NTS/Gold Squads

[CTPE]

CTPE,

All great players, nevertheless in a nation such as ours how do we still not have a team that can consistantly beat the All Blacks.

For mine the secret lies in Western Sydney, the Illawarra, the southern suburbs of Brisbane (e.g, Logan and Inala), and Ispwich QLD. There is an abundance of prodigious talent in these areas which league is able to unearth and develop, so why not rugby?

I am sorry but no longer can Australia rely on the Private School system to bail us out of this dilemma!

Regards,
Newbie.

Newbie I think the ARU realised a couple of years ago that there was a need to extend their talent catchment areas hence the implementation of their Junior Gold Regional Talent Centres and off season skills programme for U15s and U16s. There are 5 in Sydney - none are in the Northern, Eastern or Southern Suburbs - all 5 are in fact based at locations in Western Sydney. There are also JGRTCs in Wollongong, Armidale, Lismore, Orange, Newcastle and the Central Coast run through the respective Regional Institutes of Sport.

The ARU additionally run JGRTCs in Darwin, Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Toowoomba and 3 in Brisbane as well as centres in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Unlike the National and State Junior Gold squads entry to a JGRTC is not by invitation or recommendation but by a trial selection process. The full day trial for participation in the Sydney Centres is usually held in September at a Western Sydney location and is pretty well open to any boy playing club or school rugby who wants to participate and registers for it. On the trial day they test players skill levels, speed and conditioning through set drills as well as playing trial games. About 120 boys from Western Sydney are then selected and placed in one of the 5 Centres and complete a weekly programme with ARU development officers between late September and March as well as participating in games between the 5 centres (in the middle of Summer!!).

So the answer to your question "why not rugby ?" is that the ARU is indeed pursuing talent in the areas you have mentioned. The big challenge for them no doubt is to hang onto it given that by and large these are traditionally rugby league areas.

 

[CTPE]

I understand from a pretty good source that the Sydney metro ARU development off season program conducted by its High Performance Unit has changed for 2011/12. The program is apparently now being be held at three centres in Sydney located in the North/Penninsula, East/South and the West and each centre will cater for boys from each of the U15,U16,U17 & U18 age groups. Anyone know any more about this?

 

[Casnovian]

Having difficulty cutting and pasting the link - however "2011/2012 JUNIOR GOLD PROGRAM SYDNEY" - best to google - notes inter alia

In 2011/2012, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) will coordinate the Junior Gold Program across the Sydney metropolitan area. The Junior Gold Program (JGP) forms part of the Pathway to Gold program developed and implemented by the ARU High Performance Unit.

Applications due by 12 October 2011 - selections took place 19 October - successful applicants told yesterday afternoon by individual email. Understood there was 400 applications - which is amazing!

Congratulations to all!!

PS - nmaes announced
http://www.rugby.com.au/tryrugby/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1760/ArticleID/4824/Default.aspx

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Having difficulty cutting and pasting the link - however "2011/2012 JUNIOR GOLD PROGRAM SYDNEY" - best to google - notes inter alia

In 2011/2012, the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) will coordinate the Junior Gold Program across the Sydney metropolitan area. The Junior Gold Program (JGP) forms part of the Pathway to Gold program developed and implemented by the ARU High Performance Unit.

Applications due by 12 October 2011 - selections took place 19 October - successful applicants told yesterday afternoon by individual email. Understood there was 400 applications - which is amazing!

Congratulations to all!!

PS - nmaes announced
http://www.rugby.com.au/tryrugby/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1760/ArticleID/4824/Default.aspx

I am a little unclear on the process leading to nomination: do the kids/parents nominate themselves or are they nominated by their clubs/schools?

 

[Casnovian]

See

http://www.rugby.com.au/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=oesx6Y7NjrI=&tabid=1641

I think both players and interested parties - at the end of the day seems to be driven by player filling in the defined form.

Also understand some players missed out with late applications.

Crunching the schools and successful nominations is interesting!

Perhaps spark - many of a debate? St Ignatius leads with 14 nominations, Newington thirteen etc etc. CAS teams not so high - with exception of Trinity

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The school where you've done the majority of your high schooling should get credit


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[CTPE]

I am a little unclear on the process leading to nomination: do the kids/parents nominate themselves or are they nominated by their clubs/schools?

Thanks Casovian for the links.

Inside Shoulder I've since followed it up with the parents of a couple of boys selected and apparently the SJRU sent out a mass email around 7th October to all boys and parents on their database advising them of the program and the date applications closed. The email also provided a link to the info about the program and the application on the ARU website. It seems from this that boys could self nominate and if you look at the application form on the ARU website they had to provide a fair bit of information about their rugby pedigree and also nominate two referees to vouch for them.

Two things that I've noticed is firstly that the application information states that 140 boys would be involved but the announced list has 175 boys so they've obviously increased the capacity due to the volume of applications (400!!) and perhaps the quality of those that applied. The second thing is that over 85% of the boys play club rugby.

On a final note the program is stated as covering four age groups - U15, U16, U17 & U18. It would be interseting to see what the break up is in numbers per age group?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Wayne Barnes and Bryce Lawrence would be my referees


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Seriously, thanks for that.
Is the 175 in u 15 16 17 & 18?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[CTPE]

Seriously, thanks for that.
Is the 175 in u 15 16 17 & 18?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Yes but the split up in numbers between the age groups is not stated and actually by my count there is 195 names on the list!!

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Yes but the split up in numbers between the age groups is not stated and actually by my count there is 195 names on the list!!

thats pretty close for the ARU

 

[CTPE]

Running it through Excel I now get 192 - any glaring omissions from Sydney's best U15, u16, u17 & u18....can't see Andrew Kellaway's name there nor Tepai Moeroa's or are they in the national JGS?

 

[Casnovian]

Running it through Excel I now get 192 - any glaring omissions from Sydney's best U15, u16, u17 & u18....can't see Andrew Kellaway's name there nor Tepai Moeroa's or are they in the national JGS?

These guys may have not put in a nomination. AK (Andrew Kellaway) was a little too laid back for the NSWJRU Under 16s and didn't respond - and paid the price sitting in the grandstand against Queensland at the beginning of the month.

 

[no9]

While it is great to see interest of a high level from these young men wanting to improve their playing skills the self nomination process dilutes the "Elite" mentality that has tagged this system since its inception. That in itself is a positive. If the players treat it for what it is, a summer skills/training camp, then they will benefit no doubt. But to treat it as some have in the past, as an exclusive club that provides priveledges in higher selections is hopefully a thing of the past and the ARU seem to go out of their way to note this on the application/site.

As to the advertising of the availability to apply there seems to be a case of some clubs pushing it harder than others as many boys who are district reps, and in some cases Sydney reps, weren't aware of the process and to my understanding the schools aren't involved.

Having looked at the list I noticed a few names (older) who may be pressed to play 1st XV at their schools this coming season with more seasoned players ahead of them. Hopefully the summer training will better prepare them for the challenges ahead.

 

[Man on the hill]

Anyone know schools for Milad Ferris & Trent Winterstein.

& yes a few names from Sydney 16s are absent Coffill is one that springs to mind

 

[Man on the hill]

These guys may have not put in a nomination. AK (Andrew Kellaway) was a little too laid back for the NSWJRU Under 16s and didn't respond - and paid the price sitting in the grandstand against Queensland at the beginning of the month.

But his brother is on board? Curious - certainly from a talent perspective, AK (Andrew Kellaway) should be there.

 

[Man on the hill]

Running it through Excel I now get 192...

195 if you tally names not schools

 

[Casnovian]

But his brother is on board? Curious - certainly from a talent perspective, AK (Andrew Kellaway) should be there.

Andrew was named in the National Gold Squad 2010 -2011 - perhaps it is redundant to be in the JG this year?


http://austschools.rugbynet.com.au/...uad_Lists_-_ARU_PATHWAY_TO_GOLD_PROGRAMME.pdf

Perhaps a clue is that this is an embracing program as opposed to identified squads?

 

[young gun]

Anyone know schools for Milad Ferris & Trent Winterstein.

& yes a few names from Sydney 16s are absent Coffill is one that springs to mind

If Milad Ferris is from Eastwood, I think I saw that somewhere, then he maybe Tannous Ferris' brother (played 1st Colts this year, Aussie schoolboy(?) last) so probably goes to Marist Eastwood - if not his brother, then don;t have a clue. Don't know about the other guy.

 

[Iluvmyfooty]

Here we go again.

This has been discussed previously in this thread but for you newcomers here goes.

The Junior Gold program is the level below the Junior Gold Squad (old NTS) and is open to players who have shown some level of ability in either their school, club or rep team. The selection is based on thier application, referees comments and playing resume. It is open to boys aged 15 - 18

The next level up is the elite squad called previously NTS and Junior Gold Squad (JGS). It is made up of about 30 players in each of the major rugby cities (Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and Perth). These players are identified by the ARU high performance unit and invited to participate. It is essentially for 16-18 year olds.

if you are not seeing names in the list of 190 players shown above it may be because these players are already involved in the elite squad. So, mr Kellaway who some like to question and dismiss and other players of his ilke are more than likely participating in this elite group.