Southland Boys' High First XV 2026: a flying start to a brand-new frontier

The Southland Boys' High School First XV has spent 2026 writing the opening chapter of something new, and doing it with plenty of style. This is the first season of the South Island Boys' Schools Network competition, a breakaway grade that stretches from Southland up to Nelson, and the boys from Invercargill have taken to it with real appetite.

A new competition, a Southland flavour

As the NZ Herald reported, the new grade brings together boys' schools from the Otago and Southland region, including Southland Boys', King's High and John McGlashan, with a larger Canterbury and Tasman group featuring the likes of Christchurch Boys', Christ's College and St Bede's. The principals behind it say the idea is a competition "designed to foster connection, belonging, and pride among our young men" (NZ Herald). For Southland Boys' that pride was already showing early in the year, when the side lifted the Alatini Skelt Cup for the first time.

The campaign arc

After a narrow round-one loss to Christchurch Boys' High (22-28, per xplorer.rugby), Southland Boys' found their rhythm and did not let go. The Southland Tribune has charted a long unbeaten run through the middle of the season, including a spirited comeback from 15 points down to beat Shirley Boys' 38-27, a 41-0 shutout of St Thomas of Canterbury in tough conditions, and a 36-14 win over Christ's College that stretched the streak to seven straight in the new grade.

Depth has been a feature. The Tribune noted the side has spread its game time widely across the season, a healthy sign for any school programme trying to bring its whole squad along.

The old rivalry, renewed

The pick of the wins for many will be the trip to Littlebourne in Dunedin, where Southland Boys' dispatched traditional rivals Otago Boys' 33-10 in the 124th meeting between the two schools. According to the Southland Tribune, second five-eighth Finn Hurley was outstanding, and tries came from Matthew Cairns, Will Garrick (two), Caleb Harvey and Charlie Byrne, with the visitors dominating late despite not landing a single conversion. Doing that without a couple of first-choice forwards and backs made it all the more satisfying.

What's ahead

With the inaugural season still unfolding, Southland Boys' will look to keep the run going and test themselves against the strongest sides north of the Waitaki. Coach Jason Dermody, as reported by the Tribune, has kept the standards high even on the good days, which bodes well for the run home.

Follow the team on Facebook at @southlandboysrugby and the school on Instagram at @southlandboyshighschool.