In a match between New Plymouth Boys' High School First XV and the Rotorua Boys' High School First XV in a Super eight encounter earlier in the year, two players were included on a signed team sheet for the Rotorua side who were not eligible to play in the competition.
After complaints, following the Rotorua side winning the top-four national competition, an independent investigation by leading sports administrator Peter Dale was launched.
He released his findings yesterday, which included some recommendations which are to be adopted for the 2016 season.
New Zealand Secondary Schools Rugby Union chairman Garry Chronican, of Dunedin, said ideally the union would like to be able to access the data held by the Ministry of Education to find out the exact status of pupils.
But that data was bound by privacy laws so the union could not use it.
It hoped to work through that issue and get access to the data but further negotiations would be needed.
Until then, eligibility issues would have to rely on the integrity of high school principals.
Strict rules surround the eligibility of first XV members such as the ages of players, their residency and the playing of pupils who have switched schools since year 9.
Dale's recommendations include a comprehensive revision of the rules and regulations for the competition including a complaints process and appeals process.
Chronican said yesterday, the rules at the moment were fine.
''But in this world of semi-professional school rugby we need to have a facility within the rules where people have the abilities to make a complaint. Where they can have a review of a decision, a right to appeal. The principles of natural justice need to be seen to be done,'' he said.
''The rules we have around the playing of the game are perfectly adequate. We just need to acknowledge that things are changing in the game.''
The incident in the game involving the New Plymouth and Rotorua schools involved two boys coming back from an overseas exchange and then re-enrolling for school having previously finished their year 13 education.
It was a genuine mistake by the Rotorua school, Chronican said and Rotorua Boys' would be the New Zealand representative at the Sanix world rugby invitational tournament next year.
He said the reality was the sport was in an era where there was now a career pathway for players and the rules had to reflect that.
