Ba Methodist High School will host Mount Maunganui College’s 1st XV from New Zealand at the Matavelo Grounds in Ba this week, marking the first time in the school’s 127-year history that an overseas rugby team will visit for both sporting and cultural exchange. The encounter, scheduled to kick off at 1pm, was confirmed in a statement from the Ba Rugby Union, which called the fixture a proud moment for the school and the wider Ba community and invited fans to attend.
Mount Maunganui College arrive with strong credentials after claiming last season’s Sam Cane Trophy as the top secondary school side in the Bay of Plenty, giving the match added competitive weight. The New Zealand visitors are expected to bring a physical, well-drilled unit that will test Ba Methodist’s young players in a rare cross-border school-level contest.
Ba Methodist coach David Wise said the fixture is an important opportunity for his squad’s development and a timely preparation for an imminent domestic competition. “This is our Under‑18 team who are part of the Ba Rugby Academy squad. It is the first time for Mount Maunganui College’s 1st XV to come and play at our school, so we are very grateful,” Wise said. He added the match will serve as a valuable contact session ahead of the Fiji Secondary Schools rugby league quarterfinals in Suva next week.
Wise also detailed the composition of the Ba squad, noting the side will largely feature Under‑19 players alongside some Under‑17s, with most squad members aged 18. That mix reflects the school’s dual focus on traditional 15s union development and the transition of players into the rugby league pathway, where Ba Methodist will contest the national knockout stage shortly after the visiting fixture.
The Ba Rugby Union framed the match as more than just a test of skill, describing it as a cultural exchange that will showcase Ba’s schoolboy rugby to an international audience and strengthen ties with a leading New Zealand programme. Organisers are expecting a strong turnout from the local community, keen to witness a historic home‑soil contest and to support the development of young Ba players on a bigger stage.
As the latest development in a growing season for Ba rugby, the match provides a timely measuring stick for coaches and selectors ahead of critical league commitments. For Mount Maunganui College it is an international tour stop that broadens exposure for its players, while for Ba Methodist the visit represents a rare chance to pit local talent against a decorated New Zealand school side on familiar turf.
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