First XV rugby shakeup shock: South Island boys schools plot breakaway competition

NZ Herald

19-05-2025

The new competition would, therefore, include up to eight schools across Canterbury and Tasman, and six schools in Otago and Southland.
'We are excited about the impact this could have on our boys and communities.' Christchurch Boys' High School drive hard against Southland Boys' High School. Photo / Supplied
At present, the top schools in the Crusaders catchment area contest the Miles Toyota Premiership. This season includes Nelson College, Marlborough Boys' College, Christchurch Boys' High School, Christ's College, St Thomas of Canterbury College, St Bede's College, St Andrew's College, Shirley Boys' High School, Rangiora High School and Selwyn Schools Combined. Timaru Boys' High School is contesting the lower tier championship, but are favoured to gain promotion back to the top tier this season.
In the Highlanders' catchment, it's the Freeman Roofing Southern Schools Rugby Championship. There are 18 teams split across three divisions, with the top tier this season involving Southland Boys' High School's First and Second XVs, King's High School, Otago Boys' High School, John McGlashan College and Dunstan High School.
The new structure would exclude co-ed schools like Rangiora High School, the Selwyn Combined Schools, St Andrew's College and Dunstan High School.
Rangiora High School and St Andrew's College confirmed they had not been included in the proposed competition.
'I've not heard so much as a murmur,' said Bruce Kearney, Rangiora High School principal. Rangiora High School principal Bruce Kearney.
The snub comes after co-ed schools had a weekend to remember against traditional powerhouse boys' schools.
Dunstan High School in Alexandra travelled to Dunedin to tip up their more fancied opponents – Otago Boys' High School. Dunstan's 22-19 win was celebrated well beyond Central Otago, with Feilding High School congratulating their fellow co-ed school on social media.
In Rolleston on Saturday, it was a similar story with Selwyn Schools Combined coming from behind to beat St Bede's College 18-12. Turning with the wind at their backs in the second half, the home side had all the momentum and sealed the game with a late try.
Selwyn Schools will cease to exist in 2026 with Rolleston College electing to go it alone.
Lincoln High School, Darfield High School, Ellesmere College and Akaroa Area School plan to continue in a new arrangement.
It was almost three big scalps for the co-ed schools with Rangiora High School falling just short of spoiling rugby's return to Christ's College's Upper Field in a 38-37 win for College.
Under a single-sex competition, their students could miss out on top-tier schoolboy rugby. That's long been an issue for certain schools in both regions. The flow-on effect is that those schools are prone to either losing their brightest rugby talent to bigger schools, by choice or by scholarship, or they're never even considered as an option by those who are in-zone but enrol elsewhere. Harrison Inch (holding trophy) and Saumaki Saumaki (right), two of the standout players for Nelson College in 2024. Photo / JDW Photography
Details of how the competition would work aren't yet known, but combining the entire South Island would require a huge amount of travel. Invercargill to Nelson is a 12-and-a-half hour drive – or an expensive exercise by plane. But travel isn't something the top sides shy away from.
Southland Boys' High School First XV coach Jason Dermody told the Herald last month that his side needs to travel to face the best opposition, referring to the distance that they'd travelled in pre-season.
'We've got to travel to play the best teams because if we just play the teams down here, we just think we're good,' said Dermody at the time. Southland Boys' High School First XV coach Jason Dermody. Photo / Debbie Fahey Photography
His side had travelled to Auckland and Christchurch for matches with King's College and CBHS in preseason. Last year, they made the trip to Nelson to contest the South Island final. That could become a more familiar journey under the proposed competition.
It will be a bold pathway, both literally and figuratively, for the single-sex collective.
'At the heart of this kaupapa is a shared desire to enhance the experience of boys' education. These ideas are still in development, and we are working carefully to ensure they reflect the values, needs, and aspirations of all our school communities,' the joint statement read.