New Zealand Secondary Schools Rugby Council chairman Garry Chronican, who is also the deputy principal at Kaikorai Valley College, said if there was a suggestion of poaching of players in rugby in Otago, he would look into it.
''Whenever there has been a sniff of poaching we have investigated, and every time we have found no case to answer,'' he said.
''We are not naive about it. But quite often, pupils go to different schools for different reasons.''
The council had rules which limited the number of transfers of players between schools, Chronican said.
The maximum number of new-to-school pupils and non-domestic pupils in any one team is six.
New-to-school pupils are those who have enrolled at the school in the previous two years. Non-domestic pupils come from overseas, excluding Australia and the Cook Islands, although exemptions can be given to pupils who have a legitimate reason for shifting schools, such as a parent transferring.
Chronican said the reality was if players wanted to get ahead in the game and wanted to play in a better team, they would shift schools.
''Many boys from one school will want to go to another school and get in the First XV and get attention. There is a pathway now for a lot of kids in the sport.''
He said the rules were challenged frequently. In places such as Auckland, there were many rulings over non-domestic pupils in teams.
Last year, Otago Boys' had a fantastic season, making it all the way to the national final, before losing to St Kentigern College, of Auckland.
Chronican said players had chosen to attend Otago Boys' to be part of a good team, and their success last year proved they had made the right decision.
It was hoped the Highlanders First XV competition would raise the standard of rugby at other schools, but he acknowledged progress had been slower than envisaged.
It was still a good competition which was producing good players and giving rugby a focus in schools such as South Otago High School.
