Rotorua Boys' First XV have tuned up for the new rugby season with the trip of a lifetime.

The group is back home after three weeks away enjoying the different delights of Europe – plus playing some good rugby along the way.

First XV head coach Ngarimu Simpkins says preparation for the 2019 season began earlier than usual because of the tour.

'We have been building our season early because of our tour to France, Italy and Spain. We have been carrying a bigger squad of 31 boys because of that tour.”

Ngarimu says the tour involved more than 12 months of support that involved the wider Rotorua community.

'We did a lot of fundraising. We had an auction night here at the school. (former All Black and All Blacks coach) Wayne Smith and (old boy and former All Black) Mike Delany were our guest speakers. We raised a lot of funds through that.

'The bulk of the money came from each family so our community has been fantastic in supporting all our boys through helping with raffles and many other things. Everyone got across the line and got to go.”

This year there is no Chiefs Cup for the best First XVs in the region like Rotorua, Hamilton Boys' and Tauranga Boys' to test themselves ahead of the Super 8 competition contested between the best eight boys' schools in the central North Island.

The Hamilton schools decided they would rather play their own traditional fixtures in the Waikato region.

But an overseas trip offering new experiences from a rugby and cultural perspective means Rotorua will be in great heart when the Super 8 begins.

'We have some real exciting boys in our squad this year and this group have been together for about three years,” says Ngarimu.

'A lot of them have played First XV quite young but this year is sort of their senior year. The bulk of our team is Year 13 so we are trucking along quite nicely.”

Ngarimu says they approach every Super 8 game with due respect and attention.

'The competition itself is just so tough. The schools all have different styles of rugby. Yes, Hastings have been strong and Hamilton have been strong in recent years but we have beaten them in other years.

'We don't take anyone lightly in the competition because everyone develops each year and they get stronger. Some schools are redeveloping players and their programmes so it goes in cycles. All the schools are strong.”

Rotorua will be captained by hooker Bernie Hati who has been in the First XV for the last three years. Other players coach Ngarimu says to keep an eye on include centre Kalem Strickland, an underrated talent who makes no mistakes and makes great decisions on the field, twin brothers in props Nirai and Zach Ririnui, plus potent attacking fullback Ceiza James.

Rotorua have won the Super 8 competition twice in 1998 and 2001.

Hamilton have had a stranglehold on the title winning 11 times since 2006 with only Gisborne in 2011 and Hastings in 2016 breaking the winning sequence.

As always the opening fixture is the big local Bay of Plenty derby against Tauranga Boys' which is the game both schools look forward to each year.

The game at Rotorua Boys' on Thursday, June 6 is the 101st First XV match between the two proud schools.

* Rotorua showed their early season form on Saturday when they defeated Wesley College 31-7 in the traditional fixture for the Grinter Cup.

Peter White Sport in the Bay www.rotoruanow.co.nz