By Stu Piddington

The Roncalli College First XV will remain in the Crusaders Schools Championship for the foreseeable future.

A three hour end-of-season review on Saturday in Christchurch between the Canterbury Rugby Union (CRU) and the 15 schools involved in the championship was heated at times but in the end resolved there would be no changes at all to the format in 2017.

The CRU suggested a top eight, bottom seven split or a two conference format, which both would have reduced the number of games each season, but both proposals were rejected by the schools.

Roncalli's up-and-coming rugby players will get a chance to play in the Crusaders Schools Championship in the future with the staus quo being retained. The players are pictured with assistant Crusaders coach Brad Mooar.

Instead the 15 team round robin will remain.

The experimental Waimea Combined side also survived the discussions and will be back next year. That decision also allows some of the other smaller schools to look at sort of possible amalgamation, if desired.

Also no stricter rules were implemented when it came to player movement between schools.

One suggestion of a stand down period of four to six weeks on a player that moved from one school's First XV to another the following season also got no traction, as some schools had already awarded their rugby scholarships for 2017.

Roncalli College deputy principal Andrew Jones said he was pleased and encouraged with the long term vision and commitment that the Crusaders board has shown to support grassroots rugby in the all of their stakeholder unions.

"Their decision shows that the UC Championship truly supports the aspirations and development of as many talented players as possible, without forcing parents and students to compromise their educational preferences and choice, in a truly regional competition.

"Roncalli College is fully committed to developing rugby players that can stay true to their communities and still achieve their rugby potential through participation in a premier competition."

South Canterbury Rugby Union chief executive Craig Calder said the was delighted that both Roncalli College and Timaru Boys' High School will continue to compete in the championship.

"This is a very aspirational and prestigious First XV rugby competition. At Saturday's debrief it was important that the larger schools in the Crusaders region understood how important was for our community that our schools remained in the competition."

Calder said the outcome was reached even after some of the larger schools had requested a revised shorten format.

"The SCRU is particularly pleased that Roncalli College can now implement their long term strategic rugby development plans and achieve their goals in this competition. We are committed to continue to support their sustainability in the competition."

CRU general manager community rugby Tim Gilkinson said there was a good healthy debate and he was happy that the schools had reached a consensus.

While there were some concerns around player welfare and the length of the competition, no-one favoured the alternatives, he said.

"There was a desire that everyone played everyone, so that is the way it stayed."

Gilkinson said he didn't think would would be another big review for at least three years.

The retention of Waimea Combined did give some smaller schools the option of also looking to field composite teams, he said.

"Roncalli could start talking to the likes of Geraldine if they wanted to assure player depth. Ultimately it would be good for both."

Timaru Boys High School First XV coach Gavin Miller said he was a little surprised by the status quo decision.

"The CRU were keen for changes but didn't realise the strong feeling among the schools.

"The two tier competition had flaws in it because of the relative strengths of teams year to year, with the exception probably of Christchurch Boys' High School.

"There was a risk a school could end up wrong tier the following year."

Under the plan presented TBHS would have made the top eight cut, having been ranked seventh-equal with Christ's College.

Miller said his only concern remained around the congestion, when the traditional inter-school fixtures came into play, and some players were also keen to go to Christchurch for Crusader Knights training.

"We can face seven strong schools a month, which is not ideal if the draw does not go your way."

On player recruitment Miller said he understood the Auckland schools competition had a six to eight week stand-down if a player moved from one First XV to another, which reduced the attractiveness of moving.

"If the two tier competition had happened, there were also concerns good players in tier two would be enticed or want to play for a tier one school."