Wellington College First XV: a 2026 season to remember so far

Wellington College's First XV have packed plenty into 2026, and with the season still running, there's already a lot to celebrate. Here's a positive look back at the campaign so far, to mid-July.

A milestone Quadrangular

The centrepiece was the 100th Quadrangular tournament, where Wellington College were crowned champions. The NZ Herald reported the side finished the historic edition with a 43-13 win over Nelson College in the final. Captain Z'kdeus Schwalger, quoted on Sky TV, summed up the occasion simply: "Part of history. I have no words."

What made the day even more remarkable was that, as the Herald noted, Wellington College effectively fielded two First XV-strength teams and won twice on the same afternoon, roughly 197km apart, adding a 34-12 Wellington Premiership result over St Bernard's College to the Quad triumph.

Streak-breakers

One of the season's standout team performances came on 10 June, when Wellington College beat St Patrick's College Silverstream 26-17 in their Ken Gray Cup clash. ClubRugby.nz reported the win ended a 21-game Premiership winning run for Silverstream, sealed late by a nerveless touchline conversion from first-five Joe Barry that, in the writer's words, "kissed the timber" before dropping over. Schwalger opened the scoring with his side's first try.

There was plenty of attacking flair through the Premiership rounds too. ClubRugby.nz recorded a 62-19 win over Rongotai College in early June, with Wellington racing to a 38-0 halftime lead and running in 10 tries to three.

Steady hands

Guiding the group is head coach and former All Black Neemia Tialata, whose forward-focused side has shown both power up front and the composure to close out tight games. The blend of a big pack and a settled goal-kicker has given Wellington College a genuine edge in the Wellington Premiership this year.

What's ahead

With the regular season and traditional exchanges continuing, there's more still to play for. ClubRugby.nz noted the annual exchange with Palmerston North Boys' High among the fixtures on the calendar, and the Wellington Premiership playoffs loom as the campaign's next big test.

After a first half of the season featuring a milestone title, a streak-breaking win and a same-day double, Wellington College's 2026 has already been one to enjoy, whatever the run home brings.

Follow the team's own updates at @wellingtoncollege_1stxv.