Growing QLD Schoolboy Rugby

[Garry Owens]

A televised comp featuring athletes that have received thousands of dollars in discounted fees is not a look that the schools have any interest in showcasing

Why ?

 

[TheKing]

Just the usual

- "They're just kids playing footy at school with their mates"
- "We're an academic institution, not a sports team"
- "Playing on TV is too much of a distraction from studies"
- "Televising puts too much pressure on the kids"
- "Playing on TV exposes the kids, who are often minors, to a wider audience for vilification on sites like GAGR"

The Schools wouldn't want a tv audience tuning in to matches featuring the star imports because it flies in the face of the first three dot points.

They haven't accepted the fact that the competition is, rightly or wrongly, the #1 breeding ground development pathway* for rugby talent in Queensland / Australia

 

[SOLE334]

Just the usual

- "They're just kids playing footy at school with their mates"
- "We're an academic institution, not a sports team"
- "Playing on TV is too much of a distraction from studies"
- "Televising puts too much pressure on the kids"
- "Playing on TV exposes the kids, who are often minors, to a wider audience for vilification on sites like GAGR"

The Schools wouldn't want a tv audience tuning in to matches featuring the star imports because it flies in the face of the first three dot points.

They haven't accepted the fact that the competition is, rightly or wrongly, the #1 breeding ground development pathway* for rugby talent in Queensland / Australia

King,your -points are no longer valid as professional rugby has transformed the environment and rugby culture at schools: eg. NZ 1st XV competition.

• the general concensous amongst 14-16 yr olds is to be like their rugby idle, not just "for fun"...excuse the punt.
• games are televised live
• watched recent NZ nationals..17-18 yr olds play without the "side effects" of tv cameras. doesnt appear to be any pressure.
• I thought the context of this discussion is the greater affects schoolboys rugby's failure to produce higher quality players to match the depth of other International teams..eg. AB"s?

Perhaps a continual collaboration amongst rugby's stakeholders(Franchises, ARU) and schools(Sydney Herald article),should include a revamped and fresh look at why NZ-rugby is so successfull.
King, be gracious...Im new to this lol...cheers buddy!!

 

[TheKing]

King,your -points are no longer valid as professional rugby has transformed the environment and rugby culture at schools: eg. NZ 1st XV competition

Not my points, just an amalgamation of rhetoric I've heard over the years on the topic from school high-ups. Hence, quotation marks.

For the record, I disagree as well. I thought I'd made it clear with my final paragraphs but happy to say it again.

I think it's time the schools owned up to the fact that GPS Rugby is a semi-professional / representative competition and deserve to be treated the way the Auckland A1/A2 schools are.

 

[BraveandGame]

Perhaps a continual collaboration amongst rugby's stakeholders(Franchises, ARU) and schools(Sydney Herald article),should include a revamped and fresh look at why NZ-rugby is so successfull.

I think the issue here is the Schools (private and Public) are not overly concerned by the relative performance of the Wallabies in comparison to other Rugby Nations.

Rather than look at and to some extent blame the schools, the ARU needs to develop their own development program and invite (give them a reason) the schools to participate.

If they are not interested in participating then they need to make it so attractive/valuable to the players that they can't afford to miss it.

Seems to me people expect the Schools to put aside their own self interests and history in order to act in the best interests of Australian Rugby while also expecting them to run and fund it.

NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

 

[BraveandGame]

One might also argue the only thing not currently broken in Rugby in Australia is the Private Schools competitions - at least in Qld it has (arguably) never been as competitive and popular as it is now.

Why would/should they even entertain the notion of changing it?

 

[SOLE334]

I think the issue here is the Schools (private and Public) are not overly concerned by the relative performance of the Wallabies in comparison to other Rugby Nations.

NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

I agree. Nothing is for free. Schools would definitely consider a proposal by stakeholders if the incentive is beneficial for the schools eg. gps comp schools.
Money talks..but does the ARU have the deep pocket to fund such an initiative? NZ schools would be well compensated for their involvement in the "farming" process for the greater good...AB's

 

[BraveandGame]

but does the ARU have the deep pocket to fund such an initiative?

More importantly can they afford not too - time to stop looking at everyone else ARU and step up to the plate and deliver grass roots support and real development pathways that support the GREAT work being done by the schools in fostering junior rugby.

 

[SOLE334]

Amateur vs Professionalism :
Love of the game vs career path that puts "food on the table" :
Both have a place to co-exist because not all will have the skill set to competently go to that nxt level(professional rugby)..and are happy to just get muddy ..attend uni or other meaningful pathways to professional life. Heres my attempt at making sense of the professional pathway of RU. For those who dare..to dream..
Since rugby union became semi-then fully professional from the 80's . .the ripple effects have only just caught up with Australian grass-root rugby. The other major rugby powers i.e AB's, 6 Nations, have all made major in-roads to workable bipartisan agreements with the amateurish grass roots "factories" to meet the supply and demand of their main core business (eg; super and international rugby).
The catch 22 is: If wallabies are not playing consistently well and our super rugby franchises are not featuring in the finals...then our commercial value drops and yada yada yada...(you do the maths)...ARU and the franchises dont meet budget demands and not much else left($$$) to bargain much desired changes to 'grass-roots' to up skill youngsters to fill the void up top...
SO, my thoughts are...continue the discussions amongst the stakeholders and bring in some expert advisors/consultants to 'brainstorm'...and map out a workable and highly probable approach that has the long term best outcome for all concern..preferably those who are not rugby traditionalist without vision and foresight . . .

 

[SOLE334]

Interesting perspective from Phil Wagh on schoolboys rugby and its impact role for the wallabies :
. . ."I am not going to enter into the debate of how our schoolboy rugby should be structured because there are so many variables that need to be considered, however I would like to entertain how we can better expose and foster some of these incredibly talented young rugby men."
". . .Australia's best schoolboy players are world class. We are and have historically been incredibly competitive with the NZ schoolboy’s teams. These are New Zealand schoolboys teams that generate a huge amount of All Blacks, just like our team breeds Wallabies.
In my travels to New Zealand and South Africa over many years, I have had the opportunity to watch some great schoolboy rugby. Why? Because their top inter-school schoolboy games are televised. Their top talent and the game itself is exposed for the great spectacle it is. People will argue that clu rugby should fill this role in Australia.
I am a massive supporter of club rugby and always have been, but why can’t we also cover the excitement and entertainment of schoolboy rugby?"
Link to this article : http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2016/09/23/21/58/waugh-schoolboys
let the debate continue...looking forward to some insightful discussions chaps..and maybe ladies...

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Interesting perspective from Phil Wagh on schoolboys rugby and its impact role for the wallabies :
."I am not going to enter into the debate of how our schoolboy rugby should be structured because there are so many variables that need to be considered, however I would like to entertain how we can better expose and foster some of these incredibly talented young rugby men."
".Australia's best schoolboy players are world class. We are and have historically been incredibly competitive with the NZ schoolboy’s teams. These are New Zealand schoolboys teams that generate a huge amount of All Blacks, just like our team breeds Wallabies.
In my travels to New Zealand and South Africa over many years, I have had the opportunity to watch some great schoolboy rugby. Why? Because their top inter-school schoolboy games are televised. Their top talent and the game itself is exposed for the great spectacle it is. People will argue that clu rugby should fill this role in Australia.
I am a massive supporter of club rugby and always have been, but why can’t we also cover the excitement and entertainment of schoolboy rugby?"
Link to this article : http://www.rugby.com.au/news/2016/09/23/21/58/waugh-schoolboys
let the debate continue.looking forward to some insightful discussions chaps..and maybe ladies.

I largely agree. Wouldn't it be wonderful to see the tribalism and passion of these games? Would certainly be a fairly strong advertisement for the game.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

And you never know. It might just spur on new schools to chase the dream.

 

[TheKing]

Phil Waugh did have one bizarre comment though..

"Rugby’s best talent is spread across all areas of Sydney and Brisbane..."

I couldn't believe my eyes.

 

[Lindommer]

Couldn't even spread the talent from the northern beaches to Camperdown in his day. Astounding comment.

 

[Runner]

Agree.

The schools in NSW are only in 4 main associations and they rarely meet except in the occasional trial or Waratah Shield competition.

So that is not a lot of schools with a rugby program. Perhaps 35 schools

I realise this is about Qld but know from friends here in NSW that if NSW11 beat NSW 1 in the recent championships and team selections didn't reflect that. Other sports looked at some of those kids and said come to us.

 

[SOLE334]

Im assuming Waugh's point on "rugby's best talent is spread across all areas of Sydney and Brisbane", is a reference to the disputed higher echelon gps school rugby comp in both states appear to be, by far the best, so most of the country's rugby talent appear to gravitate to gps comps.(my opinion). However, I don't believe it matters where the talent is. The most important point of the discussion I believe is. How do we get the best talented rugby players(athletes) to play the best schoolboys competitions in the country to maximise their potential? . . .and the beneficiary is hopefully the Wallabies.