St Paul’s 1st XV rugby players, Sam Porritt and Connor Collins, have been awarded sports scholarship to Lincoln University that will cover the full cost of tuition of their undergraduate degree and high performance training through the universities rugby programme.
The boys are “stoked” with the offer saying it will help them pay off their student loan faster and provide them with the coaching needed to take their rugby to the next level.
“There is a really big focus on rugby development. We will play for the university rugby team and the programme will help us get to a higher level of play,” said Connor.
The pair have both had a successful year, playing for the Chiefs under-18 and being nominated for the New Zealand secondary schools team.
The boys were also members of St Paul’s 1st XV that won the Central North Island rugby competition for the third consecutive year (undefeated) and that also placed runners-up in the Chief’s Cup.
Connor also played for St Paul’s Sevens that recently qualified for the national tournament in December after winning the Waikato Cordors Sevens title.
Conor and Sam heard about the scholarship opportunity through a friend and St Paul’s graduate Gordon Fullerton who was awarded the same scholarship in 2015. St Paul’s careers advisor Paul Wilson also advised the boys to apply.
Although the boys say their main focus at Lincoln will be developing their rugby to reach a professional level, they are also committed to finishing their undergraduate degrees as a back-up plan.
Sam plans to study ag-commerce while Connor will study land and property management.
