Decided to occupy some train trips looking at some statistics, around the various school sporting associations the NSW Schoolboy 1st & 2nd XV have come from. The NSW Schools Rugby Union publishes all teams going back to 1972 on its website.
Leaving aside the 2013 selections, the percentages selected across the decades can be represented in the table below. (Rounded out the decade 1972-1982)
The interesting facts are;
- CHS’s numbers include the Sports High Schools, whom started achieving selections in the late 90’s but have dropped off in recent years.
- Whilst CHS’s numbers are down and particularly so in recent years, they achieved the same percentage in ’03-’12 as they did from ’83 – ’92.
- Whilst the GPS gained 28 selections in a 46 man squad (61%) in 2013 this is not its highest number. In 1991 it achieved 30 selections in a 42 man squad (71%).
- The GPS has gained 50% or greater of NSW selections in 89, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 11, 12 & 13.
- Newington achieved 10 selections in 2013, this has been better or equalled by Joeys in 89 (12), 90 (12), 91 (12), 95 (12), 04 (10) & 05 (11). The squads of the late 80’s and early 90’s were 42 man compared to the current 46.
- The other private schools / IAS / CCC etc have almost double their representation particularly amongst Catholic Schools whom previously you did not see on the list in the 70’s & 80’s.
So whilst recent trends show an increase of GPS players in NSW selections, it hasn’t reached the same extent of the dominance of the 80’s and 90’s.
To announce the death and destruction of rugby outside of the GPS is a little on the dramatic side given what history shows.
What is of a much more concern for me is the extremely poor financial position of the ARU, which greatly diminishes its ability to support the game outside of private schools (whom don’t require or receive support from the ARU) in the CHS school system and village clubs.
