'It's crazy': Reflecting on an emotional national triumph
“Yes, we had injuries, but the three or four days we had in Palmerston North, I’ve never seen kids respond to that sort of stuff before. It was magic."
Jason Dermody isn’t usually an emotional guy. You won’t normally get too much emotion out of him on most topics.
Although on Monday morning, at about 5am when he woke up, Dermody admits to bursting into tears. The enormity of what he’d just been part of hit home.
Less than 24 hours earlier, against all odds, the Southland Boys’ High School first XV won its first-ever national rugby title. Dermody coached the team, alongside others.
They toppled Westlake Boys’ High School in the final to become the first South Island school to win the Top 4 national title since 2006.
They became the first school from the Highlanders region to etch their name on the trophy since Otago Boys’ High School in 1998. That Otago Boys’ team was captained by a certain Richie McCaw.
The 2023 Southland Boys’ first XV was dished up a heroes welcome at the Invercargill Airport at 8.30pm on Sunday night when they returned.
It was a moment resembling previous Ranfurly Shield arrivals, or Sting and Sharks airport welcomes.
Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark, who shared a flight with the team from Christchurch on Sunday, has suggested a ticker-tape parade might be appropriate for such an achievement.
The whole triumph has been a lot for Dermody and the rest of the group to take in.
“It’s even emotional now, I feel like crying whenever I talk about it,” Dermody said when he reflected with The Tribune on Monday morning.
“Five years ago, you would think this never could happen. Two years ago, you never would think this would happen, at the start of the season you thought this could never happen.
“When we got to the Top 4 people around the country thought this could never happen.”
Internally though there was plenty of belief as the season progressed.
“Honestly, when we saw the four teams going to the Top 4 we said to the boys, ‘we are a big chance of winning this’. We just had tremendous belief.”
Dermody has been part of the Southland Boys’ High School coaching setup since 2011.
He was there when the team last progressed to the Top 4 in 2017. But there was a change of mindset six years on.
“In 2017 I was lucky enough to go to the Top 4 and as a coach I was just happy to be there. We had won the South Island [title] and I was happy to be there, and I think the players were happy to be there.
“When we knew we were going to the Top 4 [this year] I told the players we were happy to be there in 2017, but that changes now. We are there to win a national title.
“You could see they lifted their heads up and you could see in their eyes, they were thinking, ‘far out, we are a chance to win a national title’. We kept that belief.
“The last five minutes of the game Skelty [Peter Skelt] turned around to me and said, ‘I think we are chance of winning this Derm’. I thought, ‘Southland Boys are not supposed to win a national title’.”
That belief had every reason to be tested throughout the campaign. They had every reason to start reaching for a pile of excuses.
Days out from the trip to the Top 4 Southland Boys’ star young first five-eighth Mika Muliaina was ruled out with a knee injury.
Earlier in the season it had lost starting second five-eighth Jerome Buckley-Fa’atoia.
Early in the semifinal victory over Palmerston North Boys’ on Friday starting centre Preston Evans dislocated his shoulder and that was him done.
Late in that semifinal openside flanker and captain Gregor Rutledge dislocated his clavicle also ruling him out of the final.
It became a scramble just putting 15 players together. Let alone holding on to that belief that beating an unbeaten Westlake Boys’ remained a realistic prospect.
But that belief never faltered.
Cody Stevens - who was playing at the South Island basketball tournament in Dunedin - answered an SOS call and on Saturday flew to Palmerston North and started on the wing. He played a lead role.
Lachie Riley was told he had the task of filling Rutledge’s absence and would wear the No 7 jersey. As it turned out Riley was one of the best in the final.
The list of players who stood up amongst adversity is lengthy.
“Yes, we had injuries, but the three or four days we had in Palmerston North, I’ve never seen kids respond to that sort of stuff before. It was magic,” Dermody said.
“The kids have just been amazing. They could just go in and out of the moment when we asked them. They were like professional rugby players.
“We told them when it’s rugby time you’re on, and when it’s not you’re off. And they just did that.”
“I know people say that Southlanders are tough and all that sort of stuff, but this is a testament to that. People believe that [Southlanders] are tough but this shows that. It’s crazy stuff mate.”
On top of all the injuries, there was even more reason for the belief to be tested when they found themselves down 19-5 in the first half against Westlake Boys’.
Southland Boys’ managed to score on the stroke of halftime to make it 19-10. The message at halftime was if they could score next they would put plenty of pressure on a Westlake Boys’ team that had come into the final unbeaten.
“Pressure does funny things, especially with teenage kids and that’s what happened. It was a bit of a fairytale.”
Invercargill MP Penny Simmonds happened to be on the same flight into Invercargill on Sunday and praised the Southland Boys’ High School students for the way they conducted themselves at a time when there was plenty of excitement about.
“They were not rowdy, just very polite and courteous. So, I’m going to write to the school to congratulate them, but also to say how they are a credit to the school,” Simmonds said.
On Tuesday the school will hold powhiri to welcome and acknowledge those involved in the special result for Southland Boys’ High School.
At this point, the focus quite rightly is centred on honouring the remarkable 2023 achievement.
Although there’s some excitement about what might be ahead for Southland Boys’ in 2024 as well.
“We don’t pick a whole Year 13 team, so we’ve got some good boys coming back. Our tournament team won the South Island [under-15] tournament so we’ve got some good boys coming through.
“It just shows what we are doing at the school is working at that is a big testament to what Skelty [Peter Skelt] is doing,” Dermody said.
Sunday’s national title was a special moment for all involved, but in particular Dermody’s fellow long-time coach - Skelt.
Skelt has seen many quality players and teams pass through the school during his over three decades of involvement. Although even very early in the season Skelt was prepared to declare that there was something special about the 2023 group.
Dermody said Skelt’s presence within the team was significant and the way he can motivate individuals was impressive.
“He’s got a way with teenage boys. He knows how to talk to them. He’s not a person to stand up and barrel the whole team, but individually he’s got his way.
“He’s got a lot of experience and it’s fantastic to learn off him.”
Well done Derm and Skelty.Very proud here in Cebu, Philippines. Great written report also.
Well done Derm and Skelty.Very proud here in Cebu, Philippines. Great written report also.