New Blog Post: Weight for age in junior rugby – what’s it all mean?

[G&GR News Bot]

All of us would have to been hiding under a rock over the last week to have not seen the much bally-hooed release by Rugby Australia of the changes to junior grading in the U10-U15 age group that can see players moved up or down based on an assessment of skill and weight. But is […]
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[Hasbeen]

Having watched some years back my son at 68Kgs playing in the under 13's in Club A grade at number 4 (not a bad size for that age) pack down against a team with 3 boys all in the 90 kilo range and after watching the abject terror on the face of our team props as they set for the scrum, I am all for weight restrictions in junior rugby - why not all the way through. I think in Auckland they have weight restricted comp even in the Opens. And when the scrums did set in that particular game, it was no contest really. Just injured boys and a couple of broken bones by the end of the game (ironically in the backline). That is a game is it?

 

[One eyed pirate]

I have a boy in u10s. New rules are that if the boy is <26kg or >54kg he needs to be mandatorily assessed. That doesn’t mean he will be moved, just assessed. So under the new rules a 27kg boy can still go up against a 54kg boy in u10, ie twice the weight. How the f$&k is this safe or any new rule at all? it takes the ARU about 30 pages to explain the new rules, which really aren’t new rules because basically everyone playing rugby is within 2 standard deviation of the mean weight. Check the junior NZ rugby associations rules - it’s 1 PAGE! and the ranges are small and it’s ‘0 tolerance’. Unfortunately another example, of the ARU not having the balls to do anything....but trying to appear that they are doing something. The ARU need to go and watch a one sided u10-u15 game because it gets ugly and simply dangerous. This is not a sport for all body shapes and sizes.

 

[BAR]

... because basically everyone playing rugby is within 2 standard deviation of the mean weight...

I understand your concern OEP but your assertion isn’t correct. There are players outside those bounds. I for one am waiting with baited breath to see how my son will come out of his mandatory assessment.

I am generally supportive of the guidelines as drafted but have to admit the target area seem very small. Statistically, 5 players in 100 will fall outside 2 standard deviations. So, in terms of the oversized players that’s just 2.5 players in 100. But, to be mandatorily assessed, the player has to exceed on BOTH height and weight meaning the number affected will be substantially less. I don’t know the maths on that but is a model that targets roughly 1 in 100 players going to have any discernible impact?

 

[BAR]

Latest piece of news I have is that the assessments under this policy are expected to be made within the first four rounds.

 

[WTF?]

Latest piece of news I have is that the assessments under this policy are expected to be made within the first four rounds.

You will have to get him to play within himself since it seems you guys have found yourself in B Division this year at the start of the season. You know very well the difference between the two divisions. It is a shame as I think he is still OK in U15's with his size/weight but he may struggle with the opposition (hopefully you get what I mean) in B Div and be seen as a wrecking ball that needs to go up an age group.

 

[BAR]

We decided on another plan ...

 

[WTF?]

We decided on another plan . View attachment 9831

Better lose the pink head gear then....