07-08-2025
Wobbles for proposed competition
The proposed South Island-wide First XV competition has hit a hurdle — some of the schools do not want to play in it.
The mooted competition hit the headlines in May when the South Island boys' secondary school principals released a joint statement announcing the attention to develop a new competition.
It was billed as part of a wider collaboration between the boys' schools to enhance achievement and the wellbeing of young men.
Under the proposal, eight schools from Canterbury and Tasman would join five schools from Otago and Southland in the competition.
Waitaki Boys' were quick to opt out, citing resourcing issues and player depth.
Now Christchurch Boys' have shied away.
Christchurch Boys' acting principal Nigel Vernon told The Press earlier this week the school recognised the value in building stronger connections across South Island boys' schools.
"However, we feel we can't endorse the proposal to form a new rugby competition in its current form," Vernon told the newspaper.
"At this stage, there are too many question marks for us, with more work needed around long-term sustainability, funding, and the impact on our wider sporting programme and community."
There are rumours John McGlashan College has reservations as well.
College acting principal John Veitch declined to comment when asked if the school remained committed to the proposed competition.
"We have another SI Boys meeting next Monday to further discuss this. Therefore, I cannot comment at this time,"
he wrote.
"Hopefully, all will be sorted out next week."
John McGlashan won the Otago Schools Rugby Championship in 2022, but have fallen a little behind the top three school sides — Southland Boys', King's and Otago Boys' — since then.
They were beaten 64-12 by Southland Boys' in the Southern Schools Rugby Championship semifinal at the weekend.
Otago Boys' rector Richard Hall could not be reached for comment.
King's rector Nick McIvor said the school remained excited about joining the new competition "knowing that further details are being worked through on things like funding and how the First XV rugby competition will run in its first year".
"With regards to the new competition, there's no negative.
"[It's] enabling our boys to be challenged with games outside their region. It's a win for them.
"It's also an indication of the strength of unity and leadership of the boys' schools in the South Island in our commitment to world-class boys' education."
The co-educational schools are not invited to the new competition.
But The Press reported promoters of the South Island-wide tournament were working on a potential compromise.
The boys' schools could remain in their current competitions next year alongside the co-educational schools, but could carve out some time for a boys' competition.
Otago Secondary Schools Rugby Council chairman Greg Heller did not want to be drawn on the proposed competition and what impact it might have on the Southern Schools Rugby Championship.
However, he felt the Championship was a quality competition that produced a high standard of rugby, while also guarding against mismatches.
"We think that the current competition is serving the needs of our rugby community," Heller said.
"It's inclusive, it's merit-based and it's meaningful. It's allowing our teams to find their place. And we think the competition's in good heart.
"We've worked hard to get it where it is currently. And I think we've got the right teams playing in the right grades.
"We're not seeing the big blowouts that perhaps we saw previously when we had full round robins."
