Compulsory viewing for schoolboys

Some armchair viewing paid off for a quintet of Wellington secondary school rugby players on Sunday afternoon.

Joe Latta, Opetera Peleseuma, TJ Perenara, Matt Proctor and Topou Sapoaga learnt of their selection in the New Zealand schools team after watching the final of the Top Four competition in Rotorua.

The team was named at the conclusion of the final, which was won by Mt Albert Grammar 20-17 over Hamilton Boys' High.

"I knew it was going to get named on TV," Peleseuma said. "My family had church in the morning, but we got home in time."

The news also filtered through to the boarders at St Pat's Silverstream, where Peleseuma resides during the school week.

"Everyone is beginning to talk about it now," Peleseuma said.

While he and Perenara (Mana College) were members of the national side last year, Proctor (St Pat's Town), Latta (Wellington College) and Sapoaga (Wellington College), are among the 20 newcomers in the 24-member squad for the games against Tonga, Otago under-19 and Australia Schools.

For Proctor, who scored 13 tries for St Pat's Town in the premier one competition, selection was the last thing on his mind when he was watching the final.

"I hadn't given myself much of a chance of making it so hadn't really thought too much about it," he said. "I was surprised."

Sapoaga thought he had missed selection. "I didn't think I had made it as my name wasn't on the first two slides [lists] shown on screen," he said.

"They only showed the first two slides to start.

"I waited for a bit and then the last slide came up and my name. I was pretty stoked."

The side assembles on September 22 in Cambridge and five days later plays Tonga Schools in Hamilton. The team then travels to Dunedin to play Otago under-19 on October 1, and five days later will play their Australian counterparts, also in Dunedin.

For Latta, those final two games will be a homecoming of sorts. The young lock moved to Wellington at the beginning of the year.

"I was not sure what I was going to do, when my aunty suggested I moved up here and stayed with them," Latta said.

"The rugby up here is a lot different and it is certainly a lot stronger."

His selection justifies his decision of moving north.

Retaining his place in the national side comes during a year of highlights for Perenara, who made his premier club debut for Norths and was the player of the day in the Jubilee Cup final last month.

Despite that success, the halfback was taking nothing for granted ahead of the team being announced.

"I was anxious with the naming of the team," he said. "I was stoked to have made it. It's going to be a good challenge and I am looking forward to it."

Meanwhile, Ardie Savea (Rongotai), Aviata Silago (St Pat's Silverstream) and Tauasosi Tuimavave (St Pat's Town) have been selected in the New Zealand under-17 development squad.

Savea is a younger brother of IRB under-20 player of the year and Wellington Lion Julian.

Tuimavave was the leading points-scorer in the College Sport Wellington competition with 137 points, including 11 tries.

The NZ under-17 development team does not have any games scheduled, but the players will be involved in a training camp.

The NZ secondary schools team is: Fraser Armstrong, Adam Burn, Nick Ross (Hamilton Boys' High School); Scott Eade, Tuki Raimona (Southland Boys' High School); Jason Emery (Palmerston North Boys' High School); Michael Fatialofa, Milford Keresoma, Matt McGahan, Albert Nikoro, Gafatasi Su'a (Mt Albert Grammar School); Siulogo Fotofili (Wesley College); Michael Gardner (St Bede's College); Bryn Hall (St Peter's College); Jacob Heenan (Whangarei Boys' High School); Doug Horrocks (Feilding High School); Joe Latta, Topou Sapoaga (Wellington College); James Lowe (Nelson College); Ope Peleseuma (St Patrick's College Silverstream); TJ Perenara (Mana College); Matt Proctor (St Patrick's College Town); Ofa Tuungafasi (Mangere College); Junior Tofa Va'a (Kelston Boys' High School). The Itinerary: September 22: Team assembles in Cambridge. September 27: Team plays Tonga Schools in Hamilton. October 1: v Otago under-19 in Dunedin. October 6: v Australia Schools in Dunedin.

- © Fairfax NZ News