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Central Kaipara Whai (CKW) Under-15s rugby team made history this month, defeating rivals Old Boys Marist U15 (OBM) in a nail-biting 15-12 grand final victory to claim the Northland IMB U15 Championship title.
Taking to the field in front of a packed crowd at William Fraser Memorial Park on August 8, CKW went into the away game as underdogs. Their only two losses of the season had come against OBM, who entered the final undefeated.
CKW were also on the back foot before the game had even begun, with illness and injury leaving the side with just one substitute.
Despite the odds, the boys started strongly, with an early penalty kick from Levi Kaye putting the first points on the board. Aronui Waata scored the first try of the game, with another from Toby Walker in the second half. A conversion from Kayne saw the team separated by just three points, with the final stages becoming a test of CKW’s defence.
The drama intensified when a yellow card reduced CKW to 14 players, forcing the Kaipara side to spend much of the final 15 minutes defending their tryline before coming out as eventual winners, beating OBM 15-12.
Team manager Jody Walker says the determination shown by the players was unlike anything they had seen from them before.
“The defence was just incredible; they really wanted this victory, and it just shows we can make it against the bigger teams, even if we are playing with the bare minimum. A lot of our teams are light on numbers, but they always keep fighting,” she says.
CKW co-coach Harmon Walker, who coaches the team alongside Arapeta Waata, says he cried “real tears” when the final whistle blew, while Jody says the players and supporters celebrated as though they had won the World Cup.
“It was a really crazy moment, really emotional.”
Jody believes the strong contingent of supporters on the sideline played an important part in getting the boys across the line.
“We had a lot of supporters there as the under-13s had played a game before us. There were probably around 50 to 70 people there, but it felt like there were hundreds.”
Lance Nepia established Central Kaipara IMB Rugby just three years ago. Since then, Jody says the club has become about much more than what happens on the field.
“We are really big on the club culture. We are like a family. It’s really a place for the teenagers to feel like they belong, and of course, play good rugby,” she says.
The team also has a strong relationship with the Otamatea Hawks, with senior players helping and training alongside the younger players. Co-coach Arapeta Waata plays for the Hawks, giving the younger players an example of the pathway available as they progress through the grades.
Jody says the championship was a whole-team effort and thanked the parents and supporters who backed the players throughout the season.
“It was a big moment for our small rural club to show that we can make it against these bigger teams. They were a hard club to beat, but that’s finals rugby. You never know what is going to happen on the day.”
2026 Central Kaipara Whai IMB team Under 15 Squad
Coaches: Arapeta Waata, Harmon Walker
Team: Van Walker, Layne Panhuis, Lachlan Hill, Blake Fergus, Wirepa Walker, Denzal Edmond, Levi Kaye, Aiden Searle, Donovan Legge, Cam Davies, Toby Walker, Nikaya Nathan, Levi Walker, Eli Pakau, Wihemara Maaka, Tama Freer-Aperehama, Aronui Waata, Dakota Jamieson.
