Peterhouse Boys School’s Rugby Tour of New Zealand
There are certain areas of study that when deciding on a destination – all fingers point to New Zealand. Biology is one. Geology and geography are a couple more. But nothing brings NZ to mind more one particular sport – rugby.
The team from Peterhouse Boys school in Zimbabwe knew this, and paid a visit to the rugby nation of the world in August of 2016. Haka Educational Tours was happy to host them, and our very first rugby-focused tour was a huge success!

“I promise, for what’s it worth, I will be promoting Haka Tours.”
After waking up on their first morning in New Zealand (and after the boys whipped up a breakfast for themselves), they headed to the impressive Eden Park stadium. Here the team had the chance to go behind the scenes and explore the changing rooms and coaches box of the famous hallowed grounds. Despite having not even been in the country for 24 hours, Peterhouse Boys had already gone where many would only dream of seeing!

Eden Park stadium in Auckland
Now with an extra boost of inspiration, it was time for their first training session at local school St Peters – who the following day would become the opposition for the boys’ first game in New Zealand.
Nothing like a bit of sunshine to put the boys in good spirits. Despite a week of poor weather, match day happened to be picture-perfect. If the weather didn’t elevate moods, then elevating the boys would have done the trick. The morning was spent up Auckland’s Sky Tower where views of the city and harbour sprawled out below under a clear blue sky was something else.

Views of Auckland from the Sky Tower
And let the game begin! After a tough match with ups and downs from both sides, Peterhouse came out on top 20-18. It was the perfect way to motivate the boys for the rest of the tour, with the score close enough to keep the team humble. There were even a huge number of unexpected spectators, as schoolboys from St Peter’s came out after a day of lessons to support their home team.

Team debrief before the first game

Peterhouse Boys vs St Peters
Time to leave the big smoke! The boys headed south with their guide for the 3-hour drive to Matamata – home to the famous Hobbiton. Shots in front of the small round doors and a refresher (non-alcoholic of course) at the Hobbiton pub was a necessity. What is a trip to NZ without some Lord of the Rings sightseeing after all?

The famous round doors of Hobbiton

Hobbiton pub

A hangi at Mitai Village
Following this, the team found themselves hurtling down the side of Mt Ngongotaha on the luge. For those not familiar with the Luge, you’re perched on the back of a cart with alarmingly simple control capabilities. Brake, don’t brake, and steer. Simple, but ridiculously fun. The mixture of adrenaline and jaw-dropping views of the city and countryside below make for an incredible experience.
Not to forget their rugby, the boys took part in a training session at the New Zealand Sports Academy by an ex-coach of the Maori All Blacks. It was a great opportunity for the boys to learn more about rugby league and the techniques of a team with a history spanning back to 1888. Topping it off – a Haka lesson. What’s a game of rugby without intimidating the opposition first?

Peterhouse at the New Zealand Sports Academy
The following day, the team hit the road again en route to Taupo. The first pit stop wasn’t far off though – Wai-o-Tapu is right out of Rotorua and is a definite must see if you’re in the area. This is the best spot to see what the tourist town is known for: the impressive bubbling and radiant geothermal pools. That, and the explosive geysers.

A geyser letting off some steam

Peterhouse in the powder

Peterhouse Boys vs Palmerston North Boys High School
Onwards to New Zealand’s cultural hub (and also capital), Wellington! On the way, a stop off to visit the New Zealand Rugby Museum. This attraction is a must-do for a tour of this kind. The boys had the opportunity to be up close to the oldest rugby ball, the oldest All Blacks jersey, the first ‘fern’ and more. It was great for the team to see how NZ treasures the sport of the nation.

Wellington harbour

Westpac Stadium AKA, the Cake Tin
And so began game #3. On the wet muddy field, the boys again faced a haka – this time from the team at Wellington College. Peterhouse fought hard, and with a great try scored early in the game, the boys came out on top with a comfortable 22-13 victory.

Only slightly muddy after the victory against Wellington College
It’s all about who you know! Peterhouse were lucky enough to then be ushered off to the Westpac Stadium (or the cake tin, as it’s endearingly nicknamed) to witness the All Blacks Captains Run. This is an opportunity not many get the chance to experience! To top it off, they spoke to the boys in black after the game, and ended up getting a shout-out on the official All Blacks Instagram page!

Shout-out to Peterhouse from the All Blacks themselves!
If the Captains Run was something to witness, the Bledisloe Cup match between the All Blacks and the Wallabies was something else entirely. The following evening, Peterhouse was among the humming crowd cheering as the All Blacks steamed the Australian team coming out with a 29-9 win.

The Interislander ferry in the Marlborough Sounds

A pod of friendly Dusky Dolphins

Sunbathing NZ Fur Seals
At last, it was time for the final game in New Zealand. The opponents were the boys from Christ’s College. With a 80-10 victory, it meant a 100% win rate for Peterhouse Boys, and an incredibly successful tour in the rugby nation of the world.

Peterhouse Boys vs Christ’s College
After a delicious final dinner at the lodge, it was time to hit the hay, and prepare for the flight home the following day.

Goodbye to Peterhouse!
It was fantastic hosting you, Peterhouse Boys. It was awesome to show you our beautiful country, and further pique your love for our national sport! All the best back in Zimbabwe.

Peterhouse Flag- The team at Haka Educational Tours