One of New Zealand's top secondary school rugby competitions will no longer be broadcast live or live streamed starting next season following a vote by principals.
Principals involved in the the Auckland 1A 1st XV competition announced in a statement this afternoon they had declined broadcasts of matches for the 2023 season for "the wellbeing of students at a time when secondary schools rugby players are being exposed to an unhealthy level of scrutiny in both traditional and social media".
No media interviews will be given before or during the season by coaches and players as well.
"As educators we have become increasingly wary of organisations and individuals seeking to treat secondary schools rugby as an extension of the professional game," headmaster of Mt Albert Grammar School Pat Drumm said.
"The 1A schools have taken great strides in recent years in terms of the recruitment of student players, and we see this decision as a natural extension of our responsibility to the sport and to those who play it."
The statement listed the 2022 1A schools - St Peter’s College, Kelston Boys’ High School, Sacred Heart College, De La Salle College, Saint Kentigern College, King’s College, Mt Albert Grammar School, Dilworth School, Auckland Grammar School, Liston College, Tangaroa College, Aorere College - as well as potential 2023 inclusions St Paul's College and Macleans College were all involved.
The decision was made this month and was unanimous, the principals added.
The Auckland 1A competition said the decision was made by school principals to emphasis the "wellbeing of students". (Source: 1News)
“In many cases we are dealing with players as young as 14 or 15, and we do not believe they have the requisite mechanisms to cope with the at times unwanted and unregulated attention that has been allowed to develop in this space,” principal of De La Salle College Myles Hogarty added.
“Too often we have seen the negative impacts of unnecessary hype. Many of our students already feel enormous pressure when they take the field.
"It is our job as principals to create safer environments for all of our students and we believe this course of action is entirely appropriate given what appears to be a greater emphasis than ever on commercialising school sport and the potential exploitation of those who choose to play it."
The Auckland 1A competition is one of the stronger competitions in New Zealand secondary school rugby with Sky often broadcasting games in front of giant crowds of gathered students.
This year's final between St Peter's College and Kelston Boys' High School - which Kelston won 22-24 in a thriller - was broadcast live by Sky Sport and rewatched over 42,000 times on the All Blacks' YouTube channel while highlights of the game had 154,000 views on RugbyPass.
1News has sought further comment from Sky as a broadcaster of the competition.
Auckland Grammar headmaster Tim O'Connor said principals will make no further comments on the decision.
SHARE ME