Schoolboy

Five years ago a young No 10 called Bryn Gatland helped Hamilton Boys’ High School to the national secondary schools crown with a drop goal against St Kentigern College.

That memory still brings a smile to Gatland’s face but the new Highlanders recruit observes something else about that HBHS team.

Only two players have really kicked on. Gatland looks around the scene in New Zealand and

The bigger issue is the intense pressure to win being put on young athletes, whose minds and bodies are still growing.

sees only himself and North Harbour halfback Harrison Levien, who was captain on that day.

It’s a cautionary tale for those young players, or their families, who think that success in first XV rugby is the fast lane to a well-paid professional career.

For every Rieko Ioane or Taniela Tupou, there are countless others who dreams never quite materialise.

And that should be the central debate in schoolboy rugby. Not the winning, not the trophies, not the glory – but the outcome for the boys themselves.

Are they being best served by being put through almost professional-level programmes at a young age, only to realise later in life that they peaked at 17?

The jury is still out.

This low conversion rate from first XVs to professional