The Auckland first XV boycott: all you need to know

What has happened?

Ten of the 12 schools in the Auckland 1A first XV competition have refused to play against St Kentigern College next year over the fee-paying independent school’s recruitment policy.

St Kents admitted to recruiting five senior first XV players from outside Auckland, which principals from the coalition of schools claim goes against the integrity and values of the competition.

They wrote two letters inviting St Kents to agree to a new code of practice and principles and when St Kents declined, they decided to take extreme action.

The 10 schools are Aorere College, Liston College, Auckland Grammar School, St Peter’s College, Mount Albert Grammar School, De La Salle College, One Tree Hill College, Dilworth Boys’ School, Sacred Heart College, Kelston Boys’ High School.

Their stance has also been supported by schools around the country, including Napier Boys’ High, who lost their halfback from this year to St Kents.

It is understood the remaining school in the Auckland 1A competition, King’s College, has agreed to the changes but not to boycott St Kents.

How long has player recruitment been going on at first XV level for and why act now?

The poaching of players has been around for decades. But there has been a growing concern in recent years that such recruitment, which usually involves schools offering full scholarships, has created an uneven playing field between the big, wealthy schools and the rest. There are also fears that the recruitment of senior elite players fosters a win-at-allcosts mentality at the expense of education.

College Sport, which administers school sport in Auckland, has bylaws limiting the movement of senior players

within the region. For example, there is a six-week stand-down period for first XV players who switch schools which Mount Albert Grammar School headmaster Patrick Drumm said had been an effective tool against poaching.

The coalition of schools want these rules applied nationwide but St Kents declined and have circumvented them by recruiting players from outside Auckland.

‘‘Bringing in five [players], that’s a third of your starting lineup so we’ve just really said enough is enough,’’ Drumm said.

How has St Kentigern College responded?

St Kentigern head David Hodge has effectively said the school has done nothing wrong.

He insists they have played by the rules imposed by College Sport Auckland and has accused his rivals ‘‘acting out of selfinterest’’.

‘‘They very wrongly – and we’ve addressed this with them – accused us of recruiting players.

We don’t recruit players because we don’t need to,’’ Hodge told Radio Sport.

‘‘It’s quite clear the reason so many young boys and their families want to come to St Kentigern is because of the quality of the education that they get here.’’

He also said he had a letter from New Zealand Rugby praising the college for the opportunities it gave to young men.

Is New Zealand Rugby getting involved?

This is a complicated issue. NZR has no jurisdiction over secondary schools rugby, which in Auckland is overseen by College Sport and the principals.

But in a statement, they said they were working with the Auckland Rugby Union and College Sport ‘‘to provide advice and guidance as to how they can assist with a resolution on this matter’’. NZR has also conducted a review of secondary schools rugby, which will be considered at board level this month.

‘‘Player movement was one of the areas highlighted as a concern in that review,’’ NZR chief rugby officer Nigel Cass said.

How can this be resolved?

The standoff threatens to see either St Kentigern excluded from the Auckland 1A competition or those schools would default to it.

The coalition of schools have said they would continue to be available to meet with St Kents in the hope of finding a resolution. But Drumm reiterated to just how serious they were taking the matter.

‘‘Let’s hope it doesn’t get to that [boycott]. But certainly the letter we’ve communicated with St Kents is that we won’t be playing them if there is not an agreement to come on line with the other principals and obviously look at changing their practice that they’ve put in place for next year.’’