G&GR GRASSROOTS RUGBY THINK TANK

[WorkingClassRugger]

I support the 7's program as a great entree to the 15 man game. Specialist skills (scrum & line-out) don't preclude participation and a lesser number of players are required.
And its bloody good fun for the kids!
Great way to involve the public school kids.
Its also a reasonable refereeing pathway as its easier to spot infringements with less players.
Only trouble is the dearth of tournaments - at least here in SEQ.

And that's the rationale behind my thoughts of its use at the Primary level of education. That, and the lesser need of numbers. Getting 7-10 in two bracketed groups (3/4 and 5/6) is achievable. It would take significant organisation and communication to establish a program that provides schools with a solid schedule and training but it can and should be done.

I'm of the opinion that, with 7s in the Olympics, and the subsequent funding that will come for Rugby in the near future that all of those funds should be directed at achieving what I have suggested.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

How about SJRU, NSWJRU, NSWRU, NSW Suburban, NSW Cnty JRU, NSW Cnty, NSW Schools RU, and NSW Country Schools, ISA Rugby, GPS Rugby, CAS Rugby, CCC Rugby, CAS rugby and SRU all form Rugby Sevens Working Groups, or sub-committees?

These groups need to work together under direction and coordination from NSWRU Rugby 7's working group to produce a strategic plan and calendar of events to grow Rugby 7's, particularly girls/womens 7's.

The calendar should include skills sessions, gala days, tournaments that do not conflict with the existing rugby programmes and provide rugby 7's opportunities for beginners, "normal" battlers, and advanced players.

Stuff if, throw the Mark Bingham Tournament in there, as well and get the Convicts/IGRAB to include boys and girls rugby 7's in the mix for that competition as well.

These groups need to be working together NOW.

If they haven't already done so, ARU Coach Education needs to develop and run specialist Rugby 7's Coaching and Refereeing, S&C modules or courses at Intro to Rugby 7's, Level 1 Rugby 7's level.

A lot of the people I see playing Rugby 7's simply play it like "normal" rugby with less players. This is understandable because they know no different.

Rugby 7's is a good blend of Touch and Rugby, and should be played with a completely different mind set and tactics to 15 aside rugby.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

...snip....

Only trouble is the dearth of tournaments - at least here in SEQ.

QRU and all affiliates need to do similar as I have suggested for NSW regarding forming working groups and sub committees to take advantage of the opportunities that Rio Rugby 7's will present.


Hmmm ... Rio Rugby 7's..... No that is not an equivalent of Lingerie Football, played in Rio undies..

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

How about SJRU, NSWJRU, NSWRU, NSW Suburban, NSW Cnty JRU, NSW Cnty, NSW Schools RU, and NSW Country Schools, ISA Rugby, GPS Rugby, CAS Rugby, CCC Rugby, CAS rugby and SRU all form Rugby Sevens Working Groups, or sub-committees?

These groups need to work together under direction and coordination from NSWRU Rugby 7's working group to produce a strategic plan and calendar of events to grow Rugby 7's, particularly girls/womens 7's.

The calendar should include skills sessions, gala days, tournaments that do not conflict with the existing rugby programmes and provide rugby 7's opportunities for beginners, "normal" battlers, and advanced players.

Stuff if, throw the Mark Bingham Tournament in there, as well and get the Convicts/IGRAB to include boys and girls rugby 7's in the mix for that competition as well.

These groups need to be working together NOW.

If they haven't already done so, ARU Coach Education needs to develop and run specialist Rugby 7's Coaching and Refereeing, S&C modules or courses at Intro to Rugby 7's, Level 1 Rugby 7's level.

A lot of the people I see playing Rugby 7's simply play it like "normal" rugby with less players. This is understandable because they know no different.

Rugby 7's is a good blend of Touch and Rugby, and should be played with a completely different mind set and tactics to 15 aside rugby.

All stakeholders should be at least consulted on any moves to develop such a plan. But as I mentioned above it should also while developing a focus on 7s also provide a progressive and fully integrated plan to develop in particular schools and club junior Rugby nationwide. It needs to be well developed and heavily scrutinised to ensure that it achieves not only developing talent for Rio in 2016 but developing future Rugby players and fans to further strengthen our game.

 

[Newbie]

An interesting article I found on 'The Roar'. Definitely food for thought.


The Roar

I’ve tried to help grassroots rugby, to no avail

By David Campese

20 September 2012



It’s been interesting reading some of the comments on my columns from the armchair experts asking why I talk so much and don’t do something to help Australian rugby at grassroots level. The reality is that I’ve tried and it just wasn’t welcomed. I thought I should give some insight into my unwelcomed efforts over the years.

In 2010, I was asked by the president of Sydney University to set up a Sevens academy at the University, which has remained the dominant club side in NSW rugby over the past decade or so.

The future of this code is bright after being granted approval as an Olympic sport for 2016. This means an opportunity for rugby players to win an Olympic medal, an offering no other code can offer, not forgetting the appeal to women as they too have the option of winning a medal.

My aim was to promote Sevens as a viable alternative to the 15 man-a-side game. And create an avenue to increase the popularity of rugby and get kids to choose rugby over the many other sporting codes on offer.

We set up an internal Sevens competition, supported by most of the houses at Sydney University. We got a sponsor on board. It was well supported and very successful. Then realising we needed a feeder system, we turned our focus to school level, particularly the government sector, to generate players through a system which would be set up as an academy using universities’ facilities and structure.

From the investigations I did, it was disappointing to discover that little was being done to promote Sevens rugby in Schools. One of my ideas was to try approach government schools and encourage them to offer Sevens as an option.

I was unexpectedly surprised at the positive response I received after speaking to a few contacts high up in the school system – especially out west, where union is dominated by league. Unfortunately, the whole thing fell apart after a year due to the ARU allowing the national Sevens side to compete in the local Sevens comps.

Due to strong ties to the ARU, half of the University players were called up for the National team and no longer available for us. I found this very frustrating and unfair for the clubs as the point of the local comps is to allow club teams to gain experience and win prize money to improve their club facilities and help with travel.

Fast forward to February last year, by which time I’d been running my rugby academies in Hong Hong for about a year. I approached the NSW Waratahs and proposed to set up a weekly coaching academy for 30 or so kids at the Sydney Football Stadium every Friday night.

The Waratahs would give each club around Sydney an opportunity to send 30 kids to be coached by myself for two hours or so. The focus was to be on the basics in a fun yet structured environment after which parents could join in for a BBQ. And so the discussions went like this: “Great idea but you have to go to ARU to see if it will work”. Then I was told “we must approach the Waratah sponsors first to avoid any conflicts”.

That’s when all the excuses started. To cut to the chase, after months of excuses, they made it out to be too complicated and that was the end of that. So for all of you out there, that’s why I have my academies overseas. There’s a market there for it and, unlike in Australia, these grassroots initiatives are actually supported by the various governing bodies.

Perhaps part of the problem is that I don’t go by the rules and I am willing to share ideas with anybody. Back in ’96, just after I retired, Alex Evans, who coached the Wallabies for many years, came to my house to say he was leaving the game. He said he had approached the ARU with an idea to get him and I to travel around Australia promoting rugby and nurturing grassroots through coaching kids and club/school coaches. You can guess what happened to that idea …

Sadly, I have tried and over the years to help coach kids’ schools and clubs. After moving away from coaching rugby into the business world for almost fifteen years, I have recently realised that rugby is still my true passion and coaching and passing on my knowledge is what makes me tick.

I still want to help, but my time has passed. I’ve got to go where the opportunities are. So to all those people who comment, “why don’t you do something about the current state of Australian rugby”. I have tried. But there’s only so much you can do.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I think there are a lot of people frustrated, like David Campese, with the mediocracy of Australian Rugby administrators. Too many empires and stovepipes. No integration, no shared vision, no leadership, no trust, too much self interest, too much suspicion of others motives, too many tin foil hat wearers, too much bureaucracy, too many Colonel Blimps, too much about me, not enough about us, "think outside the box" but if is not my box you are now "thinking into" then keep thinking until you think into my box.

A telling piece and sad commentary on the state of affairs. Regardless of what you may think about Campo's abilities, he has a lot to offer and can make things happen. Sad that it is not directly benefiting Aust footy, but if he is spreading the love in new markets, then that is good for the game internationally as a whole.

What can be done to break this nexus of mediocracy, and apparent lethagy and inertia?

 

[Newbie]

The last time Australia won the Hong Kong sevens was when Campo was at the helm. If i recall correctly his Randwick team mate at the time, Athura Niquila, was the Man of the Tournament!

I digress!

Ultimately I believe you're on the money HJ. For me all the key protagonists are still tuned into 'WII-FM' (pronounced Wee-FM);

What's
In
It
For
Me

 

[Man on the hill]

...How about SJRU, NSWJRU, NSWRU, NSW Suburban, NSW Cnty JRU, NSW Cnty, NSW Schools RU, and NSW Country Schools, ISA Rugby, GPS Rugby, CAS Rugby, CCC Rugby, CAS rugby and SRU all form Rugby Sevens Working Groups, or sub-committees?...

Ignoring country and the various sub species of schools there are no less than 5 "Unions" jostling for authority within the sport here in SYDNEY. Each is left to do their own thing, and if a directive from on high does ever come through, it is surely adapted (note - not adopted) to suit the environment, not to deliver the originally anticipated outcome, because "we know best what will work with / for our constituents".

I know rugby was once about participation, and no doubt that extended to the governance of the sport, but surely it's past due for those in control to rationalise, not expand their petty domains (take a bow the organisers behind the resurrection of the AJRU).

The leaguies have just taken how long in a game that was born into professionalism, to identify best in class governance can only come from truly independent decision makers with far reaching control.

 

[Newbie]

I know rugby was once about participation, and no doubt that extended to the governance of the sport, but surely it's past due for those in control to rationalise, not expand their petty domains (take a bow the organisers behind the resurrection of the AJRU).

Your finest work to date MOTH!

I think you should take the Garling Report, dip it in concrete, take into the respective head office of each of the abovementioned associations and mercilessly beat the @$%&* crap of their key protagonists!

 

[Sly]

Have not had the opportunity to go through all the related posts - but we recently suffered from what we saw as the "too hard basket". The VRU has effectively scrapped the country competition. Admittedly, the competition is not as big as it is in NSW or QLD, but there was a sense of community among the clubs. The idea showed the country teams coming together when we travel hours (it was a killer when Warnnabool was in the competition) in some sense of genuine mateship. Even the Grandfinals were conducted with the city teams in mind (admittedly the larger component). We definetly felt we were the unwanted red-headed step child here. The awkwardness is now how do we (based on the NSW/Vic border) step over to the SIRU (I have worked with these guys before and while they have the right idea in many ways - it will be difficult meeting some of their requirements). Definetly leaves a bad taste in one's mouth. Not sure if it was the treatment (largely ignored) throughout the season or the result. I see three teams potentially folding and another denied the opportunity to get up.

Yeah we are small teams but I see these types of communities representing the better intentions of rugby.

Oh well, I am off to the ACT next year - lets see how that goes.

 

[Quick Hands]

As I read through this and other threads, I notice a common theme concerning poor administration.

It seems to me that for many years the NSWRU and ARU have through complacency/laziness/incompetence relied on the independent school sector to do most of their player development, perhaps thinking that these 'rivers of gold' would last forever. Even today these schools spend a small fortune on rugby directors, grounds, facilities etc.

However, in the past 30 years the population of Sydney has doubled (approximately), but there are still only 8 GPS schools and 6 CAS schools in Sydney. In 2 of the 8 GPS schools, the standard of rugby has dropped alarmingly and in another 2 there are now as many soccer teams as rugby. CAS has done a little better. There are now far less CHS schools playing rugby and the overall standard has dropped. For example 30 years ago the North Shore Zone CHS played Wednesday afternoon rugby with 2 open teams, 16 A & B, 15 A & B, 14 A & B and 13 A & B. There is now no organised competition, some schools go in the Waratah Shield and there is a gala day once a year and that's it. I believe that this is replicated across Sydney.

Things aren't much better on the club front. There are now less junior village clubs that there were 30 years ago; clubs like Manly Vikings, Northmead, Cambridge Bay, Willoughby, etc have long gone. 30 years ago most of the players in those teams were your typical white anglo-saxon kids whose parents/grand-parents also played rugby. Now, I'd reckon that about half of the clubs we have would go if it wasn't for the influx or British, New Zealand, Pacific Island and South Africans who have moved here and are now playing junior and senior rugby. They're valued Australians and rugby players, but the point is where have the descendants of the rugby players of 30 years ago gone? To other sports I'd suggest. Why? Poor administration and lack of attention to development by the governing body.

It's all very well to set up a few talent squads for the best players, but the problem with that seems to be if boys develop late or don't have pushy parents or don't know someone they, drift along and into another sport. While rugby league and Aussie rules have elite programmes, the majority of their attention is focussed on the grass roots, ie getting as many people playing at the base, develop as many as possible and when the reach 16-18 you'll have a huge pool of talent.

Soccer used to set the bench mark for poor administration of sport in Australia. I reckon rugby has now lapped them in that race, with the NSWRU taking gold in world record time. Not only are the Waratahs a complete disaster, but the Sydney grade competition, which should be the foundation on which NSW rugby is built has not been supported as it should be. They should start thinking of the clubs as their greatest asset and provide as much in the way of resources and support to get the clubs to develop a much broader base of talent. League and Rules already do it, the concept isn't that hard to follow.

Now I can take my medication and have a good lie down.

 

[p.Tah]

This is a very simple and inexpensive idea and is borrowed from our friends at the AFL. Every team rugby jersey in Australia should have the Australian Rugby logo on it. All Australian Rules club jumpers from Junior upwards have the AFL logo on the chest.

It tells the kids who are playing where their potential destination is (i.e. playing in the AFL). It connects their team to the bigger AFL picture. Its outlines the pathway and gives them a sense of belonging. It's a family as such, they then get home and watch the AFL and see what their pathway may lead to. In addition, parents and the players wear their team tracksuit and jumpers after the local game when they go to the shops. It achieves two things:
1. Advertises the AFL
2. Tells people that there is an AFL team in the area that their kids can play for.
I think all clubs jerseys in Australia (and some schools if they’re interested) should have the Australian Rugby Logo on the chest 'pocket']/COLOR]

It's simple, but it links all the rugby players in Australia together and promotes the (dare I say it) rugby brand.

ARL Commission chairman John Grant launched the new logo to be worn by every player from under 6s to the NRL premiership

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/just-not-cricket-nrl-launches-new-logo-puts-brakes-on-expansion-20121029-28e41.html#ixzz2AfKYw5Ev

Well not only the AFL, but the NRL is also doing it now. We need to just to it to keep up. Other posters have said we should have the QLD or NSW logos on the jersies but I think this is too narrow. It's needs to link all of Australia.

 

[Quick Hands]

You'd like to think that the ARU could implement something as simple and cheap as that. The new types of jumpers are basically pre-printed with numbers, badges, sponsors etc, so an extra logo costs nothing (or so I'm told by our club gear steward).

Simple, but can they do it without behind the scenes nonsense from blazer wearers finding some reason why it can't be done?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I like the idea of a simple unifying patch.

There will be some who will complain that having Brand ARU somewhere on the jumper will prevent the clubs using that spot for their own sponsorship purposes.

There are still some "old school" outfits who use cotton knit jumpers, rather than the sublimated (preprinted) jobs. These would need to have badges/patches sewn on them. They would whinge.

About Quick Hands earlier point in #91, administration is a very weak point in our game at all levels, and grass roots - that is young'uns in under 6-under 13 have been largely ignored by the centre over the past 10 years.

Administrators, God bless their little cotton socks, have tried to do thier best but in a disfunctional, poorly structured, time poor, leadership lacking, elite focused environment that have been on a hiding to nothing. More and more is expected from the centre in terms of compliance and time but little support is given out to make that any easier. More and More is expected from less and less of the Development Officer network that keeps shrinking as clubs come under more and more pressure financially.

There are rich pickings to be had from within the CHS and CCC environment that seems to be given lip service in favour of the "elite" private schools environment.

The days of being able to rely on a steady stream of university graduates/up and coming business captains with solid (and sometimes amateur elite) rugby backgrounds dried up about 10 years ago, yet rugby still seems to believe that this will be the commercial key to the financial future of the game. ARU and NSWRU are in the brand marketing business, and the sooner that get commercially savvy people like Gosper Jnr involved the better for all concerned.

I'm hanging out for the Cossie Governance Report to drive some top down reforms to set the framework for the future survival and growth of the game.

We are internationally relevant, and Rugby 7's (like it or not) represents the greatest opportunity our game has seen since we beat the Darkness for the first time.

 

[RugbyReg]

the bigger issue will be the ARU brand on non-contract jerseys. KooGa pay money for the IP rights to the brand Wallaby, so if all of a sudden the logo was on Canterbury, Tsnumani, etc jerseys across the country, the value of that sponsorship decreases.

How's it work in AFL? I am assuming not every team has the same jersey maker?

 

[Quick Hands]

As I understand it, there is no effect on sponsors or jersey makers. There is just a generic ARU logo on the front of all of them. The NRL and AFL have this now on the front of their top grade jerseys and there is still room for a multitude of sponsors and the jersey maker's logo. So it works, it just takes the will.

Those with old school jumpers which need a badge sewn on would, I assume be in a minority as those jumpers are more expensive as a separate action is needed for design, number, badge, logo and sponsor whereas the preprinted ones are all made in one action. Those clubs could come on board when they buy new sets of jerseys, it doesn't all have to be done overnight.

I think that you would find that most if not all clubs would be fine with it. The biggest problem by far would be the aforementioned dysfunctional administrators.

These are the people who think that they can rely on 8 GPS schools and 6 CAS schools to have a competitive Waratahs team in a professional environment. Until rugby gets out of that mindset we will struggle at provincial and international level.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Quick Hands, there was a lot of good to read about the community game (and the sad state thereof) in the Arbib Governance report today.

It is now up to the ARU and the State unions to make good on the words and guidance contained in the Arbib report.

 

[stoff]

How's it work in AFL? I am assuming not every team has the same jersey maker?

The AFL has the licencing rights for all team and AFL logos, jumpers, etc. They just grant licences to the teams uniform suppliers.

 

[Tom Ando]

Ok, so I have a mate of mine who played AFL juniors for a very long time who now plays Rugby with me, and we were talking about how I was potentially not going to play Rugby for my club because I just simply didn't have the money there to pay for registration. He then told me that both the NRL and AFL support every single club in Australia by subsiding the cost to allow rego cost to be minimal. My club rego is roughly $120 and only in the past two years have we got a little more then our socks and shorts. My mates AFL rego was $40 bucks and apparently received a lot more. Firstly does anyone else know whether the other codes actually do subsidise costs for junior clubs to allow for lower fees, and is it time the ARU do the same thing to encourage greater numbers of players joining the game? I believe this should part of a new era of changes in grassroots rugby, including the addition of the Australian Rugby logo on every jersey. If people complain about having the badges, then can't the ARU turn around and say "If you don't want the badge, then you don't receive our pay out to subsidise costs?" Just a few thoughts

 

[barbarian]

Tom, whilst it's a nice idea the ARU simply don't have the cash.