CBHS v Christ’s College: Why today’s historic rivalry stayed on home soil — despite chat about the stadium

Tuesday, 2 June 2026

One of New Zealand’s oldest schoolboy rugby rivalries kicked off at Christchurch Boys’ High School on Tuesday afternoon — and it almost looked very different.

The annual inter-school match between Christchurch Boys’ High School and Christ’s College, which dates back to 1892, was the subject of early conversations about being played at the new Christchurch stadium.

But the idea was ultimately shelved — and for good reason, according to CBHS principal Nic Hill.

Christchurch Boys’ High School principal Nic Hill said there was a “really strong feeling” among students that the game should be played at school.

“There’s a really strong feeling amongst the boys that the game should be at school or college,” Hill said. “History, tradition, connection — and it’s really about the boys.”

Hill said conversations had taken place late last year but hadn’t progressed far. As the host school this year, CBHS had the final say on where the match was played.

“We explored it, but we didn’t take the conversations any further,” he said.

Christchurch Boys’ and Christ’s College players got up close during the hakas at last year’s inter-school match, won 48-38 by Boys’ High.

The schools have previously played curtain-raiser matches at Lancaster Park before Super Rugby fixtures, and Hill said if the stadium option had been pursued it would likely have taken a similar format. But the inter-school game had a different energy entirely — one that a big stadium simply couldn’t replicate.

“It’s an exciting day. There’s a buzz, excitement and focus around school today.”

Venues Ōtautahi chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare said while the fixture was “packed with history and a highlight of the first XV rugby calendar”, there were no formal discussions about hosting the match, and staging a match at the stadium mid-week leading into the Super Rugby play-offs would have been a “difficult proposition”.

She left the door open for future community events at the venue. “More community sport at the venue remains a possibility in the future and we are certainly up for that discussion,” she said.

The fixture is one of the most anticipated on the Christchurch school sports calendar.

Christchurch Boys’ have won four straight, with College’s last victory coming in 2021. Last year, the sides played out a 13-try thriller at College’s Upper ground, with a late try from Boys’ High co-captain Mac Chaplin sealing a 48-38 win.

Tuesday’s match kicked off at 1pm and is being broadcast on SIBSN TV.