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The 14th Year: When schoolboy rugby stops being schoolboy rugby
Kieran Bingham • June 12th, 2025 11:00 am
1st XV rugby match between Nelson College and Marlborough Boys. | Photo: Photosport
The recent controversy surrounding Marlborough Boys’ College fielding five repeat Year 13 students in their First XV rugby team has reignited the national debate on the professionalisation of school sport.
But for former All Black Israel Dagg, co-host of Sport Nation’s Scotty and Izzy, the issue hits home in a deeply personal way.
In light of recent news, Dagg reflected on his own high school experience, recalling a fifth-form match at Lindisfarne College where his team faced a much older, more physically developed side. It was a moment that has stuck with him.
“We got embarrassed. We got bullied. We got blown off the park,” Dagg said. “You’re taking on a team that is 20 years of age with moustaches and full goatees.”
That experience has shaped how Dagg views the increasing pressure being placed on teenagers in school sports.
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Although he was signed into professional rugby straight out of high school, he now questions whether the current environment is in the best interests of most students.
He acknowledged the drive many young athletes have to make it professionally and praised their ambition. But he also stressed how few will actually achieve that goal.
“At the end of the day, the percentages of those athletes going on to have a professional career like I was lucky enough to have is minimal,” he said.
“For these schools to put their sole focus on a rugby programme instead of doing what’s best for the kid is probably the thing that most disappoints me.”
The Marlborough Boys' College situation came under the spotlight after their televised First XV match against Nelson College. A controversial penalty decision that led to a try gained global attention and sparked commentary from high-profile names like Nigel Owens. The exposure turned what should have been a schoolboy game into an international talking point, dragging volunteer referees and teenage players into the firing line.
Marlborough Boys’ College principal Jarrod Dunn admitted the fallout had affected some of his students and made him reconsider whether school sport should be televised at all.
Scotty & Izzy were sharply critical of the delayed concern, pointing out the dangers of overexposure in youth sport have been known and discussed for years.
“You knew that,” Stevenson said. “Your headmaster colleagues in Auckland told you that. It has been written about consistently for years.”
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Dagg also highlighted the problem with students returning to school for a second shot at First XV rugby. He questioned how many are actually attending classes or staying on for academic reasons and shared his own experience of being dropped from his school team - not because of ability, but because of poor decisions.
“They made the ultimate decision that this isn’t about the First XV and Israel Dagg,” he said.
“You’ve gotta be a kid that applies himself at school or makes great decisions. Sport, if you’re good enough, will take care of itself.”
Stevenson adds school rugby is increasingly being driven by non-teaching, professional coaches whose focus is on results. In that environment, he argued, it’s easy to lose sight of what school sport is supposed to be about.
The discussion also touched on Auckland Netball’s recent decision to include schoolgirl matches in a subscription-based streaming platform, giving schools just one week to opt out. Stevenson questioned the rushed rollout and lack of consultation, especially considering the added pressure it places on young players.
Both hosts agreed that while there is value in dreaming big and aiming high, the obsession with televised school sport and win-at-all-costs programmes is creating unhealthy pressure and setting the wrong priorities.
“If you are good enough, you will get recognised,” Dagg said. “You do not have to go play for a big major rugby school with a programme better than most Super Rugby teams. Dream big, have goals, but don’t put that pressure on them when the reality is pretty minimal.”
For Dagg and Stevenson, the Marlborough Boys’ College saga isn’t just about one school. It’s a reflection of a system that’s increasingly prioritising performance over people - and one that may need a serious rethink.
Listen to the full segment:
