NZ Rugby's message to unions after North Harbour cans junior rep rugby

New Zealand Rugby has sent a strong message to its provincial unions and franchises, saying it sees little value in representative rugby at under-14 level and below.

In a document sent to provincial, school, regional and Super Rugby bosses, the national body outlined its position on the merits of age-group rugby.

It comes in the wake of the Weekend Herald revealing that North Harbour Rugby was scrapping its Roller Mills and under-14 teams, and the end-of-season Junior Club Representative Tournament.

While the move has received high-profile backing from All Blacks legends Jeff Wilson and Buck Shelford, it has proved divisive among parents of young rugby players.

Former All Black winger Jeff Wilson supports North Harbour's move. Photo / Photosport

The letter to the country's rugby administrators, written by head of participation and development Steve Lancaster, made it clear that New Zealand Rugby feel rep rugby at a junior level was potentially counterproductive.

"We do not see value in representative programmes at under-14 and below in relation to both identifying those players likely to go on to the elite level and encouraging the largest pool of players who may have the ability to play at the elite level to stay in the game," Lancaster wrote.

North Harbour's decision to end its under-14 rep programme was a response to falling player numbers, particularly boys. Empirical and anecdotal evidence suggests that schoolboys who feel that high-performance pathways have been closed to them are more likely to walk away from the sport altogether.

"We want to maximise engagement and grow participation through quality experiences," NH Rugby general manager David Gibson told the Herald. "For us, this means cultivating a climate of development and fun around our junior rugby programmes and putting the kids at the centre of the experience."

New Zealand Rugby's Steve Lancaster feels rep rugby at a junior level was potentially counterproductive. Photo / Photosport

Lancaster wrote that NZ Rugby's "capture point" for talent identification in boys was under-17. Anything under that age should be focused on "maximising the reach of player development programmes".

The letter said they were still determining whether selection, or more pointedly deselection had an effect on talent ID and participation numbers at under-15 and 16 grades.

"That work is ongoing and we will continue this... with the intention of confirming NZR's position on all grades below under-17 by the end of the year."

It remains unclear whether any more of the country's 26 provincial unions will follow North Harbour's suit but if they decide to it will now be in the knowledge it is broadly supported at head office level.