Hamilton Boys farewell one of the great coaches in New Zealand schoolboy rugby

Nigel Hotham, the brains behind Hamilton Boys High’s world-class rugby programme, has stepped down as the school’s first XV coach after a remarkable 21 years at the helm, all of them with Greg Kirkham.

The historic run includes five world schoolboy titles, four national championships and 51 New Zealand schoolboy selections among a host of other impressive records.

Hotham is shortly heading off to the Touch World Cup 2024 in Nottingham, England, where his son and dentist Legin is playing for New Zealand, and then to the Paris Olympics where his daughter Jazmin is playing for the Black Ferns Sevens looking to defend their gold medal from Tokyo.

After that, Hotham is coaching with USRC Tigers, a struggling rugby club in Hong Kong.

Hotham’s departure marks the end of an era not just for a school that has captured five national top four secondary schools first XV titles, but arguably also for the wider code, given Hotham had become a critical cog in New Zealand’s broader rugby machinery by developing and guiding a host of professional players, including six All Blacks.

Halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow was Hotham’s first All Black.

“Tawera was in my Social Studies class in Year 9. A short chunky hostel lad, he was obviously mad on his rugby. We were discussing goal setting, and I asked each boy to share his goal. When it was Tawera’s turn he boldly stated, ‘I will one day play for the First XV,’” Hotham recalled.

“I hid my smile and replied something like ‘that’s a great goal and it’s important that we do aim high.’ I never imagined at the time that he would develop into such a special player until he lost some weight and started training his core halfback skills straight outside my office window.”

Hotham’s training session became legendary with Chiefs halfback Xavier Roe remarking.

“I trained harder in the Hamilton Boys First XV than I do at Chiefs. The thing about Ham Boys is you know if you’re not pulling your weight, someone else is. The Chiefs are the same but more mature.”

Maori All Blacks co-captain Rameka Poihipi (Ngati Whakaue) is another product ofHamilton Boys. Phophi said this week.

“There are an abundance of players who have Nigel to thank for their careers. The programme is so extensive it sets you up for the mental and physical demands of professional rugby.

“The other thing it does is build special connections. There’s so much training, travel, challenge and fun. The camaraderie is very strong. I consider myself privileged to have been part of it.”

Hamilton BHS Record: 2003-2024

Year Played Won Lost Drawn For Against
2003: 19, 10-9-0, 442-248
2004: 25, 19-6-0, 845-217
2005: 19, 16-3-0, 578-174
2006: 20, 18-2-0, 582-155
2007: 20, 19-1-0, 722-130
2008: 20, 18-0-2, 595-97
2009: 23, 21-2-0, 632-200
2010: 23, 21-2-0, 822-252
2011: 20, 16-4-0, 702-280
2012: 20, 17-3-0, 699-212
2013: 18, 17-1-0, 649-218
2014: 25, 21-2-2, 876-211
2015: 14, 11-3-0, 439-182
2016: 19, 16-3-0, 536-245
2017: 19, 14-1-1, 757-214
2018: 18, 16-2-0, 587-214
2019: 21, 19-2-0, 798-240
2020: 13, 13-0-0, 468-137
2021: 13, 11-2-0, 415-176
2022: 15, 14-1-0, 478-174
2023: 20, 18-2-0, 768-266
2024: 8, 6-2-0, 183-67

Total: 412, 351-53-5, 13591-4329

Team Honours

Super 8 Winners: 15 – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 (Shared), 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023

Top Four Appearances: 13 – 2004 (Fourth), 2007 (Third), 2008 (Shared Win), 2009 (Won), 2010 (Second), 2012 (Third), 2013 (Won), 2014 (Shared Win), 2016 (Third), 2017 (Second), 2018 (Third), 2019 (Third), 2022 (Won)

Moascar Cup Holders: 2008-2010, (17 defences), 2013-2014, 2022, 2023 (33 defences, most of any school in this period)

Sanix World Youth Champions: 2010, 2011, 2014, 2023

Thailand World Schools Festival Champions: 2022

Condor Sevens Winners: 2006, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 (Didn’t lose a single game from 2016-22)

National Touch Champions: 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019

Individual Honours

NZ Schools Players: 51

All Blacks: 6 (Tawera Kerr Kerr-Barlow, Josh Lord, Emoni Narawa, Cortez Ratima, Sevu Reece)

All Blacks Sevens: 10 (Luke Masirewa, Declan O’Donnell, Kylem O’Donnell, Glen Robertson, Payton Spencer, Dwayne Sweeney, Isaac Te Tamaki, Save Tokula, Regan Ware, Joe Webber)

Internationals: 7 (Sean Maitland (Scotland/British & Irish Lions), Caleb Muntz (Fiji), Jared Payne (Ireland/British & Irish Lions, Toby Smith (Australia), Henry Speight (Australia), Albert Vulivuli (Fiji), Dominique Waqaniburotu (Fiji)

Note: Before Hamilton BHS, Hotham taught at Kelson BHS and coached the First XV from 2000 to 2002. In each of those seasons, Kelston finished in the Top Four of the 1A competition and fashioned an overall record of 51 wins in 66 matches.

All Black Sam Tuitupou passed through during this time. In 2002 Kelston won the Moascar Cup off De La Salle College (16-8) and had Moascar wins that season against St Paul’s College (40-0), Tauranga BC (29-15), Otahuhu College (30-15) and Auckland Grammar School (21-3).

Hotham coached the senior touch team to National titles in 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2002.

New Zealand Schools Reps (51 selections)

2003: Shannon Hepi
2004: David Bason, Sam Christie
2005: Sean Maitland, Trent Renata
2006: Jackson Willison, Adam Cathcart, Matthew Cameron
2007: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Murray Iti, Jason Church
2008: Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Kane Adams, Vance Elliot, Glen Robertson, Aaron Kelly
2009: Chauncy Edwardson
2010: Fraser Armstrong, Nick Ross, Adam Burn
2011: Joseph Webber, Joseph Walsh, Kane Jacobson
2012: Regan Ware
2013: Bryn Gatland, Harrison Levien, Isaac Te Tamaki, Samuel Chongkit
2014: Aiden Johnstone, Solomone Tukuafu
2015: Sevu Reece
2017: Quinn Tupaea, Charles Alaimalo, Tautaurangimarie Kapea
2018: Thomas Martin, Joshua Lord
2019: Matthew Dobbyn
2020: Oliver Foote, Noah Hotham, Mason Tupaea
2021: Austin Anderson, Taylor Cahill, Taha Kemara, Sean Ralph, Gabe Robinson, Payton Spencer
2022: Caelys-Paul Putoko, Payton Spencer, Aki Tuivailala
2023: Oli Mathis, Caelys-Paul Putoko, Rangiwai Lunjevich, Raharuhi Palmer