5 Dec 2018

St Kentigern First XV rugby team boycotted

From Afternoons, 1:20 pm on 5 December 2018

10 of Auckland's top rugby high schools have signed a letter to St Kentigern college saying they will no longer play the school  in the elite Auckland rugby competition - The Auckland 1A First XV

St Kentigern has been accused of poaching top players from rival schools and, accordign to the 10 signatories on the letter, has declined requests to sign up to a code of conduct to make the playing field fairer.

Poaching has long been an issue in schoolboy rugby, and many schools have expressed concern about the practice

We speak with Tom Cairns, the deputy principal and First XV assistant coach of Gisborne Boys High School - another top level rugby secondary school

Kelston Josefa Kolinisau looks to offload as he's tackled during a match against St Kentigern.
Kelston Boys High School v St Kentigern, Auckland Rugby First XV 1A Competition, 2017.

Kelston Josefa Kolinisau looks to offload as he's tackled during a match against St Kentigern. Kelston Boys High School v St Kentigern, Auckland Rugby First XV 1A Competition, 2017. Photo: Photosport Ltd 2017 www.photosport.nz