All Blacks legends Sean Fitzpatrick and Ian Kirkpatrick<\/a>.<\/p>\nDilworth posted a couple of thoughtful mid-season articles on the school website about rugby development programmes and philosophies.<\/p>\n
And at the end of the season, hold the front page, there was even a pre-grand final media release (from Auckland Rugby) titled \u201cSchoolboy rivalries take centre stage at Eden Park\u201d, which put especially media-shy Auckland Grammar in the spotlight, noting its unrivalled rugby heritage.<\/p>\n
That was nice for posterity because as it happened, the final not only eluded Grammar on the pitch, but in the school\u2019s coverage as well. While Grammar ran website reports of two of the season\u2019s matches, against St Peter\u2019s College and King\u2019s College, somehow there was no mention of them having contested the 2026 grand final.<\/p>\n
Indeed, it was a seasonal quirk that New Zealand\u2019s Media and Communications Minister and Grammar old boy Paul Goldsmith (or P.G. Goldsmith under Grammar convention, where nobody has first names) was in the unusual position of posting more on social media about the Grammar First XV during 2026 than the school itself.<\/p>\n
Perhaps he never appreciated how much they avoid publicity. Both Goldsmith and Opposition Kelston MP Carmel Sepuloni posted photos from the 1A grand final at Eden Park. But it\u2019s part of their gig to show how connected they are, even if the schools prefer a disconnect.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere, Kelston Boys\u2019 continues to run stylish Instagram clips and photos of the school\u2019s First XV matches. There is never much context around who and what you are seeing \u2013 it is low-information stuff \u2013 but when set to Westie music, it does have infectious ambience.<\/p>\n
And younger audiences heavily favour such short-form highlights on social platforms over full-length games. But the irony here is that the type of clips that the Kelston Rugby account favours are similar to those that got Fruean banned from Auckland Grammar.<\/p>\n
Mt Albert Grammar had the best match programme, a natty little eight-pager, something nobody else in Auckland managed.<\/p>\n
A high-profile media veteran weighs in<\/p>\n
Might pressure finally be building for 1A schools to adopt a more mature and nuanced media policy?<\/p>\n
Veteran podcaster, broadcaster and journalist Duncan Garner \u2013 who sits on the Mt Albert Grammar board and has a son, Buster Garner, in the school\u2019s First XV \u2013 is among those who wants that to occur.<\/p>\n
Duncan Garner stressed he was not speaking as a board member or a school representative, but said he would like to see a policy review.<\/p>\n
The media blackout predated his involvement with Mt Albert Grammar, he has not yet discussed it with the board and he appreciates all principals have the boys\u2019 best interests at heart \u2013 but he nevertheless suspects better arrangements could be found.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt won\u2019t surprise anyone that I find the blanket ban odd and I understand the frustration of working media wanting to cover the 1A competition,\u201d Garner said. \u201cI don\u2019t think this happens in any other area but here in Auckland.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can only assume the intention is to protect the boys from the pressure and potential fallout that can come with media coverage, particularly when that coverage is critical of teams or individual players.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that\u2019s the reality they will face when they leave school; it\u2019s a tough world and professional sport, if some of them wish to pursue it, is particularly unforgiving in this area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe reality is that social media is awash with highlights and lowlights within seconds of a game finishing, sometimes even before it has finished. Full games of rugby at all levels and ages are routinely posted on YouTube.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe live in a fast-moving media environment where images, comments and content are circulating constantly. Against that backdrop, a blanket ban on schools dealing with the media is difficult to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
Garner noted that highly successful schools to the north and south of central Auckland, such as Westlake Boys\u2019 High School and Hamilton Boys\u2019 High School, had established respected rugby programmes which sat comfortably with media coverage.<\/p>\n
\u201cI also think the principals are sitting on a pile of gold here. There would likely be significant interest from broadcasters and online platforms in covering the competition,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat raises legitimate questions about whether someone could make money from it, while still protecting the amateur status of the competition \u2013 and, importantly, protecting the boys from even greater pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere has to be a sensible middle ground between a complete media blackout and a free-for-all. I think it\u2019s worth exploring.\u201d<\/p>\n
Garner was among those who witnessed first-hand Westlake Boys\u2019 internal online livestream broadcast of the Blues Cup final, commentated by Mark Watson.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was clever and eminently accessible for those unable to attend and I\u2019m sure if the schools saw this operating, they would likely be keen to follow suit, or at least discuss it,\u201d Garner said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHosting the media at Westlake in the pavilion with a bird\u2019s-eye view of the game seemed to be no big deal at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom what I could see, there was respect between all the players and it appeared to go off without a hitch or complaint.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd Westlake\u2019s leadership, including Hugh McGahan, its head of rugby, all seemed remarkably at ease around the broadcast and it appeared to be part of the furniture.\u201d<\/p>\n
Central North Island: The complete opposite of Auckland<\/p>\n
Compared with Auckland\u2019s anti-publicity approach, you couldn\u2019t find a greater contrast in rugby product presentation than the promotions-focused Central North Island (CNI) First XV competition.<\/p>\n
The CNI continues to lead the way with competition publicity, marketing and promotion. And this season, in conjunction with Whakaata M\u0101ori, it broadcast all 54 of its First XV matches in what was the debut year of a three-year agreement.<\/p>\n
It was a massive undertaking with a number of logistical challenges but was enthusiastically embraced by the schools and communities in a far-flung set-up, where an away game can mean more than five hours\u2019 travel.<\/p>\n
On top of the YouTube livestreams and TV live broadcasts, the CNI generated vibrant midweek promotions such as \u201cTry of the Week\u201d and a running points tally on the championship\u2019s Most Valuable Player to complement match days.<\/p>\n
There were also updates on the players with the most tries and the most overall points as the competition went out of its way to be proactively at the forefront of people\u2019s minds.<\/p>\n
In this manner, the CNI operated in a completely different rugby universe to the Auckland 1A competition.<\/p>\n
CNI competition manager Blair Rogers said his personal view was that anybody deliberately trying to keep rugby away from the public eye was doing the code a massive disservice.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone involved in rugby in New Zealand has a role, a job, to promote the game,\u201d Rogers said. \u201cSimple as that. No matter what level you\u2019re at, it\u2019s your sport, promote it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re fighting for eyeballs. We\u2019re in competition with all other sports and must promote the game to a wider audience. It\u2019s not to the detriment of the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you\u2019re not doing it for the players. You\u2019re doing it to raise the profile at any point or for any people that you can. I feel that\u2019s part of your responsibility as a person who\u2019s involved in the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t you want to promote it? You\u2019re promoting young men to be the best they can be. Not all of them will get to the highest level, but they can still play and enjoy it and play at a good level with their friends and have good mateship and good memories.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd hopefully the videos of these guys will still be there on YouTube in 30 years\u2019 time and they can look back on them. I\u2019d love to have a game of me playing back in my day on video somewhere. It\u2019d be cool to show my kids.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese boys potentially have that opportunity. And that\u2019s the thing \u2013 you\u2019re actually creating memories for the future which they don\u2019t understand now. But when they\u2019re older, when they\u2019re my age, they will appreciate these things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rogers said the \u201cTry of the Week\u201d was introduced as a way of trying to create CNI discussion points during the week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithin a week of us doing it, we noticed that the Southern Schools started doing it as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it was just about trying to put some content out midweek and also trying to reward good play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rogers noted how the Matamata College team were particularly proactive in utilising match footage during their longer journeys.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Matamata people organised a bus which had a Starlink on it and a large-screen TV at the front and they\u2019d review the game on the way back home, which was quite outstanding,\u201d Rogers said.<\/p>\n
But boys from most schools would watch games back on their phones and quickly scrub through passages of play in the dressing sheds.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were not even changing back into their uniforms and they were actually looking at parts of the play that they were interested in, a try or a defensive piece. So the feedback was pretty instantaneous for some of these boys as they used technology.\u201d<\/p>\n
Super 8 coverage<\/p>\n
Whakaata M\u0101ori also covered the Super 8 competition again \u2013 though inexplicably missed two Napier Boys\u2019 High School games.<\/p>\n
On the commentary front, Anaru Ryall worked hard, Dale Husband was capable when focused and Tom Fleming was enthusiastic. However, the rest of the commentary was too often ill-informed and puerile.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the season, when showing eight games a day, you could sympathise with a variable quality of announcers. The players are less familiar and resources are stretched.<\/p>\n
But by the time regional finals arrive, after months of familiarity with the schools involved, you\u2019d expect the best commentators to be assigned and to provide genuine insight.<\/p>\n
Instead, the commentator on the Tauranga Boys\u2019 College-Hamilton Boys\u2019 High School match claimed Etene Nanai-Seturo was an All Black from Hamilton Boys\u2019. There are two problems with this. He wasn\u2019t an All Black and he didn\u2019t go to Hamilton Boys\u2019.<\/p>\n
Tauranga fullback Tommy McQuoid scored tries in 12 of 14 Super 8 games, all broadcast on Whakaata M\u0101ori. Yet they still got his name wrong. Even at the National Top Four, he was being called \u201cTommy McQueen\u201d and \u201cTommy McQuaid\u201d.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in the Hurricanes Regional Final between St Patrick\u2019s College Silverstream and Napier Boys\u2019 High School, a strong wind heavily influenced the tactics. But this wasn\u2019t mentioned once by the monotone voice, also guilty of butchering names and facts and using a scrum reset as a cue to launch a political diatribe about changes to the school curriculum.<\/p>\n
While promoting te reo through sport is intelligent and honourable, the coverage is hampered by distinct complacency.<\/p>\n
People don\u2019t expect polished Sky Sport-quality commentary at this level. They should, however, expect some attention to detail in researching the schools involved, information about the players and conveying a sense of what is actually happening in the game.<\/p>\n
Some fluent flourishes of te reo can\u2019t disguise poor preparation.<\/p>\n
South Island Boys Schools <\/p>\n
South Island Boys Schools TV covered all games in the new competition.<\/p>\n
But much of the footage came from artificial intelligence (AI) cameras, which made numbers hard to see. This was often complicated by the lack of a scoreboard.<\/p>\n
Assigning students to commentary created a fun and varied presentation. It worked best when schoolmates personalised their own friends. Nick Bewley fronted the \u201cGame of the Round\u201d on TVNZ and did a solid job, often with students as his sidekick.<\/p>\n
Donny Bell and Greg Heller were welcome voices and Southland had a distinctly local flavour. If bias is declared, that is absolutely fine. This is tribal stuff.<\/p>\n
Sky Sport<\/p>\n
When Sky Sport dropped First XV rugby broadcasting for two seasons in 2023, it underestimated the game\u2019s widespread appeal at that level.<\/p>\n
In almost every community in New Zealand, a First XV brings together friends, parents and teachers who care about it, not to mention former students and staff.<\/p>\n
By being Auckland-centric, Sky missed the fact that a strong audience exists beyond the City of Sails and competitions like the Super 8 or South Island Boys\u2019 Schools in particular have strong appeal.<\/p>\n
But since returning to First XV broadcasts in mid-2025, Sky has done a worthy job with the matches it covered.<\/p>\n
However, still being without those marquee Auckland fixtures, Sky has had to be more creative in engineering match-ups that people actually want to watch and engage with.<\/p>\n
In that respect, this season\u2019s experiment in going well off the beaten track to cover the Kerikeri High School-Bay of Islands College match in late July and sell the local derby angle was a bold move. But in retrospect, it didn\u2019t work as a spectacle.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Sky\u2019s First XV coverage \u2013 and this goes for the NPC, too \u2013 would be aided by more local voices.<\/p>\n
Former All Blacks and professional broadcasters bring instant credibility. It must be a vicarious joy for a schoolboy and their parents to be endorsed by leading rugby authorities.<\/p>\n
Too often, however, commentators have no connection to an area and struggle to identify the unique character or nuances of the place they\u2019re talking about. For example, James Parsons commentating out of a studio in Auckland won\u2019t bring the same local knowledge to a game in Wellington as someone immersed in it on the ground.<\/p>\n
Best school media <\/p>\n
Feilding High School is still the gold standard for school coverage of First XV rugby nationwide.<\/p>\n
Feilding offers timely match reports, complete with opposition scoring details, pre-match team lists, player of the day details and acknowledgement of team and player milestones and when records have been broken. There are match-day photos, video links and all the information anybody might need to better consume their product.<\/p>\n
Other schools making commendable efforts include Wellington College, Palmerston North Boys\u2019 High School, Napier Boys\u2019 High School and Taieri College.<\/p>\n
Tribe has spoken<\/p>\n
The Tribe mobile phone app is particularly valuable for First XV rugby.<\/p>\n
It offers scores (sometimes in real time) schedules, tables and occasionally commentary and appears to have been designed with sports fans in mind, rather than sports organisations.<\/p>\n
Especially for Auckland 1A followers, on match days Tribe is quite the antidote to the Stone-Age media policies. It is quicker and, incongruously, often more reliable when there is a discrepancy with official match details. It is also delightfully simple to navigate and offers a decade of previous data it has stored.<\/p>\n
Is it true blokes spend more time on this app than Tinder?<\/p>\n
Buzzword of the year<\/p>\n
In pre-match team-naming social-media memes, substitutes have often been melodramatically labelled as the \u201cBomb Squad\u201d, \u201cfinishers\u201d or \u201cimpact\u201d players (though if they were genuinely impactful, you\u2019d probably want them starting).<\/p>\n
But Kelston took pretentious euphemisms to a whole new level in referring to those on the pine in the Blues Cup final as the \u201cFresh VII\u201d.<\/p>\n
That one might need a fresh pair of eyes.<\/p>\n
# Disagree with anything here? We welcome alternative viewpoints. Email us at nzschoolboyrugby@gmail.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The above schools are all party to the ongoing 1A First XV media blackout, predicated on a belief…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":621987,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[2246,9980,8831,795,1888,33488,78,24560,42899,1073,111,139,69,1118,22213,762,6327,18429,213,85273,27982],"class_list":["post-621986","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-2246","tag-adam","tag-an","tag-bruce","tag-first","tag-holloway","tag-in","tag-julian","tag-landscape","tag-media","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-of","tag-our","tag-review","tag-rugby","tag-schoolboy","tag-sports","tag-uneven","tag-xv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=621986"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/621986\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/621987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=621986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=621986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=621986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}