Ex student Sam Malcolm Called in rugby U20 World Cup Squad

Former High School students - Jack van Bussel, Scott Bowater and Sam Malcolm.  Jack and Sam were NZ Rugby Institute Representatives 2014.

Sam Malcolm represented Wanganui High School in rugby, touch rugby and 7s and since leaving school two years ago has made huge progress and has now been called into the New Zealand U20 Rugby Squad for the upcoming World Cup to be held in June in Italy. Father Darryl, mother Pam and sister Kate, as well as Sam, are all hoping that he will be in the final selection, which is to be made on Tuesday.

Director of Rugby at High School, Chris Friedel, says that "I can't speak more highly of Sam.  He is an amazing athlete as well as a really nice unassuming kid."  Sam not only played First XV rugby but was also in the 7s team that won the senior championship as well as being placed sixth in the 'Condor 7s,' the national secondary school 7s championships.  Perhaps surprisingly Sam was not called up for national honours and Chris says the "I don’t believe that he represented Wanganui either".

His potential to get to the top was there and Chris says he was told after a visit to the Rugby Institute in Massey, that he is regarded as having a "similar mental capacity for the game as Aaron Cruden and Francois Steyne".

High School has a good relationship with Manawatu Rugby and their First XV plays in the U21 Manawatu Colts grade under senior rugby rules.  They are very competitive with a recent thrashing of Fielding Yellows 75-7 shows.  As many of the boys head off to Massey, the Manawatu Turbo Academy and the Manawatu Rugby Union keep a keen interest in them.  Sam was also in the Hurricanes U20s squad.

Whatever happens on Tuesday, Chris had "no doubt that Sam will become a professional rugby player".  He is pleased that Sam's progress shows to the younger students that "there is a pathway through rugby football".