The New Zealand Schools Rugby Union has commissioned an independent investigation into matters raised by the recent eligibility issue involving Rotorua Boys' High School.

Former head of the Lotteries Commission Peter Dale will undertake a review of the policies and processes governing school boy eligibility in the wake of a breach of the rules in a Top Four play-off match in August.

In the match between New Plymouth Boys' High School 1st XV and the Rotorua Boys' High School 1st XV played on August 28, two players were included on a signed team sheet for RBHS who were not eligible to play in the Top four competition.

After receiving a complaint from New Plymouth, the Union investigated the matter. The two ineligible players had previously been at Rotorua but had left for a gap year before returning this year and rejoining the school.

Under new eligibility rules applying this year they should have been counted as new students. Schools can only include six students new to the school in their squads for any given game. Rotorua had eight in their squad for the game in question.

New Zealand Schools chairman Garry Chronican said the investigation had determined a genuine breach of the 'new player to school” rules had occurred because the school had not been aware of the new rules.

'There is no evidence that this was anything other than a genuine mistake. The eligibility rules are there for good reason to prevent schools stacking their teams with new players and undermining the integrity of the competition.

'However, in this case we accept that [Rotorua's] actions were not deliberate and we allowed the team to continue in the Top Four completion.”

Rotorua went on to win the competition, and played the subsequent matches according to the eligibility rules, in that no more than six 'new to school” players took part in the finals.

'The issues raise some questions about the robustness of our policies and processes in this area and we welcome Peter Dale coming on board at short notice to review these matters.”

He says the review would investigate issues around the breach with a view to; determine how the eligibility breach arose and make recommendations to the Union as to how to avoid it reoccurring.