Westlake Boys' High School has capped off another outstanding rugby season, finishing third in New Zealand after winning both the North Harbour 1A and Blues titles. The road to Palmerston North included a 45-43 win over Rosmini College in the North Harbour final and a 40-40 draw with Kelston Boys' High School in the Blues final, with Westlake reaching the National Top 4 after scoring the first try of the match. The result marked the fourth Blues title in five years.
At the National Top 4, Westlake was beaten 31-17 by Tauranga Boys' College in the semi-final before bouncing back to defeat St Patrick's College, Silverstream 52-42 to finish third in New Zealand. The team’s success was also recognised nationally, with Matt Fleming selected for the New Zealand Schools side while Westlaker Solomone Tuitupou (2025) was named in the New Zealand Barbarians Under 18 side.
Head coach Rob Mildenhall credited the team's courage and determination during the season. "Our boys are often smaller than the opposition we play, but they're really brave," he said. "The word I like to use is relentless. They just don't stop." He also acknowledged the support the team receives from the wider school community. "To know that your school believes in you, and that there are people who believe in you, that's a wonderful place to be."
A big thank you to our rugby partners SAS Sport, JG Civil, Archibald & Shorter North Shore, Exedy New Zealand, Gavin Roberts –Auckland House & Properties for their continued support of our rugby programme.
An early start at our Father Son Breakfast
Our Father Son Breakfast is always a highlight on the school calendar, and this year's event, featuring guest speaker, broadcaster and former elite triathlete Mark Watson, did not disappoint. His career has included competing at a high level in triathlon and covering some of the world's biggest sporting events, and he shared stories from both sport and broadcasting.
Mark spoke about one of the most high-pressure moments of his career, commentating on Usain Bolt's successful defence of the 100m title at the London Olympics. He encouraged students to make the most of opportunities, share their successes with the people around them, learn from setbacks and maintain balance in life. One message that stuck was that greatness is not measured by trophies or titles, but by the impression you leave on others. He also paid tribute to his late father and spoke about the influence he had on his life and career. We’d like to thank Mark as well as real estate agent Kai Deng and Barfoot & Thompson Milford for their support of the event.
Two golds for Westlake Boys choirs
Westlake Boys' choirs have returned from the Big Sing Finale in Christchurch with two gold awards and two national trophies. Voicemale and Choralation were both awarded gold at New Zealand's premier secondary school choral competition, with each choir also receiving a special award.
Voicemale, our premier lower voices choir conducted by David Squire, was awarded Best Performance of a Work in the Open Choice Category for its rendition of 'Songs of the Wizard' by Stephen Schwartz. Choralation, the combined choir of Westlake Boys' and Westlake Girls' students, received the trophy for Best Performance of a Work Written Prior to 1900 for its performance of 'Beati Quorum Via' by Charles Villiers Stanford.
Westlake head of music Warwick Robinson said Voicemale had been preparing for the competition since the start of the school year. "The standard of music-making was really high at this year's event, but despite the pressure felt by all the singers in the 24 Finale choirs, they were incredibly supportive and encouraging of one another," he said.
Choral director David Squire said one of the highlights of the festival was seeing the singers support each other throughout the competition. When asked what draws students to choral singing, he said: "They love to sing, they love building something that takes time and commitment, and they love finding artistry."
First Auckland basketball title in 14 years
Our Premier basketball team has qualified for nationals following a memorable season that included our first Auckland Championship title in 14 years. In front of a packed crowd at Eventfinda Stadium, the Premiers faced Auckland Grammar in the Auckland final on 28 August. Although Westlake entered the game unbeaten, Grammar provided a tough challenge.
After a hard-fought contest, Westlake emerged 107-95 winners, completing an unbeaten season. The team now looks ahead to the national championships in Palmerston North as they seek to build on what has already been an outstanding year.
Nine podium finishes at Winter Tournament Week
It has been another busy and successful period for Westlake sport, with our students producing outstanding results on the national stage. Thirteen teams travelled around the country for Winter Tournament week, with nine returning home with podium finishes.
Among the highlights, our 1st XI hockey team finished second in New Zealand after a 2-2 draw in the Rankin Cup final before narrowly losing in a shootout. The 1st XV rugby team also enjoyed a memorable campaign, finishing third in New Zealand after another National Top 4 appearance.
Our badminton team finished runners-up nationally, while our cyclists collected 13 medals at the Northern Tour, effectively the North Island championships. Basketball continued its strong year, with the Senior Premiers winning the Zone 1 championship and the Junior Premiers claiming an invitational tournament title. Football and hockey also recorded podium finishes across multiple grades.
Notable results
