Do you lock your bedroom door at night? Is that to keep yourself in or me and the grammar headmaster out?
If you think there's a connection between me and him you haven't read enough of my posts.
The coaches he's buying in rugby are being used at the wrong end of the school.
Have a look at the Newington video posted in this thread #433 and marvel at the appalling tackling technique exhibited across the board by SGS. That starts and should be stopped in the 13s.
I recall being pilloried after that game for calling them out on their skills but the video shows they were worse than I thought.
They don't need better cattle they need better skills: with proper coaching from the get got they could wipe off 20 points of the deficit.
Do that and you could start to work on the other 50!
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I agree with everything here, but no amount of weights will make anyone at that school as big as tepai, taane, OPL or a majority of the newington forward pack for that matter. IMO, skills would be more effectively executed if the players had more confidence: which arises from being physically matched as opposed to skill training..of course better skills would help too. I play rugby and through my experience it is much easier to be skillful when you don't have a big galoot waiting to smash you in defence. yes the attitude is a big problem too but demographics (ie lots of asians compared to other schools) and confidence due to lack of size are the main issues
- did anyone else notice newington's scrums pushing grammar past the legal 1.5 meters?
PS I don't lock my bedroom door at night as it isn't equipped with a lock
Both of you have some truth here. Yes, coaches need to be improved at 13s level. And yes, physical intimidation does, as much as our macho, hormone-fuelled instincts may tell us otherwise, play a part in physical competition. But I figure I might throw two minor additions to each one.
Firstly, I think what might be potentially easier, cheaper, etc, etc. than bringing in the new coaches it to have the top-end blokes who are the rugby intellectuals to give the 13s, 14s coaches plans or assistance, not necessarily completely stepping in. The young blokes get their necessary fundamentals done,the new coaches have a stronger understanding of what they need to do, and the blokes getting paid at the top are doing a future service to themselves, while not having to exert enormous effort.
Secondly, I do firmly believe you will see an improvement in the tackling this year from the Grammar boys partially due to their increasing size from gym programs (which does imbue confidence in themselves) and the less... man-child like condition of their opponents. Watch this year with interest.
On a final note, I know the ship has sailed, but on the whole divisional reshuffling, I would say this; right now it's the correct move, but the GPS, and indeed Grammar as well, need to be careful to not burn bridges. Both could have incredible use for each other in the future, and Grammar's only going to improve from here. It may be a long process, but the GPS needs to ensure they at least leave a door open, if only partially so.
