2025.

Full pool results, scorers and team lists from Napier have not been published by the host school or the Hawke's Bay union at the time of writing. If your school played, send us the details and we will add them.

Manawatū boys' qualifier, Friday 23 October

The Manawatū Condor Sevens qualifier was a three-team tournament at Bill Brown Park in Palmerston North between Feilding High School, Palmerston North Boys' High School and Whanganui Collegiate. Palmerston North Boys' High won it, Feilding were runners-up, and both have qualified for the Open Boys championship at Blake Park on 5 and 6 December. Whanganui Collegiate finished third and miss out.

PNBHS go to the nationals as the reigning Hurricanes Schools Sevens champions, having won all five games at Feilding last November, including a 24-19 win over Napier Boys' High. They finished fifth at the 2025 Condor Sevens, the best of the central North Island schools; Feilding were ninth.

Match scores from the tri-series had not been published by either school or the Manawatū Rugby Union when this was written.

Manawatū girls' qualifier, Wednesday 21 October

The girls' qualifier was a single match at Bill Brown Park between Manukura and Feilding High School. Manukura are the reigning national champions: they beat Howick College 27-17 in the 2025 Condor Sevens final after beating Feilding 34-10 in the quarterfinal, and they also won the 2025 Hurricanes Schools Sevens girls' title unbeaten. Club Rugby reported that Manukura have won 23 of their last 24 games at the Condors, and that title earned them a place at the Sanix World Rugby Youth Tournament in Japan this year.

The result of the qualifier has not been published by either school or the union. We will add it when it is.

What comes next

Both Manawatū schools' next assignment is the Hurricanes Schools Sevens at Feilding High School, which Club Rugby reports is now confirmed for Saturday 14 November, with eight boys' and four girls' teams entered at the start of this week. Under this year's rules the best girls' team at Feilding that has not already qualified earns a place at the Condor Sevens, which gives that tournament more weight than usual.

Then it is Blake Park in December: the Year 9 and 10 Carnival on 3 and 4 December, and the Open championship for boys and girls on 5 and 6 December.

Sources: Club Rugby (clubrugby.nz), 19, 21, 25 and 28 October 2026; Hurricanes Youth Rugby Council (hyrc.org.nz), November 2025; Condor 7s (condorsevens.com).