NZ Schoolboy rugby under investigation

Rotorua Boy's High School celebrate with the Barbarians Cup following their win in the National 1st XV Championship Final. Photo / Getty Images.

An investigation will be launched into eligibility concerns in schoolboy rugby after allegations that Rotorua Boys' High School fielded ineligible players during a season in which they were crowned national champions.

The New Zealand Schools Rugby Union announced the independent investigation yesterday, following a Herald on Sunday report into the furore.

Former head of the Lotteries Commission Peter Dale will undertake a review of the policies and processes governing school boy eligibility in the wake of a breach of the rules in a Top 4 play-off match in August.

In the match between New Plymouth Boys' High School and RBHS last month, two players were included on a signed team sheet for RBHS who were not eligible to play in the Top 4 competition.

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RBHS claim the two ineligible players had previously been at the school but had left for a gap year before returning this year and re-enrolling. Under eligibility rules they should have been counted as new students. Schools can only include six students new to the school in their squads for any given game to prevent widespread poaching of talent by big or wealthy schools. RBHS had eight in their squad for the game in question.

NZSRU Chairman Garry Chronican said: "There is no evidence that this was anything other than a genuine mistake. The eligibility rules are there for good reason to prevent schools stacking their teams with new players and undermining the integrity of the competition.

"However, in this case we accept that RBHS actions were not deliberate and we allowed the team to continue in the Top 4 competition."

RBHS went on to win the competition, and played the subsequent matches according to the eligibility rules, in that no more than six "new to school" players took part in the finals.

However, sources spoken to by the Herald claim this is a convenient interpretation of RBHS' transgressions. One said the New Zealand Secondary Schools Sports Council had been well aware of concerns about the legality of RBHS' team for some time but had turned a blind eye.

The principals of the Super Eight schools - the top rugby schools in the central region - of which RBHS is a member, met in Taupo last Friday and voted 7-1 to relegate the school from second place to last because of the infractions. This leaves the awkward situation of having the last-placed regional team being crowned national champions.

RBHS principal Chris Grinter said the Super Eight decision was "an over-reaction".

The review is expected to be completed in October.