By Rhonda Bartle

This is one of those original boys' schools that built up a rugby tradition from the 1800s and it just endured and kept going.  And I think it attracted men to the school to be on the staff who were also fantastic rugby coaches.  When you do that, you attract boys to the school who want to be good at rugby.

Lyal French-Wright, Headmaster

NPBHS Headmaster Lyal French-Wright leans back in his chair and smiles when he speaks of the many Old Boys who have made All Black teams.  He has a list of their names but he hasn't yet bothered to add them up. When he does the tally is remarkable; 28 All Blacks, plus three outsiders who form part of the teaching staff.

The latest in the long line-up of All Black ex-pupils are Reuben Thorne, Greg Feek and Carl Hayman, but players go back to 1893.  Rows of photographs deck the school halls. 'We have them all,' French-Wright says.

Gordon Slater is another he mentions from the more modern era, and then there are the 'identities' like Alan Andrews who died last year. Brigadier Andrews, French-Wright says, was one of New Zealand's Boys Own heroes and was buried with full military honours.

Then there's John Graham who for many years was principal of Auckland Grammar School and has since been Chancellor of the University of Auckland.  He is now President of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and coach of the New Zealand Cricket Team.  During his time at the school, Graham was a high academic achiever, as well as Head Boy and cricket captain. 'He's a tremendous Old Boy.  He's great.'

There are memorable ex-players who live locally, like Roy Roper who played in 1949, who French-Wright says left a legacy of boys to come through the school.  'He's had grandsons here. One is still here at the moment.'

Neil Wolfe, a newly elected New Plymouth city councillor, is a passionate ex-player who attends the prize giving ceremony every year to see the Wolfe Cup awarded.  Wolfe made his All Black debut in 1961 and is still actively involved with the school even though his son finished 15 years ago.

And, of course, there's Graham Mourie. 'People have an image of All Black captains being rough, tough... something goes wrong and they can put their finger on their players and get them going. But Mourie was entirely different in the way he operated.  He could still do that but he's quite an urbane kind of guy, a poet, a really deep thinker who cares about the land, the economies of the world and the people; he's a very sophisticated man.' 

 The Headmaster allows himself a moment of regret.  'Unfortunately, he doesn't have any boys to come to the school.'

In 2004 a reunion of All Black Old Boys was held at the school. 'We just decided to celebrate those who were still living,' says French-Wright, 'because they don't last forever.  It was great day, where the rugby greats walked around the school and mixed with the boys.'

Most sang the praises of the Gully Ground, saying it was still the best field they had played on due to its amphitheatre shape that brought the crowd in close and created atmosphere. 

 'Boys need heroes,' French-Wright says, believing part of the secret to keeping the game buoyant is bringing in such players to meet the boys.  'One of the good things about our Old Boys is that they're accessible.  When you ask them to come to the school, they don't even hesitate.  If they can be here, they're here.'

Part of their charm is they're huge story-tellers.  'Boys love to hear stories told about some they know and some they don't and these are true stories, more or less, and they're stories that have to be told.  For the boys it's part of their school, they're just guys like them. So when Reuben Thorne comes to school and he goes to the hostel for lunch, and the boys come and whatever they want to talk about, he talks about, it's fantastic.'

In 2004, NPBHS teams won the majority of games in Taranaki secondary school competitions.  At least 20 teams play for the school each season. 'We have a large number of staff, perhaps 22 teachers, who are involved in teaching rugby.  It's colossal.  It's one of the main reasons why it continues to be so strong.  It's a labour of love.'

So can French-Wright see the tradition of producing great rugby players continuing? 

'Yes, I can. I think it's part of the belief that if kids go to a place where there's history of people being successful, in this case the All Blacks, they believe there's no reason why they can't be the same.'