Otago Boys' First XV in 2026: tradition, a new frontier, and plenty still to play for

Few blue-and-gold jerseys carry as much history as the Otago Boys' High School First XV, and 2026 has given the Dunedin side a season with a fresh twist. This year the school is one of three southern powerhouses stepping into a brand-new competition, while keeping every one of its treasured interschool traditions alive.

A new frontier in the south

The big change for 2026 is the launch of the South Island Boys' Schools competition. As the Otago Daily Times reported, Otago Boys' has joined King's College and Southland Boys' in a breakaway league that runs alongside the traditional regional draw, pitting the three southern schools against eight sides from the Crusaders region. The ODT notes there are no playoffs in the new format, with placings decided on league points, while the historic South Island final still awaits regional winners on 22 August.

Under coach Pelu Taele-Pavihi, Otago Boys' opened its account in style. The ODT reported a 34-29 win over Christ's College at Littlebourne on 4 May, the school's first outing in the new competition. Flanker Kelekolio Makasini and midfielder Ethan McSkimming were named among the side's leaders heading into the campaign.

Interschool pride intact

Some things never change, and the local derby against King's High School is one of them. Otago Boys' came through a tight, physical contest to win 13-8 away at King's, a result the school reported nudged the historic interschool series to 7-6 in the blue-and-gold's favour. Matches like this, decided by a single score, are exactly what makes Dunedin schoolboy rugby so cherished.

The season's marquee occasion, the clash with Southland Boys', added another chapter to one of the oldest rivalries in the country. The Southland Tribune reported the visitors edged this year's meeting 33-10 at Littlebourne, in a fixture the two schools have now contested for 124 years. Otago Boys' hooker Charlie Hore crossed for a try, and the annual meeting once again drew a passionate crowd to celebrate the shared history of the two great schools.

Leadership and what's ahead

The First XV is captained by openside flanker Charlie Ottrey, who according to school and ODT reporting returned from injury to lead the side and has earned selection to the Otago Rugby Academy. He is described as a captain who leads through his actions.

With the regional Otago competition still to play out and that South Island final looming in August, there is plenty of rugby, and plenty of opportunity, left in the blue-and-gold's 2026 season.

Follow the team on Instagram @obhs.rugby and on Facebook at the Otago Boys' High Rugby Club.