Shute Shield 2013

[the coach]

In reading the article one sentence really stuck out. "clubs focus all their resources on developing first-grade and first-grade colts sides and become better integrated with the ARU-run national academy programs"

That's right Clubs need to focus on losing there players to a system that stops kids from actually playing and removing the best players from saturday matches. How on earth does that benefit club rugby in any way whatsoever?

Good point RC!
Just demonstrates that the ARU has no interest in club rugby other than providing players to the Wallabies and Super Rugby.
My point (lost on the ARU) is that club rugby exists so people can play rugby.....duh!
If they happen to be good enough to get a professional contract (either here or O/S) good luck to them but the vast majority (>95%) will never go beyond club level and most of those only play "For Love, Not Money" to quote the King (Simon Poidevin not Wally Lewis!).

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Interesting article, but how many more times is the ARU going to spend money on a study which concludes that club rugby is doing it tough financially and yet not do anything about it other than suggest yet another restructure? Club rugby is a players game and (fortunately) it also provides players to the Super Rugby and Wallaby teams inspite of its financial problems. It's not rocket science: it takes money to run 4 grades + 3 colts sides and the main source of income is sponsorship, benefactors, gate receipts and chook raffles in descending order. Unless the ARU starts putting its money where its mouth is nothing will change. We have a self-funded amateur competition underpinning a supposedly professional game.

I wonder how one goes about getting a copy of the report?
Of concern to me is the endorsement of an idea to make Shute Shield more elite - I read this as a means of the ARU putting a cap on its financial commitment: a full blown SS with 4 (or 5) grade + 3 colts would cost a lot more than 2 grade + 2 colts to run and is coupled with the suggestion that SS clubs concentrate on running those 4 teams and, it seems, no others.
The problem that invites is a further disconnection of the ARU from the grass roots and from the later developing players who might not make a Colts 1 or 2 team, first year out of school for instance, and would arguably be lost to the SS club.

 

[Done that]

I wonder how one goes about getting a copy of the report?
Of concern to me is the endorsement of an idea to make Shute Shield more elite - I read this as a means of the ARU putting a cap on its financial commitment: a full blown SS with 4 (or 5) grade + 3 colts would cost a lot more than 2 grade + 2 colts to run and is coupled with the suggestion that SS clubs concentrate on running those 4 teams and, it seems, no others.
The problem that invites is a further disconnection of the ARU from the grass roots and from the later developing players who might not make a Colts 1 or 2 team, first year out of school for instance, and would arguably be lost to the SS club.

One of the other consequences , I imagine , would be the effect it would have on the Sydney University club ,in particular , who , presumably , would lose
a number of it's fringe players to other clubs , while other clubs would mostly lose players to sub district football , other codes , or they might just not play at all.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

As i went searching for the report i cam across this:
http://www.nswrugby.com.au/NSWRugby/ShuteShield/DrawsResultsLadders.aspx

The Draw is for season 2013 so this not an archived page or anything.
Note the 2011 Player summaries - has 2012 been deemed to never to have happened?

does anyone in the NSWRU give a shit about anything other than their parking spot @ the SFS?

 

[Gristlechewer]

I thought this deal was well advanced and happening? Along with some sort of Uni "tie up" with Macquarie or UTS for the young ones!

I hope so.

 

[Gristlechewer]

two colts training with grade at this stage.

David Horwitz and ?

 

[Stag XV]

The ARU report on the state and future of the Sydney and Brisbane club competitions found almost all clubs were in a ''poor'' financial state and said some were sometimes asked by their returning Super Rugby players for extra cash on top of the regular match payments and win bonuses doled out to all players.


In Sydney alone, two of the 12 clubs, Penrith and Gordon, are on the brink of collapse, according to the report, while the long-term viability of the others is in question.


http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...living-near-the-breadline-20130214-2efyj.html


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I wonder who this might be - "The review estimated one unnamed Sydney club provided tuition and accommodation scholarships worth half a million dollars to some of its players through a partnership with an academic institution."

My personal view is that club rugby is for those who want to play at a reasonable level, in a relatively organised atmosphere. I can also understand that it would be near impossible financially to raise the standard across the SS comp to a level equivalent to the NPC or Currie Cup with the current 4 grade & 3 colts structure.

If the ARU want to create a higher standard 3rd tier then it will need to be done through a new comp that could run for a number of weeks at the conclusion of the SS/Brisbane comp. Suitable players would be picked for these rep teams and paid by the ARU, with S15 training contracts up for grabs. It would be similar to the ARC, and will cost money, but you get nothing for free and the ARU cannot expect the volunteers and amateurs of club-land to continue to manufacture their product for them and provide it free of cost. No business operates that way, and may underscore why so many clubs are facing the wall.

I remember the ARC days. At Gordon we had a number of reps in the Rays side, as well as Lachie Fear in a coaching role. The club took great pride in having our boys recognised in this way, and whilst the crowds didn't indicate a groundswell of support, any clubs involved would have felt a similar sense of achievement.

With a third-tier comp in place, a ban on player payments in the SS can then be justified. If you are good enough you will get your chance through the abovementioned comp, and the dollars will follow for you. ARU/NSWRU funding should be standardised across all 12 clubs, with the money to be used strictly for the payment of coaches and administrative costs.

 

[howyagoin]

Maybe Sydney Uni could distribute $50,000 to each other club in the premiership? Help a few brothers in need out... Fairs fair?

 

[Rob]

I wonder who this might be - "The review estimated one unnamed Sydney club provided tuition and accommodation scholarships worth half a million dollars to some of its players through a partnership with an academic institution."

.

The review finally puts to bed the nonsense that has been repeated in this (and other) forum(s) on numerous occasions, that Sydney University does not provide tuition and scholarships to players!

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Maybe Sydney Uni could distribute $50,000 to each other club in the premiership? Help a few brothers in need out. Fairs fair?

If they don't they'll be playing with themselves.

 

[I like to watch]

The review finally puts to bed the nonsense that has been repeated in this (and other) forum(s) on numerous occasions, that Sydney University does not provide tuition and scholarships to players!

I'm not so sure.Who is providing the benefit?
The Club or the Uni?

 

[lincoln]

I'm not so sure.Who is providing the benefit?
The Club or the Uni?

I would imagine a large chunk of the accommodation scholarships is coming from the colleges (Wayne has been very generous in the last couple of years) - and this is worth roughly $20k pa per student. I would be interested if the University was subsidizing anything - they give an ATAR pickup for all rounders. As always Bruce Ross is probably better informed as to the ins and outs of the packages offered.

 

[senior]

It has been confirmed Israel Folau will be aligned with Sydney University. This must be pretty disappointing for clubs who may have hoped for a local player with a reputation to be seen as a part of their club

 

[lincoln]

It has been confirmed Israel Folau will be aligned with Sydney University. This must be pretty disappointing for clubs who may have hoped for a local player with a reputation to be seen as a part of their club

http://www.sydneyunirugby.com.au/_b..._aligns_with_Sydney_University_Football_Club/

Being a Uni supporter I struggle with this - the guy has no association with the institution (other than the proposed scholarship but happy to be corrected) and it just pisses all the other clubs off. He should be at Parramatta - would do way more good for the game in promoting to juniors (scholarship for a Tongan boy to attend UWS would be valued). Guys like TPN must shake their heads.

 

[Rugby Is My Life]

Folau signing with Sydney Uni is nothing short of farcical. In no way am I suggesting any wrong doing by Uni or Folau - they're out to look after themselves, as we all are in life. However the guy still lives at home out west with his family - imagine what his signature would have meant for Parramatta or Penrith and rugby in western Sydney in general.

After watching him play for the Tahs last night, there's a slim chance of Uni appearances as he'll be playing for the Wallabies.

What the decision does though, is sum up the state of club rugby at the moment and unless something is done to level the field, it'll never change.

 

[Rob]

I'm not so sure.Who is providing the benefit?
The Club or the Uni?

The review states that it is the club providing it

"one unnamed Sydney club provided tuition and accommodation scholarships worth half a million dollars"

But it doesnt matter who is providing it. That has never been the issue. What is the issue is that on numerous occasions in this and other forums, the existence of tuition and accommodation scholarships for Sydney University rugby players has been denied.

Can those who have been denying it, please explain?

 

[Blackers13]

http://www.sydneyunirugby.com.au/_b..._aligns_with_Sydney_University_Football_Club/

Being a Uni supporter I struggle with this - the guy has no association with the institution (other than the proposed scholarship but happy to be corrected) and it just pisses all the other clubs off. He should be at Parramatta - would do way more good for the game in promoting to juniors (scholarship for a Tongan boy to attend UWS would be valued). Guys like TPN must shake their heads.

Well said Lincoln, I commented on an earlier post that if, on the rare occasions he gets a free Saturday, turns up to a Uni game in his club polo, he'll barely turn a head given the phalanx of Wallaby and Super players at your fine club. If, however, he turned up to Parra, or Penrith or Concord in one of those club polos, kids and their families would flock to the place. It is short sighted and typically boring from whoever made that call for him to join Uni, with no disrespect to Uni.

 

[howyagoin]

Time for the waratahs to step in on this sort of stuff (Folau)... Sydney Uni have obviously come up with a good offer (as they always do) and have signed another awesome player... Whether it be colts or grade they always pick up the top players... Everyone knows how... Why can't players like Folau be slotted into a club like Parra, Wests, heck even Gordon or something? How many of the rep players at Uni are "local juniors"?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

http://www.sydneyunirugby.com.au/_b..._aligns_with_Sydney_University_Football_Club/

Being a Uni supporter I struggle with this - the guy has no association with the institution (other than the proposed scholarship but happy to be corrected) and it just pisses all the other clubs off. He should be at Parramatta - would do way more good for the game in promoting to juniors (scholarship for a Tongan boy to attend UWS would be valued). Guys like TPN must shake their heads.

Well said.
The bright note: unless it is to be the shortest scholarship in history it gives some hope that IF intends to stay in the code for more than this season.
I was an IF doubter - having seen him last night I will say 3 things about him:

• he gives rise to a buzz of expectation - that may fade at s15 level but I would think it would be a magnet for local kids if he was at one of the western sydney SS clubs;
• he'll be in the Wobblies this year;
• He'll be better than any other convert has been if he sticks at it.

 

[Tah and feathered]

Maybe Sydney Uni could distribute $50,000 to each other club in the premiership? Help a few brothers in need out. Fairs fair?

That won't happen, they need this money to win back the 3rd colts title they lost.