May 8–10, 2026 | Ōtautahi Christchurch | New Zealand
High School Old Boys'
125th Anniversary
High School Old Boys' Rugby Club celebrates an incredible milestone — our 125th anniversary (or for the Latin lovers, our quasquicentennial).
The celebrations are locked in for the weekend of May 8–10, 2026 and planning is well underway to honour the rich history of our great club.
Building the future. Honouring the past.
Meet our MC for Saturday: Ben Hurst
Ben represented HSOB between 2000 to 2004, playing many games for the Club. He was fortunate enough to win 2 titles during this very successful period of HSOB rugby
Ben also represented Canterbury and the Crusaders from 2000 to 2004
He currently resides in Auckland with his Wife and 3 children but stresses that he is a loyal Cantabrian to this day.
Ben looks forward to the reunion and his 'chat on the couch' at the 125 Gala dinner celebration with some of the club's more well known players.
Andrew Mehrtens
The grandson of an Old Boys All Black and the son of an Old Boys Junior All Black.
Andrew started his own Old Boys journey in the supervised creche in the back room at Ayr Street. He displayed an uncanny early ability to drop-kick the soft toys with either foot and knock the old rugby photos off the walls.
His playing career involved a year of Old Boys U19 rugby and then a rapid rise through the Club’s ranks and quickly onto Canterbury and, then the highest of All Black honors. An outstanding “game manager” and tactician.
Blessed with a sharp mind, he is a self-effacing man, a renowned mimic, with an ever present wonderful sense of humour.
Something of a global citizen these days, he is and will always be, a firm favourite in the hearts and minds of those people who frequent North Hagley Park and beyond.
Jarred Percival
A quality sportsman who has the unique record of wearing the silver fern for the NZ divisional team , the NZ AFL team and the NZ Under 85kgs team. A long and distinguished senior playing career with Old Boys. In recent years he
has become the prominent national figure New Zealand U85kg movement. A leader who has earned great respect at his Club and at higher levels. Possesses great media and oratory skills and is by all accounts is viewed as something of a "heartthrob" by some female members of the sports media.
Nick Percy
An Old Boys man through and through. A 20 year operator who went from U19 through Colts to a distinguished Senior career where he was amongst a group of inside backs of which any NZ Club would be envious.
Graduated into a long
and fruitful career with the wonderfully coached "Dream Team" and then reached the pinnacle with a cameo performance for the famous "Keiths".
A man who enjoys the lifelong comradery and friendship that comes with the Old Boys territory.
Tamara Toaolamai
Bio to come
Ken Pope
A hugely respected Rugby man across his Club and his Province. Incredible durability and commitment as a player with the most appearances in the Clubs history. Continues to contribute to the game in various provincial
governance roles whilst the Old Boys Club remains his second home. Holds the keys to the City of Bia Blanca in Argentina where he has been Chef de Mission on no fewer than 12 tours enabling generations of young Old boys players to have a unique life experience.
Reuben Thorne
Has achieved the highest honour in the game and captained his country.
Best known at all levels for his honesty, loyalty and humility. Revered by his team mates be it for Club, Province or Country given his willingness to do the "thankless hard graft" for the benefit of the greater cause. Married into Old Boys Rugby royalty being the Mehrtens family…. where apparently family gatherings
enable him to focus on his listening skills.
Event Partners
The High School Old Boys' 125th Reunion Weekend is made possible with the support of our valued partners
