Sky Television wanted the game to be transferred to the Forsyth Barr Stadium as a curtain-raiser to the Super 15 game between the Highlanders and the Blues. It had intended to show the match on the Rugby Channel.
But this message did not appear to get through to the authorities at the stadium because of miscommunication and confusion.
Highlanders First XV executive committee chairman Craig Morton said there was nothing malicious in what happened and was comfortable with the situation. Sky did not have the equipment to do the two games, he said.
''We are working with the stadium to have a couple of games there down the track.''
Sky Television head of corporate communications Kirsty Way said logistical reasons ruled out the broadcast of the school match.
''Our outside broadcast van was not available due to other obligations,'' she said.
''We tried to find a solution to that by proposing to Otago Boys' High School that they shift the match to Forsyth Barr Stadium.
''That would have allowed us to broadcast it as a curtain-raiser for the Super 15 match between the Highlanders and the Blues.
''That was the only solution we had to broadcast the match and get it to air. We did ask Otago Boys' to move the match but they declined to do that.
''I appreciate it was disappointing and we did try to find a solution but we weren't able to.''
Sky will instead broadcast the game in Hamilton between Hamilton Boys' and Rotorua Boys.'Otago Boys' checked to see if the game could be played as a curtain-raiser to the Super 15 match.
''I was told they were not able to hold a curtain-raiser at the stadium,'' Otago Boys' coach Ryan Martin said.
''It would have been ideal to have the nice conditions in there.''
DVML communications manager Venues Jo Scully said that it was a Highlanders event so they were the ones that make the decisions.
Highlanders marketing manager Doug McSweeney said the Highlanders knew nothing about the desire to play the game at the stadium as a curtain-raiser.
''We have not been approached. We received no request from Otago Boys' to play the game at the stadium.''
The match will now be played at Littlebourne on June 19.
Sky Television will be returning to Otago on June 15 for the Highlanders First XV game between South Otago High School and Southland Boys'.
