Wellington College

Yeah, cheers, Ryan, for, for your text.

Uh, there were a group of young fellas from Wellington College in the late 2000s that included Lima Sopoaga, Jordan Kahu, uh, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Jeff Toomaga-Allen, Reggie Goodes, and a few others who went on to play s- at Super Rugby in NRL.

That's from Kenny T.

So Nelson must have been the youngest of that group then, wouldn't he? 'Cause Lima would be quite a bit older than-

Yes.

The, uh, javelin thrower from Wellington College.

Yes.

What about Mariu?

There's now more than 1,000, appro- nearly 1,000 Kiwis at the top, you know, US universities.

Um, Kiwis have now gone to all the various Ivy League schools, and we've also created a Te Ari Koupe scholarship in which there are now nearly 12 or 13 young Māori students that have gone to top universities like Harvard, like for example, Sam Taylor or Cohen Hamana Uh, Ty Ren is now at Columbia down from Wellington College.

Um, so I think we've really changed the culture meaningfully.

You know, back when I was in high school, going beyond Australia was considered pretty radical, but now there's an established beating drum of Kiwis going to these incredible places representing our country on the world stage.

They are the co-directors of the Supertonic Choir based in Wellington.

Its next concert is a performance of Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle, which will take place in Wellington on the 10th of October, the Alan Gibbs Centre in Wellington College.

Virginie, as a co-director then, how long have you been with the choir?

So I've been with the choir for five years.

You as St. Bryce, there's a guy you knew every second game he got a yellow.

One of my best mates, schoolboy rugby, Wellington College, Ryan Mayer.

What

would he do? Just dirty play? Yeah, just turn

Yeah.

And you went along to that in Wellington College.

Wellington College.

You did quite well.

We did.

You know, go and play at, um...

Go and, you know, play at Wellington College one week.

Go and, yeah, just, just take it around the, the 1A comp- you know, up here in Auckland, take a game to Manukau Grammar one week, take a game out to Kelston one week, um, out to Botany Downs if you need to.

Make it free to get in.