Society Insider: Ex-All Black Pita Alatini’s work with King’s College First XV rugby; PM Christopher Luxon’s son William’s post-graduation plans

The school is famous for creating captains of industry and a fair few rich listers, including the late Sir Douglas Myers and Sir Robert Fenwick, Hugh Fletcher, and David Richwhite, All Black great Ian Kirkpatrick, and more recently Jamie Beaton and actor KJ Apa. Alatini says the high-achieving alumnae means an amazing Old Boy network.

Pita Alatini is seventh from right in this King’s College First XV snap.

He tells Society Insider that the attention and pressure around high school first XV teams have increased massively. Super Rugby scouts turn up to games regularly throughout the season, and finals are played at Eden Park with 10,000 in attendance.

Alatini knows all about the pressure of pursuing a professional rugby career. He played for the Under-19s national team straight from school, then four provinces in the NPC (National Provincial Championship) and four franchises in the then-Super 12. He played 17 tests for the All Blacks between 1999 and 2001, before a lucrative stint playing professionally in Japan.

After marrying True Bliss star Megan Cassie in 2000, the couple became regulars in magazines, sharing their lives and family updates. But after their recent divorce, Alatini says he is now keeping his personal life private.

Pita Alatini and former wife Megan. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

Most recently he was seen on Kiwi TV screens in the reality series Match Fit, a series where former rugby greats got back to fitness. On the show, Alatini discovered his metabolic age was on average 15 years younger than his biological age.

He also talked about his experiences with rugby culture and how his relationship with alcohol evolved into a support mechanism to help him cope with the pressures of life as an All Black.

Pita Alatini, Troy Flavell and Anton Lienert-Brown made a guest appearance on TV show Head High in 2021.

Alatini describes his teacher/mentor approach at King’s as holistic, which stems from the skills he learned in rugby, but also the highs and lows that life brings, especially with his experience of being a public figure for nearly 30 years.

“My job is to take down the pressure, bring out their best and help [players] develop their own pathway.”

Alatini says it was his work with local charitable organisations that set him up for his journey back to the school. He has been involved with the Cause Collective, a South Auckland charity focused on social problems facing the Pasifika community, while also working as a workshop facilitator with New Zealand Rugby’s mental health and wellbeing programme, Mind Set Engage.

He says he has noticed a stark difference in the number of Pasifika and Māori students at the school now, compared with when he was studying there.

In 1988, Alatini was attending Ferguson Intermediate in Ōtara. His rugby mate and best friend was Ben Willis, whose parents, Rod and Sue, saw his talent and put his name forward for a scholarship at King’s.

“It wasn’t just a rugby scholarship, it was for everything, and it was an incredible opportunity,” says Alatini.

Tongan-born Alatini says that in his day, the King’s College Pasifika students were made up of sons of Tongan noblemen and Samoan chiefs.

“Yes, there are still scholarships for a whole raft of students at King’s; however, the vast majority of Pasifika and Māori students come from hard-working families, who, like many from the school, want to make sure their children have amazing opportunities.”

Pita Alatini. Photo / Brett Phibbs

He says high school rugby also equips students with transferable skills, and he regularly works with teachers of all subjects to ensure they’re getting the best from their students.

“My programme is one of learning, becoming the best, they can be with conditioning, lots of smiling and preparing players for all the roads in rugby, sport and their education, ensuring the students have balance and don’t burn out.”

Alatini’s rugby division has close to a quarter of the school’s 1100 students in his programme.

“The programme is trending up since last year, growing from 230 students from year 9 to year 13, to 262 this year,” says Alatini.

King’s beat rival private school St Kentigern in the 1A First XV Rugby final last month, Auckland’s coveted premier competition that has been contested annually for more than 125 years.

King’s College lift the 1A trophy at Eden Park. Photo / Bruce Holloway

Alatini and the King’s First XV coach, Ian Robinson, are proud of the achievement. And as the Year 13 students move on from the school, Alatini tells Society Insider attention has already turned to the Year 10, 11 and 12 students to continue the team’s success.

“This year’s win is a credit to Ian and the whole coaching group of staff and volunteers,” says Alatini.

The King’s College First XV coaching group, including Alatini (second from right).

“One of those is Taufa Fifita. We coached our sons together in 2018, and these days, parents who can make the after-school training are so appreciated.”

Alatini says this year’s First XV has set a benchmark that will resonate through his whole rugby programme. He would like to see a future King’s First XV take out the national championship, which this year was won by five-time winners Rotorua Boys’ High School, Raukura.

Pita Alatini has high hopes for future King’s players. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Alatini believes there are so many opportunities and insights that can come out of even just a couple of years of training for and playing rugby.

“Some students will do rugby for their first couple of years, some will start in Year 11 and 12. As long as they enjoy it and learn some life skills, that’s the main thing.”

The Luxons’ pride as their son graduates

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s son William graduated from the University of Auckland last week with a Bachelor of Commerce in marketing and international business.

William Luxon at the Auckland War Memorial Museum after his graduation.

William, 26, completed his degree after combining his studies with work in the airline and hospitality industries.

On his graduation, William’s dad, the PM, said it was a special day seeing him graduate at the Auckland Town Hall.

Proud parents Christopher and Amanda Luxon with son William at the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

The Prime Minister and his wife, Amanda, say they are very proud of William.

“We are proud of the hard work he put in to achieve his degree,” the Luxons tell Society Insider.

“The family, including his grandparents, came together to celebrate, following the graduation ceremony.”

Since finishing his studies last November, William has worked for the homeware, women’s fashion and accessories retail chain Flo & Frankie in customer care, where he is putting his organisational and problem-solving skills into action.

The Flo & Frankie store on Ponsonby Rd. Photo / Sylive Whinray

The business was founded by Christine Conyngham in 2013 and has 20 stores throughout New Zealand, with a head office in Parnell.

Conyngham’s daughters Bella and Lucy, who have worked for Flo & Frankie, attended Auckland private school St Kentigern College, where William attended in his first two years of high school. The Luxons and the Conynghams both have multimillion-dollar houses in Remuera and also share similar philanthropic interests.

In 2017, Conyngham created a philanthropic arm of her business called Flo Gives Back to empower and support vulnerable women and children, partnering with Share and Care Nepal through Tear Fund.

A year later, Conyngham and her daughters Ruby, Lucy and Bella travelled with the Tearfund team to rural Nepal and visited remote mountain villages.

Flo & Frankie owner Christine Conyngham with her daughter Ruby. Photo / Norrie Montgomery.

Conyngham’s business has donated more than $150,000 to Tearfund’s work in Nepal.

Amanda Luxon and daughter Olivia travelled to Nepal and Thailand, when Olivia was at Diocesan School for Girls, to learn about the issues around sex trafficking in those countries, which led Olivia to become Youth Ambassador for the Christian aid group Tearfund, focused on modern slavery. In 2018, Christopher Luxon joined the Tearfund board.

Amanda, Olivia and William Luxon at the PM’s swearing-in ceremony in 2023. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Olivia, 23, has also worked for Flo & Frankie – where older brother William is now employed – in content creation and marketing. She worked there when she was home for the holidays from Melbourne from 2020 to 2022, where she studied at the University of Melbourne for a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Criminology. She graduated last year and is now working at L’Oreal in Melbourne as an assistant trade marketing manager for its designer brand fragrances.

William is believed to be enjoying his work at Flo & Frankie, where he can utilise the customer service skills he gained from his previous work as a porter and concierge at Auckland’s M Social hotel on Quay St, which he did for two years from 2017.

Luxon snr also worked as a porter at the Park Royal Hotel in Christchurch during his studies at the University of Canterbury from 1989 to 1992.

The Prime Minister has told his social media followers previously that he enjoyed his time at the hotel, as he got to meet people from all over the country and the world.

Christopher Luxon pictured in his time as a porter at Christchurch’s Park Royal Hotel.

In 2019, William again followed in his dad’s footsteps at Air NZ and at age 19, worked full-time for the airline as a flight attendant on international routes.

William returned to the M Social in 2020 to work on the front desk for a year. He then returned to the skies as a flight attendant for Air NZ, this time for short-haul flights, enabling him to return to his studies, which he began in 2019.

Luxon has said both his children have a global outlook. In the 18 years he worked for consumer goods firm Unilever, he and Amanda spent 16 years overseas, including time in Sydney, London, Chicago and Toronto.

William was born in Sydney and Olivia was born in London.

The Luxon family have a Christmas tradition of wearing matching pyjamas.

Thomasin McKenzie shining in Europe

Kiwi actor Thomasin McKenzie made a star appearance at the Venice Film Festival, in part due to her new London-based celebrity stylist, Leith Clark.

McKenzie was there to promote her new movie, The Testament of Ann Lee, alongside co-star Amanda Seyfried. The pair received a 15-minute standing ovation when their period musical opened the 82nd Film Festival.

Amanda Seyfried and Thomasin McKenzie during their 15-minute standing ovation in Venice.

Amongst stylist Clark’s A-List clients are British stars Keira Knightley, Rosamund Pike, Lily Allen and Jenna Coleman.

She created three looks for McKenzie in Venice, which saw the Jojo Rabbit star in a demure black Marc Jacobs’ 50s-style halter dress with floral detail, a smart Miu Miu shirt and skirt for her press calls, and a strapless black velvet Rodarte gown for the red carpet premiere. She also wore a floral diamond choker and bracelet from Italian luxury jeweller Leo Pizzo.

Thomasin McKenzie in her Rodarte gown and diamond choker from Italian luxury jeweller Leo Pizzo.

The Testament of Ann Lee sees Seyfried play the titular character, who was the founding leader of the Shakers religious sect in the 18th century. McKenzie plays one of her acolytes, Mary, who also narrates the movie.

Away from the spotlight, McKenzie enjoyed playing tourist, riding gondolas with her photographer boyfriend, London-based fellow Wellingtonian Benjamin Sarikaya, whom she has been dating for a year.

Benjamin Sarikaya and Thomasin McKenzie wearing Miu Miu in Venice.

McKenzie’s parents, Dame Miranda Harcourt and director Stuart McKenzie, tell Society Insider they are very excited for their daughter’s new film.

“Its director is Mona Fastvold, who co-wrote award-winning film The Brutalist with her partner Brady Corbet,” says Harcourt.

“They are an extraordinary filmmaking couple, and The Testament of Ann Lee has been firing up audiences.”

McKenzie has another Fastvold co-written and directed movie in production, a horror film called Self-Portrait.

As well as screening in Venice, The Testament of Ann Lee also wowed audiences at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) last week.

Thomasin McKenzie at the Venice Film Festival. Photo / Getty Images

Harcourt says that, unfortunately, McKenzie was unable to attend the North American premiere because she was wrapping production on the horror thriller Victorian Psycho in Dublin. McKenzie stars alongside White Lotus and Harry Potter actor Jason Isaacs.

From Dublin, McKenzie will head to Bavaria in Germany to film Rage, alongside Spiderman star Andrew Garfield. The film centres around England’s 1381 Peasants’ Revolt.

She will then juggle the production of the long-awaited fantasy film Grendel with Jeff Bridges and Bryan Cranston.

Thomasin McKenzie on the canals in Venice.

Harcourt was in Toronto for her ninth year as a member of the TIFF Directors’ Lab Faculty and was thrilled to be part of the festival’s 50th anniversary.

“I lead the emerging filmmakers on their five-day talent development,” says Harcourt.

She and her husband had been in Massachusetts together, where Harcourt says McKenzie was doing research for his new play.

Harcourt says Aotearoa was represented well by New Zealand filmmakers in Toronto, where Kiwi films Mārama and Holy Days screened, too.

Māori gothic revenge horror Mārama is a New Zealand-UK co-production, set in Victorian England, directed by Taratoa Stappard and starring rising Kiwi actor Ariāna Osborne.

Holy Days is a New Zealand-Canadian co-production, written and directed by Nathalie Boltt, who filmed her feature film debut in Canterbury late last year.

Elijah Tamati plays a boy who is on a journey to retrieve his deceased mother from heaven with the help of three elderly nuns, played by British comedian Miriam Margolyes and Australian actors Judy Davis and Jacki Weaver.

Party people of the week

Cāntīng, cocktails and contortionists

Canting in Commercial Bay celebrated its first birthday on Saturday night with a chic soiree hosted by the restaurant’s executive chef, Nic Watt.

More than 150 guests, dressed mostly in a theme of black and red, were greeted by towering stilt walkers clad in gold. Watt handed out individual Hongbao (red envelopes) to bestow good luck, fortune and well-wishes.

The night kicked off with a selection of curated cocktails and canapes, accompanied by bite-sized versions of some of Cantin’s greatest menu hits.

There were surprise performances from violinist Hannah Fang, a dazzling display by a red leotard-adorned contortionist, and music from DJs Chris Keene, Danielle Kim and La Felix.

Among the revellers were Stolen Girlfriends Club CEO Mike Bruce, MasterChef NZ winner Sam Low, food writer Anna King-Shahab, model and agent Tia Harris, stylist Estelle Schuler, Public Library’s Imogen O’Neill, 818 managing director Chris Henry and socialites Claudia Wharfe and Sabrina Soar.

Imogen O’Neill and Nic Watt at the first birthday of Canting, in Commercial Bay. Photo / Andre Kong Hami Ak and Reuben Wiremu. Photo / Andre Kong Mike Bruce and Bryan Anderson. Photo / Andre Kong Monique Oyagawa and Martha Brooke. Photo / Andre Kong Sophie Grayson, Zoe Kerr and Caprice Newth. Photo / Andre Kong Susie Mitchell, Henry Blundell, Graham and Kate Smith. Photo / Andre Kong Rex Chia, Tyler Li and Sam Low. Photo / Andre Kong Claudia Wharfe, Amelia Ferrier, Lily Bowman, Summer Busch. Photo / Andre Kong Mark Shaw and Natasha Shackelford. Photo / Andre Kong Chris Henry, Laura Haden and Matt Reyland. Photo / Andre KongDJ Chris Keene. Photo / Andre Kong

Springtime Ladies

The Springtime edition of Ladies Who Lunch was hosted at Botswana Butchery in the Ferry Building on Quay St last Wednesday afternoon.

Host Anna Jobsz welcomed guests, who dressed on theme for the season in bright colours. At the arrival drinks, guests were encouraged to mingle, where they enjoyed Cointreau margaritas, before savouring a seasonal three-course meal.

Seen amongst the action at the social networking event was Janie Wilson, who owns multiple McDonald’s franchises, Champagne Lady Anne Batley-Burton, who is running for the Waitematā Local Board, and at a neighbouring table, that board’s chair, Genevieve Sage, and lawyer Mich Bendall.

Supporting the event were Amy Eriksen from Eriksens for Me, Skin Therapist founder Chelsea Karl, and Two Hundred Doors general manager Angie Montgomery.

Anna Jobsz and Nicole Stowers at Ladies Who Lunch at Botswana Butchery. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Maxine Edwards and Amanda Guerin. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Janie Wilson, Anne Batley Burton and Kham Phomsouvanh. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Soraya Sabetian, Susini Packer and Deirdre Melville-Smith. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Sonamm Sharrma and Rafa Tadielo. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Amy Eriksen and Gail Rotherham. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Ash Ford, Soraya Sabetian, Mich Bendall and Ksenia Eliseeva. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Dee Paranihi, Marissa Lewis and Bianca Summerfield. Photo / Norrie Montgomery Amelia Fonotoe, Erica Fava and Tanya Kwasza. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008, where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.