A FIJIAN teenager is making a name for himself in Waikato’s school district with his speed and agility on the sports field since his arrival in New Zealand at the beginning of this year.
Nathan Jeremiah Stephens has made such an impression at Hamilton Boys High School that he received three prestigious prizes during the school’s awards ceremony last week; Māori and Pasifika Sportsman of the Year, Argyle House Sportsman of the Year, and International Rugby Player of the Year.
And true to his roots, the deprecating young man chose to wear a sulu to pair his dinner jacket to receive his awards in the cold Waikato evening of Wednesday last week.
The school’s director of High-Performance Sports and 15s coach, Cameron Moorby, said Stephens has made an immense impression on the entirety of Hamilton Boys’ High School, from rugby coaches to teachers, admin staff, boarding staff, and everyone in between.
This comes as no surprise to those who know him as the character of the modest 18-year-old was shaped during his years at Queen Victoria School, a local boarding school, from 2022 to 2024, when he played fullback in the U-18 team that won the Deans Trophy last year.
“Nathan has been such a special contributor to our rugby programme in 2025. Not only is he an exceptional talent on the field, but he is twice the man off it. Caring, considerate, and respectful,” coach Moorby said.
“On the field, he cemented himself as one of the form’s outside backs in New Zealand schoolboy rugby, earning selection into the Hamilton Boys’ High School 1st XV, Waikato U18s, Chiefs U18s, and NZ Barbarians U18s. His athleticism also shone through on the track, claiming the Waikato and Bay of Plenty 100m and 200m championships.”
Stephens and his school team represented New Zealand at the Sanix World Youth Tournament in Japan earlier this year where he was voted Most Valuable Player of the two-week meet.
“Nathan is currently preparing to play a big role in our Hamilton Boys’ Premier Sevens team as we build toward the National Condors event in late November.
“He is a very special young man, respected by so many and admired by all who know him. His future is incredibly bright, and I, along with the rest of our coaching staff, feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with someone of such calibre.”
Nathan Stephens won the Maori & Pacific Students Sportsman of the Year Award. Picture: SUPPLIED
