Dispute over Warriors NRL Pathway Players at New Zealand’s Top Rugby Union School Reaches Boiling Point

A sponsorship dispute at New Zealand’s top rugby union school, Hamilton Boys High School, has brought to light the ongoing battle between rugby union and rugby league for the country’s best talent. A major sponsor of the school’s first XV rugby union team is considering pulling its funding amid allegations that students are being pressured to reject the Warriors’ junior system.

The Warriors, who recently made history by winning the Harold Matthews Cup grand final in their first season in the competition, are facing growing concerns over pathway players allegedly being pressured into walking away by rugby union schools. This issue has come to a head in Hamilton, where parents of students at the prestigious rugby school are worried about their children being coerced into turning their backs on the Warriors’ pathways program.

Tony Barakat, co-founder of Apex Property Group and a key figure behind the Warriors’ academy in Hamilton, expressed his concerns over the situation, stating that he is on the verge of pulling his funding out of the school. Barakat highlighted the welfare aspect of the issue, emphasizing the negative impact that the pressure to choose between rugby union and rugby league could have on the students.

The Warriors’ success in the Harold Matthews competition has only added fuel to the fire, with the club’s CEO Cameron George revealing that a growing number of players in the club’s pathways program are facing similar dilemmas. The rise of the Warriors is beginning to challenge the dominance of rugby union in New Zealand, with the club’s expansion and success causing a stir in the sporting landscape.

As the NRL club continues to grow and expand its footprint in New Zealand, the code war between rugby union and rugby league is set to intensify. The Warriors’ resurgence is not only impacting the men’s game but also extending into the women’s space, with plans for the club to return to the NRLW in 2025 and actively pursue female talent.

Overall, the sponsorship dispute at Hamilton Boys High School sheds light on the complex dynamics at play in the battle for talent between rugby union and rugby league in New Zealand, with the Warriors at the forefront of the push for a more inclusive and diverse sporting landscape.