The most notable change is for the first XV rugby match between St Kevin’s College and Waitaki Boys’ High School, which is being moved to a Saturday.
This year it will not be played on "neutral ground" for the first time in about 20 years.
The move bucks the long tradition of the game played on a Friday, when students were released from both schools to attend the popular event.
Changes to Waitaki Week, a sports interchange between all three high schools in Oamaru, were announced this week after a meeting with high school leaders.
The 1st XV rugby rivalry dates back to 1934 when the annual match between the Catholic St Kevin’s and Protestant Waitaki Boys’ began.
It has been described by former All Black and St Kevin’s College student Bill McCaw, 97, as "pretty intense" although he also noted it was a "special rivalry and a good rivalry" on the field.
Off the field, the interschool match has been plagued by troubles in its 90 years, including eggs being thrown at cars and buildings at St Kevin’s College.
St Kevin’s College principal Jo Walshe said yesterday reconceiving the traditional event would "hopefully" curb disorderly behaviour.
"I am hopeful that by attending with families and alongside of older alumni, the focus will be less on antisocial behaviour by recently graduated students and more around supporting the first XV of both schools."
Ms Walshe said the match move was temporary due to the Centennial Park grandstand being knocked down.
She said the college could not logistically cope with hosting both schools and the general public on its school grounds for a Friday match.
"As hopefully [people] will appreciate, hosting the Waitaki vs SKC clash involves security, bathroom facilities and being able to separate the three schools, the alumni and the public fans."
It will be played at St Kevin’s on June 28.
Alternative sites for the game, including the Weston Domain and the North Otago A&P Showgrounds were explored, but the cost to the three schools to transport the students was simply too high, Ms Walshe said.
She was "hopeful" those who wished to come to the game would attend as a "normal Saturday crowd" along with their whanau.
Waitaki Boys’ rector Darryl Paterson said the ongoing rivalry of the rugby match had a "rich tradition".
The schools wanted it to continue and he knew of several alumni groups who would be attending the match this year.
The rugby match had only missed one year, in 1938 due to an epidemic.
Waitaki Week, the interschool sports exchange which includes the traditional rugby match, has run for close to a decade.
The latest changes were based on feedback from the schools’ communities, Waitaki Girls’ High school principal Sarah Hay said.
All fixtures apart from the 1st XV match would now only be held on the Friday.
Ms Walshe said the decision by all three principals to concentrate the games around two days recognised an "academic cost".
Mr Paterson said they had worked to strike a "fair balance" between academic and extra-curricular events.
This also recognised the pressure previously on junior students during the sports exchange.
