Schoolboy rugby to star runners: How can we best protect our young athletes?

School rugby has been under the microscope for several years now after controversies over poaching between schools and live broadcast of games.

Those tensions have flared up again, with secondary schools pushing back against NZ Rugby’s plans for an Under-18 team to take on Australia.

It’s not the only sporting code to face push back though. This week, our young rowers take to the waters for the Maadi Cup regatta, and for the first time ‘year 14’ students are barred from taking part.

It all amounts to an ongoing debate about how much focus should be put on teenage athletes, while still allowing the likes of record breaking runner Sam Ruthe to soar.

First on The Front Page, we speak to NZ Herald journalist Gregor Paul about his latest reporting into school sports. Then later on the show, we’ll talk to AUT Associate Professor and Co-Director of AUT's Sports Performance Research Institute NZ, Simon Walters.

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You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network.

Host: Chelsea Daniels
Sound Engineer/Producer: Richard Martin
Producer: Ethan Sills

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