School sporting scholarships/recruitment

[Hugh Jarse]

<snip>

And we wonder why the Wallabies get beaten by a 2nd string England team full of imports.

fixed.

Importing is rife across Rugby right to the top. AAGPS are just following best practice.

Last time I looked there were roughly 2 million registered senior male rugby players in England (IRB figures). They still feel compelled to raid Tonga (2 Vunipolos) and NZ (Waldrom, Flutey, Hartley) for players because their stock isn't good enough.

 

[I like to watch]

so the Wallabies are now the Grammar of International Rugby?

 

[Quick Hands]

fixed.

Importing is rife across Rugby right to the top. AAGPS are just following best practice.

Last time I looked there were roughly 2 million registered senior male rugby players in England (IRB figures). They still feel compelled to raid Tonga (2 Vunipolos) and NZ for players (Waldrom, Flutey, Hartley) for players because their stock isn't good enough.

Although there's a world of difference between amateur schoolboy/junior sport and professional international sport. Recruiting talent is an integral part of professional sport.

BTW, the Wallabies do ok with imports as well; Kepu Wesley College NZ, Timani Auckland, Rathbone SA, etc. so I wouldn't be throwing too many bricks in that glass house you're in .

EDIT: Kepu also represented NZ in U17s, U19s and U21s.

 

[Quick Hands]

so the Wallabies are now the Grammar of International Rugby?

No, Grammar don't recruit.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

The path to World Domination is often achieved by following the Worlds best practices, and improving them where necessary.

Don't worry about the broken glass around the bottom of my glass house, there is plenty of that that has built up over time.

Don't forget Aussie Mike, Samo, numerous Fijians and Tongans over the years, soon to be George Speight etc. There goes another window.

Strangely not too many of Samoan extraction have landed in the Wobs over the years. But that is for another thread.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Intriguing that people who consider themselves to be fantastic coaches, who have the best facilities in Sydney have no confidence in their own ability to succeed without importing ready made talent.

I think it's a major problem in Australian rugby - coaches don't seem to coach their players much anymore, they recruit and manage the available talent. We see examples of this in GPS 1st XV, Super rugby and Wallabies. Elite level players who can't catch and pass both sides, props who can't scrum, backs who can't torpedo punt etc.

And we wonder why the Wallabies get beaten by a 2nd string England team.

I was with you until I saw mention of the torp.
Good to have in the repertoire but if those blokes miss touch with a drop punt imagine where a torp could and would finish up.

 

[Quick Hands]

I was with you until I saw mention of the torp.
Good to have in the repertoire but if those blokes miss touch with a drop punt imagine where a torp could and would finish up.

Just a skill they should have, doesn't mean they need to use it all the time. Nothing better IMO than picking yourself up off the ground and seeing a Roger Gould torpedo hurtling towards touch about 5 metres from the opposition goal line.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^ Now those were the days.

There was a special bond formed between the fatties and any back that could get them a leisurely 50+ metre walk upfield to the next lineout.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Carter has let the occasional torp fly

 

[Brian Westlake]

Carter has let the occasional torp fly

^^^^^^
Out of his mouth

 

[Inside Shoulder]

^^^^^^
Out of his mouth

Dan

 

[Quick Hands]

No GPS basketball or cricket results in either Sunday paper again last week. Tennis and rowing were the only results I saw.

My basketball mate tells me that High are 4 from 4 and Scots beat New in a close match last Saturday (3 or 4 points in it). Joeys 3 from 4, NC 2 from 4, Kings 2 from 3, Riverview 1 from 3 and Scots 1 from 2 played.

He thinks that 1st round will count as High would object to having their win over Scots not counted and the rest of this term to be trials, with a final determination yet to be made about Term 1 2014 matches.

Interesting.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Do they select a School Rep Basketball team for AAGPS?

If so would the Scots Basketballers be available for selection?

 

[Quick Hands]

Do they select a School Rep Basketball team for AAGPS?

If so would the Scots Basketballers be available for selection?

To the first question - don't know.

To the second question - I'd assume they would be as their team is playing in the competition, it's just that 5 schools have declined to play them. I don't believe that the boys should be sanctioned just because the school has done the wrong thing.

 

[Quick Hands]

Scots are down to play Joeys this week. I understand that Joeys won't be playing 1sts or 2nds basketball and Scots will be taking those teams to the AIS.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Do you not see an element of double standards in the possibly hypothetical scenario of the Scots basketballers being selected to represent the AAGPS, assuming that there may be some sort of Inter School Sporting Association Basketball competition?

Their very presence in the AAGPS system appears to be in breach of the AAGPS Sporting Code of conduct, at least in the view of 5 of the 9 Heads of Schools, yet they deemed "clean" enough to represent the Association, but not clean enough to play inter-school games in the AAGPS.

 

[Quick Hands]

Do you not see an element of double standards in the possibly hypothetical scenario of the Scots basketballers being selected to represent the AAGPS, assuming that there may be some sort of Inter School Sporting Association Basketball competition?

Their very presence in the AAGPS system appears to be in breach of the AAGPS Sporting Code of conduct, at least in the view of 5 of the 9 Heads of Schools, yet they deemed "clean" enough to represent the Association, but not clean enough to play inter-school games in the AAGPS.

As I understand it, the AAGPS hasn't made a determination as an association, but individuals have.

It's but one of the complex issues that this whole thing brings to the fore. To what extent if any should the boys be disadvantaged if their school has infringed the code of practice? I think the wisdom of Solomon is required.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

And retreating into bunkers of denial isn't going to help Solomon with his decision.

 

[Quick Hands]

And retreating into bunkers of denial isn't going to help Solomon with his decision.

No self -denial, simply statement of fact.

The code binds the behaviour of member schools/headmasters in terms of offering inducements. The code doesn't place any burden on boys not to accept, they are enrolling in good faith. Very difficult to break a rule which doesn't exist. 'nullum crimen sine lege' (No crime without a law)

The punishment to the school is not basking in the glory of winning GPS games/competitions.

 

[Jim Belshaw]

This statement appeared on the TAS OBU web site from the president. I am not sure of the comments referred to. I am posting it because it provides another perspective on the current discussion.

"I write as both President of the TASOBU and as the father of a boy in the current TAS First XV, in response to your comments regarding TAS celebrating its win of the GPS third grade premiership.

It was the first year for this new competition, which has won the support of all GPS headmasters and headmasters.

While since the school's inception TAS has played rugby against all its fellow GPS schools, contrary to popular Old Boy mythology, it was only ever in the official first grade competition for two years - in the 1960's, and with limited success.

The decision last year to create a new competition that was truly competitive for teams from all nine schools. The environment of GPS rugby has changed considerably in recent years, with some of the largest GPS schools - up to three times the size of TAS and with deep financial resources - recently entering into agreements with professional bodies including NRL clubs, which have been able to provide scholarships for talented footballers. The decision for the Firsts from TAS, Grammar and Sydney High to compete with the big six in the new competition that was roundly thought to be the most interesting GPS rugby competition this year - as notable rugby commentator and former Wallaby Peter FitzSimons stated in his column in the Sydney Morning Herald last Saturday, in which he congratulated TAS.

The new competition not only represents a purer spirit of schoolboy rugby but has also allowed all our rugby players - whatever age and level- to play home and away games this year against our fellow GPS schools. This has involved a huge logistic effort whereby on four occasions, all players travelled in a convoy of buses, slept on the floor of gymnasiums or boatshed courtesy of our fellow GPS schools, had a great game of rugby and then came home.

This year, Old Boys Weekend was held to coincide with the last home game of the season, against King's. This provided an incredible atmosphere and all present felt it was a wonderful showcase of schoolboy rugby for which TAS could stand proud.

Far from compromising rugby development, the Headmaster and Sportsmaster have also established a former partnership to deliver its Junior Gold development program.

It would be a great benefit for you to come and support TAS and see the efforts of the boys and their coaches and indeed the strong TAS community, for yourselves.

For your interest, Old Boy and Wallaby Jamie Holbeck, responded to our email:

"Please pass on my congratulations to both coaches and players on such a historical achievement!! "