The school’s First XV won the Otago premier schools competition last year and the team is shaping up nicely again following an unbeaten pre-season tour of Australia.
It is keen to defend its title but will have extra motivation to play well at home. The school took possession of the new Lion Foundation Shield earlier this week. Otago Secondary Rugby Council chairman Murray Munro said the new trophy would follow the format of the Ranfurly Shield and McGlashan had earned the right to be the first holder, having won the Otago premier schools competition last year.
"They are expected to put that up at each home game, like the Ranfurly Shield," Munro said.
"If somebody wanted to take it on the road that would be their choice."
The format for the Otago premier schools competition means the 10 teams play each other once and then split into a top six and bottom four. The tournament has been extended by starting earlier and introducing a mid-week round, so the top six teams will play a full round-robin this year in order to determine the semifinalists.
The bottom four teams will not be combined with the under-18 grade but will play a round-robin instead.
The eventual Otago premier schools winner will earn the right to join Otago Boys’ High School and Southland Boys’ High School in a playoff series to find the best school rugby team from the Highlanders’ catchment.
The Highlanders champion will then play the Crusaders champion and the winner will join the Blues, Chiefs and Hurricanes champions in the national finals.
McGlashan and King’s High School shape as the early favourites although, with teams changing so dramatically from season to season, it can be hard to gauge the various strengths of sides.
South Otago High School has a lot of players returning so it could be a threat, and the Otago Boys’ High School Second XV promises to have powerful set pieces.
Waitaki Boys’ High School made the final last season but has a much smaller pack and has set its expectations accordingly.
The first round gets under way today. Taieri College hosts Waitaki Boys, King’sis at home to St Kevin’s College, Mt Aspiring College plays South Otago, OBHS will face Kavanagh College and Dunstan High School has a tough opener against McGlashan.