LaDanian Davis (Year 13) recently represented New Zealand in the U18 Boys Touch team at the Asia Pacific Youth Touch Cup held in Redcliffe, Australia.

LaDanian and his team secured convincing wins over both Niue and Lebanon in the round-robin stages. These strong performances helped propel the team into the grand final where they faced off against a formidable Australian side.

Having already played Australia earlier in the tournament - resulting in one draw and one loss - the final was always going to be a hard-fought contest. Despite the efforts from the Kiwi side they were unable to clinch the gold and came away with the silver medal. 

This is a fantastic achievement on the international stage and we commend LaDanian for his commitment, skill and pride he brings to both his sport and our school community.

Old boys Tom Robertson and Maddox Wright (both 2020–2024) also competed in the tournament as members of the victorious NZ U20 Touch team at the Asia Pacific Touch Youth Cup.

In a nail-biting final, the Kiwi team triumphed over arch-rivals Australia 5–4 in extra time, the first time New Zealand has ever beaten the Aussies in this tournament at the U20 level.

Maddox secured the win with a magnificent, flying, try-saving touch (pictured below) in the dying seconds, while Tom and his teammates left everything on the field in a match that will be remembered for years to come.

It was a proud moment not just for the players, but for St Bede’s and our wider old boys' community. The red and black spirit was unmistakably present in the black jersey, as Tom and Maddox showed composure, courage, and class on the international stage.

Congratulations to these outstanding young men for their dedication and achievement.