Rugby Union

Rugby has been played at Sacred Heart College since its opening in 1903 with the overarching philosophy to ensure that every Rugby player at the school achieves to their potential and focuses on becoming a strong student athlete. Every student will be given the opportunity to play Rugby to the highest level of which they are capable.

In the last 15 years Rugby has started to realise its potential at all levels: from restricted weight grades, where we have always been traditionally strong with consistent contenders and winner for semi-finals and finals, to the improvement in the open-weight Rugby categories. Allied with this has been a marked improvement in 1st XV results particularly since 2011 where   Sacred Heart has contested the Auckland 1A semi-finals every year (bar 2013 and 2021), contested three  1A Finals (2016, 2017 and 2023) and were finally crowned Auckland 1A Champions in 2023. This has meant that more of our top players are gaining exposure at a high level and the very best have been selected to represent New Zealand at schoolboy level.

Rugby is offered in the Sports Institute in Years 8 to 10. Competition for places is extremely tough with each student having to trial every year to retain their spot; students are also required  to continue to achieve well in other areas of school life.

In the past five years, we have had 20 players contracted to under 20 Rugby academies across New Zealand. This is wonderful from a Rugby perspective but is also good that these players will receive support for ongoing study at a tertiary level.

Sacred Heart College rugby statistics: 

  • 24 All Blacks
  • 2 Wallabies
  • 1 Welsh international
  • 4 Tongan national team players
  • 4 Samoan national team players
  • 16 Junior All Blacks
  • 26 New Zealand Colts
  • 11 Maori All Blacks
  • 25 New Zealand Schools representatives
  • 3 New Zealand sevens
  • 10 New Zealand Universities
  • 1 All Blacks coach
  • 3 All Blacks selectors
  • 1 Italian National Coach
Uniform

SHC Rugby jersey, Rugby shorts, SHC Rugby socks and Mouthguard.

Optional - Headgear, Tracksuit jacket, and Tracksuit pants.

Premier Team - If a player is a member of the 1st XV, they may be required to purchase additional uniform items. The coach or Teacher-in-Charge of Rugby will inform the players concerned.

All uniform requirements can be purchased from the Uniform Shop

Rugby Supporters Club

Since 1903 young men have been pulling on the Sacred Heart rugby colours of dark blue, light blue and red. The jersey has heritage and mana, and has been worn proudly by generations of boys.

In recent years the 1st XV has made seven 1A semi-finals and gone on to contest the grand final at Eden Park in 2016 and 2017. In that same time the College has won 30 championships in grade rugby. More importantly 350+ Sacred Heart boys play rugby each season. Help us to continue the Sacred rugby legacy.