Clampdown on school rugby poaching

By REBECCA WALSH

Tough new rules are in place to stop Auckland secondary schools poaching top rugby players.

Limits have been set on the number of new players Auckland schools can have in their 1st XVs, and an independent commissioner has been appointed to investigate players' backgrounds.

The move follows reports of talented players, particularly sixth and seventh formers, being enticed by rival schools with offers of scholarships or overseas sports trips.

Some schools are believed to have imported players from overseas.

Brendan Schollum, former principal of Sacred Heart College, who has been appointed commissioner, said each team would be allowed no more than five players who had enrolled at the school only in the previous or present year of competition.

All players would be registered and their details and school enrolment information checked.

Mr Schollum said a player could be stood down for four weeks or sidelined for the whole season if poaching was confirmed.

The new rules could be applied to other sports and throughout the country in the future.

Rob Boston, executive director of the Auckland Secondary Schools Heads' Association, said the rules would prevent schools "stacking their teams before the sharp end of the competition."

"If you have new players, there has to be a really good reason why they are enrolled at your school ... If you find out six of them happen to be Western Samoan under-19 reps, you would have to say there's something not quite right here."

Mr Boston said the finger was often pointed at private schools but that was unfair. Often students and parents approached schools which had rugby teams in the top grade.

He expected that new zoning legislation would put a brake on poaching.

The new rules, which start this season, have the support of Auckland secondary school principals keen to end the practice.

Auckland Grammar School headmaster John Morris said the rules meant students who had been "hoping and praying" to get into the 1st XV would not be "kyboshed" in the last year by schools importing players.

Bryan Smith, principal of James Cook High, said that without the rules the better players would be concentrated in a handful of schools. "The rules will in my view encourage more young people to play sport."

Last year James Cook High complained to the association that one of its best players had been poached by St Kentigern. A confidential settlement was reached.