Dilworth’s Rugby Programme
The stats around rugby at Dilworth make for a compelling story - around a third of the school, 183 students, now play the game, and four flagship teams compete in Auckland’s highest divisions. But the real story behind rugby’s growth at Dilworth has been a cultural rewrite - a dedicated strategy that has reshaped what it means to play rugby at Dilworth at any level.
Leading the charge is Director of Rugby, Ant Strachan - a man who needs little introduction in the world of New Zealand rugby. A great player himself, he has represented several provincial teams and was selected for 17 All Blacks matches. These days, Dilworth is lucky enough to have him on our team, where he has spent several years quietly setting about changing what rugby means at Dilworth.
And it’s paying off on more than just the rugby field! We talked to Ant Strachan to find out what’s going on in Dilworth’s Rugby Programme.
New Direction
The change programme began in 2021, when, alongside the previous Director of Rugby (Gareth Pickering) and with the backing of a team of great volunteer coaches and the support of the Dilworth rugby whānau, Ant hatched an ambitious plan to elevate the school’s premier age-group teams from the Auckland B-grades into the elite A-grade competitions.
They dreamed big, stayed focused, put in the work, and, incredibly, several years later, achieved this goal! Today, four of Dilworth’s teams: Under-14A, Under-15A, Second XV, and First XV (1A) play in the premier grades against Auckland’s best secondary-school rugby players.
But Ant explains it doesn’t stop here:
"The first aim was to ensure our boys were playing against the best every week, so their pathway and progression became clear. The second part of the strategy was that once you get into the A-grade, you don’t want to be at the bottom. You have to build your programme so that you are legitimate – you deserve to be there every week. Now we (Dilworth) are in the contest!"
And this year, the second part of the strategy he explained is really starting to take shape, with the teams highly competitive on the field. And of course, it is great to get a win, and those wins are hard-earned! And recently, the First XV had a stunning win at home - right in front of a crew of Dilworth Old Boys back for their Reunion weekend - beating Kings for the first time!
Faster and Stronger
Competing at the highest tier has required a complete overhaul of the students' physical preparation, and it is here that the impact of Dilworth’s strength and conditioning (S&C) programme - run by Head of Strength, Conditioning and Athlete Development, Scott McLaren) - has really completely shifted the dial.
Ant noted that in the past, Dilworth teams were sometimes outmatched in size and power by bigger schools with larger talent pools. Now, under Scott’s oversight, the boys are working to close that gap. The training schedule for a 1A player is extensive, he says. “We focus on building a massive aerobic engine alongside functional strength and power. It’s a tough regime, and you have to be up for it, but that ensures that Dilworth’s elite rugby players can stand tall and hold their ground for the full 70 minutes.” And they certainly are!
Grassroots Rugby
Dilworth’s rugby programme remains fiercely committed to grassroots rugby. Two participation-based teams accommodate 60 to 70 boys who love the game and want a chance to play.
Alongside the premier teams, this dual structure creates a unique funnel system. Ant says he is surprised every year, “Players emerge out of the woodwork, from the social grades, proving themselves and stepping up into the premier teams”.
A Changing Culture
But the success of the programme isn’t all about division standings, as Ant explains.
"Our Rugby Programme is about actually developing better kids, Boys who understand about respecting the game, respecting your opposition, and becoming a better person. That aligns directly with our school values”.
He says that Dilworth’s rugby programme operates as a tight-knit group within the school, building its own culture, and the expectations on any student playing rugby are uncompromising: respect, honesty, integrity, and hard work.
"You want to play rugby at this school? All right, we’ll give you an opportunity," says Ant. "You want to behave poorly? This programme is not for you. When you exit this programme, you will be a better player, a better person, and it will give you some tools that will help you in life."
The impact of this philosophy is visible across the campus, he says, with teaching and boarding staff frequently commenting on the ‘rugby boys’ well-roundedness and leadership.
He gives an example of something that really struck him recently at assembly in the school chapel, when First XV powerhouse and school prefect Year 13 student Siofilisi Veamatahau stood up and delivered a powerful address to the entire student body on integrity and social media. It is exactly the kind of personal growth the rugby programme prides itself on fostering – and perhaps not an outcome you might expect. But it made Ant extremely proud.
He says the programme's culture and discipline have also served as a powerful anchor for students facing challenges, keeping them accountable and motivated, and helping others achieve academically and transition into successful post-school lives.
The Old Boy Advantage
And it is this culture that has seen recent Old Boys inspired to rejoin as coaches, developing a strong coaching pathway.
These young men, who came through the system themselves from 2021 onwards, are now giving back. Many are balancing their own high-level club rugby careers and university studies to mentor the next generation of Dilworth boys, and it’s working!
Take Edward Whyte (Etu), says Ant, a proud Tongan Old Boy, currently balancing teacher training and premier club rugby. He coaches the First XV forwards, specialising in lineouts, scrums, and collisions. He works in a highly specialised coaching First XV coaching structure alongside Strachan himself, internal coaches John O'Mahoney, Josh Devine, and External coaches Kali Hala & Nooroa Tokahere
And others in the Dilworth coaching line-up:
Daniel Tanielu (4th XV)
Metui Ta’ofi (4th XV)
England England (U14A)
Harmony Nonumalo Leti (U14A)
Leka Tuungafasi (U15A)
Hohaia Whiu (Generic Kicking Coach)
And the special ingredient with Dilworth Old Boys as coaches?
"Dilworth coaches have learned how to care," says Ant. "These boys need to know you care. You’re holding them to a high standard because you want them to be better”.
With a sustainable player funnel, an elite physical conditioning programme, and a rising generation of talented young coaches who want to return to support Dilworth students and a strong rugby whānau group, rugby at Dilworth is thriving, and the whole school is benefiting.