Changes to the Miles Toyota 1st XV Competition for 2023

Canterbury Rugby has today announced changes to the Miles Toyota 1st XV Championship for 2023.

The competition, which is the largest and one of the most geographically spread 1st XV competitions in the country, including teams from South and Mid Canterbury, Canterbury, and Tasman is set to split into two competitions in a bid to address concerns around player wellbeing, reducing the season length to implement the ‘Balance in Better’ philosophy in youth sport.

Reducing the number of round robin games played from 13 to 9, the new Premiership and Championship format will better align with summer sports, reduce player load, and improve the long-term financial sustainability of the competitions.  

It also means being in a better position to welcome new schools to the competition.

“We think it’s a really good outcome,” said Shirley Boys High School headmaster Tim Grocott.

“Our role as a school is to ensure our tamariki are well cared for, educated, and receive opportunities to grow and develop to their potential. By applying those same principles to the 1st XV Competition we’re better able to achieve that.”

 The Principals; Kathy Paterson (Lincoln High School) and Rachel Skelton (Rolleston College) of Selwyn Schools Combined agreed, saying the opportunity to achieve a more equitable outcome by adjusting the competition was pleasing. “This is a big step towards facilitating the desire of our young men playing 1st XV rugby, by removing some of the barriers, and also levelling the playing field between teams such as ours, who represent a number of schools.”

Reducing the size of the competition will allow time for traditional school games with teams from outside the competition, as well as between schools who are not in the same division. While the Premiership will offer opportunities for traditional inter school fixtures inside and outside the competition, the Championship has opened the door for new opportunities to be created as well as continuing traditional rivalries.

The Premiership will move to a 10-team competition while the Championship will initially feature a handful of 2nd XV sides.

 Movement between the two competitions is still being worked through with the schools, with a focus on achieving a fair and equitable outcome but there will be promotion and relegation.

“This has been a process led by the schools,” said Canterbury Rugby CEO Tony Smail. “A lot of credit goes to their leadership and their ability to park some of their own interests for the betterment of all schools involved and for that I want to thank and congratulate them.”

 All schools have committed to the development of a charter of guiding principles for the competitions.

The changes to the 2023 competition and exactly which teams are in which competition will be determined from the standings table at the end of the 2022 round robin competition.