The Highlanders First XV competition looks dead in the water with both Otago and Southland schools set to form their own competitions.
A lack of a sponsor, along with a concern over its impact on other school grades, appears set to scuttle the competition, which started in 2009.
An executive committee meeting is due to be held today but it is unlikely the competition in its present form will be played this season.
Instead, school teams will go back to playing in their own Otago and Southland competitions, while the Otago Boys' High School First XV and Second XV will play in the two Dunedin metropolitan colts grades.
It is believed the issue has been discussed at board level at both the Otago and Southland unions.
Highlanders First XV executive committee chairman Don McFarlane could not be contacted yesterday.
He had earlier acknowledged there had been lots of discussions about the future of the competition but nothing had been decided before the meeting tonight.
Executive committee member Mike Newell, the Taieri College deputy principal, was not prepared to make any comment yesterday and said he was expecting a decision to be made in the next couple of days.
The Otago Daily Times is aware of meetings last week of rugby administrators from Otago and Southland that raised concerns over what the competition was doing to rugby in lower school grades, and dwindling player numbers.
In Southland, the concern was that having the Highlanders First XV competition left the Southland under-18 grade with just four teams in it this year - not enough for a viable competition.
Before the First XV competition, young players turned out for clubs in Southland, but playing for schools in the past few years had lessened the number of club teams.
Importing players from outside the region was also hurting numbers because players gave the game away after missing out on playing for their First XV.
The competition was already set to change this season after Otago Boys' High School, which has won the past four titles, moved to the Dunedin metropolitan colts competition.
The competition was to expand to 16 teams, adding Kavanagh College, Taieri College and one other.
Major sponsor Fulton Hogan pulled out at the end of last season and no replacement had been found, pushing the cost to schools past $6000 each.
Otago Rugby Football Union general manager Richard Kinley said he was not prepared to make any comment until after the executive meeting.
An Otago-wide competition including the two North Otago schools was now being mooted, and Southland players may go back to playing for clubs. Where the Southland Boys' High School First XV plays is unclear.
Dunstan High School coach Tom Blaikie said he would be disappointed if the competition folded but felt an Otago-wide First XV competition would work.
''But coaches and schools have to realise it is not just all about them and their school. Everyone has to get rid of their egos and start thinking about what is best for Otago rugby,'' Blaikie said.
John McGlashan College team director Mike Idour said he would be extremely disappointed if the competition fell over.
''We have been working hard over the past couple of days so it [folding] does not happen ... we want a competition which needs to be serious, needs to be competitive and at this stage we do not get that with 16 teams,'' Idour said.
South Otago High School coach Adam Whaanga said it was disappointing to hear the competition might fold.
''Hopefully we can get a strong Otago-wide First XV competition with a good structure and elite teams,'' he said.
''But it is disappointing that we, and all of the teams, have started training and it looks like we haven't got a competition to play in yet.''
