Sydney Junior Rugby Union - 2013

[Gary Owen III]

Some weeks this year the draw was being altered on Friday night!

Wed night the SJRU held a meeting for all the Clubs which was also attended by Nick Farr-Jones, Bruce Worboys, Michael Doyle, Kerry Brady / Matt Kellehan and the ARU Development officers.

I am told they spoke of the recent club and player surveys and the results theses showed. Plus of the 1st Aid program and if it is to become mandatory.

Major points were;
*The competition structures this season and why some comps had bigger numbers of teams etc. Basically it was explained that it is not an exact science and 90% of the issues are around A grade. They said 3 or 4 team comps are not an option, yet if there are 4 or 5 good teams then to throw the next best 1 or 2 sides into a small comp to be beaten EVERY week is not an option either. Thus the larger competitions were preferred as there may be one or two blowouts against the top sides but the majority of games would be competitive, and no one side is "thrown to the wolves". They did say that someone will always be unhappy as someone must come last.

*The proposed rule change where players MUST play within their district. Clubs cannot register a "New" player from outside their district without dispensation from the Comp manager. All 2013 players that fall into this category will be allowed stay where they are. The presidents noted that this was going to be a difficult one with some districts having grey areas between them plus the potential to lose players to rugby if forcing them away from teams they want to play in.

*Plus the removal of the Grandfather clause for Reps for 2014 U16's. In the past U15 Rep players used to be granted and exemption from U16's club rugby the following year to still be eligible for Reps. In 2014 the proposal is that all players must play their minimum 4 club rugby games to be eligible for Reps. This in part is a reaction to the withdrawal from the competition by one clubs U16A team in the weeks following the State Champs this year. Concern came that this may see a lot of players withdrawing from club rugby after the State Champs are over or not bothering at all and the U16 State Champs will resemble the U17 State Champs.

The other point to note from the meeting was that SJRU is behind Saturday rugby if there are the teams to play in it - but there is not much they can do if only 2 or 3 teams want to play on a Saturday.

Good to see the number of high ranking officials here - hopefully this is a good sign of a new and improved commitment to juniors.

 

[Ruck & Maul 101]

I understand why people think to be eligable for reps you should play club and to a point I agree. However making them play 4 club games isn't going to solve the problem. They will just play the 4 games befpre state champs and then go back to their school commitments.
The 16A team I assume they are talking about didn't just drop out of the comp because state champs were over. Apparently they had something like 17 of 22 picked for regional teams and then 12 of those picked for Sydney or NSW Schools. So with school rugby, trainings and continued rep games for the Sydney boys it made it very hard for them to put a team together

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Under 15 to Opens (Under 19) is a bloody mess.

Schools, Juniors and Colts (in Under 18 and U17) are all fighting over the same pool of players.

Throw in ARU who (currently) have the National Under 16 championships (with a Juniors and Schools and Country team from NSW), and (proposed) Jnr Gold Cup for this year U14 going to U15 next year cohort and this year U16 going into next year U17 cohort.

It is a bloody mess and needs to be sorted out. It is inefficient having so many keen volunteers run a whole bunch of separate and competing competitions and championships. It is not as if Rugby has volunteers and players to spare for all these activities.

JRR Tolkein had it right in The Lord of the Rings. Get One Ring to rule them all. One mob to run the one pathway (which may have multiple routes). At the moment we have multiple pathways with multiple traffic controllers on each path. l

 

[Dave Beat]

How good is this, that's nurturing Grass Roots;

http://newslocal.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

 

[Hugh Jarse]

When is the Annual General Meeting of the Juniors?

I am interested to see the Accounts to see how much money has been passed on to them from the Classic Wallabies game against the Classic Lions at North Sydney Oval.

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1699/ArticleID/9034/Default.aspx

As part of the Classic Wallabies’ ongoing support for grassroots Rugby, all monies raised at the match will go towards assisting the Australian Schoolboys and local Rugby Clubs.

This is not the first time Classic Rugby players have come face to face in a blockbuster match to raise funds for a worthy cause. The last clash between the Classic All Blacks and Classic Wallabies in 2011 drew a sell-out crowd at Queensland’s Ballymore for the first time in 10 years.

The match saw some of the biggest names in world Rugby came together in support of those devastated by the Christchurch earthquake as Co-President of the Classic Wallabies, Simon Poidevin explains.

“Two years ago the Classic Wallabies played the Classic All Blacks in front of a packed crowd at Ballymore in Queensland. The game raised over $600,000 for the Christchurch earthquake and Queensland flood victims and was a huge success,” Mr Poidevin said.

“We’re replicating this again, this time with the beneficiary being junior and grassroots Rugby in NSW.

“There will be a massive amount of Lions supporters in Sydney that week. That’s one of the reasons the game has been held, to give all those tourists the chance to experience a great Rugby and fundraising event at North Sydney Oval.

“We’re also promoting it to all Sydney Junior Clubs. There will be a major raffle to raise funds. It’s going to be a very big event,” Mr Poidevin said.

 

[Man on the hill]

I understand why people think to be eligable for reps you should play club and to a point I agree. However making them play 4 club games isn't going to solve the problem. They will just play the 4 games befpre state champs and then go back to their school commitments.
The 16A team I assume they are talking about didn't just drop out of the comp because state champs were over. Apparently they had something like 17 of 22 picked for regional teams and then 12 of those picked for Sydney or NSW Schools. So with school rugby, trainings and continued rep games for the Sydney boys it made it very hard for them to put a team together

Believe what you want to believe.

 

[Gary Owen III]

When is the Annual General Meeting of the Juniors?

I am interested to see the Accounts to see how much money has been passed on to them from the Classic Wallabies game against the Classic Lions at North Sydney Oval.

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1699/ArticleID/9034/Default.aspx

Bruce Worboys announced to the SJRU all clubs meeting last week that the Classic Wallabies donated $25k to juniors. Another $5k was raised via the raffle.

This will be made available to the junior clubs via grants (in the vicinity of $500 / $1000 each) but he made the point that the clubs that are more "financial" need not apply.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

That is good news, although I would have expected that a 10000+ crowd would have produced a little more money than that.

I hope a decent donation was also made to NSW Country Juniors.

I also note that Australian Schoolboys were a beneficiary from this game. With a Europe tour this year, and some fairly large sums per person being thrown around as the cost per family, I would anticipate that there may be some good fee relief for the families of these boys chosen to represent their country.

I like the idea that those clubs more "financial" need not apply for grants from SJRU. I understand the need to support those struggling, but at times the clubs that are "financial" are such because they are run efficiently and economically. In doing so, they are "rewarded" by being excluded from "assistance", meanwhile clubs which may be run inefficiently get bailed out, encouraging a cargo cult mentality.

 

[Dave Beat]

::::::::: The Manly Barbarians U14 7s Team :::::::::

Guided by Tim Herbert, Sean Richardson, Greg Riches and Andrew Sidery, the boys went to France for an International Sevens tournament last month - not a bad experience, eh?

In preparati...on for the tournament, they were put through their paces at Joe's Garage in Balgowlah in order to improve their strength and fitness.

Marlins First Grader and former Australian Sevens Representative BJ Hartmann worked with them at training in the months leading up to the competition.

With a total of 4 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw, the youngsters took home the Bowl trophy and some memories that will be hard to forget!

From all reports they represented Manly, Sydney and Australian Rugby proudly.

Well done boys!

MRFC.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-AK (Andrew Kellaway)-ash4/p480x480/1391702_520751071340605_1353163118_n.jpg

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I am surprised that the qualification ethicacy credentials have not been discussed of the Gordon U12 team in these blogs.

As most of the other teams formed a tunnel for the team playing against Gordon it brought sweet joy to their faces when Gordon was subsequently beaten.

It appears this large District is not content on having more feeder village clubs (8) than any other District or Rep team in the competition but also resorts to:
- importing players from 'out of District' came from Rockdale, Central Coast, Hurstville and Chain Valley Bay (Lake Macquarie)
- players who also been moved/poached to Lindfield from Wahroonga, Chatswood, and 3 from Hornsby
- apparently some of these players get around the SJRU "2 import rule" as they are from 'other' comps ie Sat comp and Country Comp
- 'paid' players to join them in the form of IGA food vouchers
- required players to participate in a private fee based coaching clinics (run by and proceeds go to the team's convenor) in summer with the threat of not participating may jeopardise their District rep selection
- weight management program instigated by the convenor of the team
- the convenor/instigator of all this has a son in the team
- of the 23 players in the squad 13 played for the same club team last year (= 10 have moved this year)!

It appears that there is enough evidence here to ask some questions to Lindfield and Gordon Presidents notwithstanding the competition organisers.

1. Is this what we want for U12 boys?
2. Is this the way to behave from the largest District (most players and clubs) in the State?
3. What is being done about the perpetrators?

I can't recall the questions posed in this rather disturbing post from the NSW State Champs thread actually being responded to by anyone associated with Lindfield, Gordon or Sydney Juniors.

Given the allegations currently being leveled against Scots College in the AAGPS Basketball, it is perhaps timely that these questions are answered or at least raised for discussion at NSW JRU or SJRU.

 

[Gary Owen III]

I can't recall the questions posed in this rather disturbing post from the NSW State Champs thread actually being responded to by anyone associated with Lindfield, Gordon or Sydney Juniors.

Given the allegations currently being leveled against Scots College in the AAGPS Basketball, it is perhaps timely that these questions are answered or at least raised for discussion at NSW JRU or SJRU.

Fairly sure that SJRU committee pulled in Lindfield to provide a please explain to all these rumours etc

From what I understand they found no case to answer - but this was one of catalysts (along with Hunters Hill U14's) behind the new SJRU "must register within district" rule for 2014. It is a bit of reactive rule creating that kids outside of the district area must seek dispensation to be registered with another club outside their district regardless if they have played rugby before.

That being said no-one has provided a map defining the districts areas. So the rule is going to be tough to enforce for kids in say Willoughby (Chatswood / Norths Pirates boundary).

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Thanks @Gary Owen.

The stay in district rule will generally work, but as you say there will be problems on the boundaries, particularly if the boundaries are not defined.

Challenges also when a kid travels out of district to go to school, and then wants to register with a club where his school mates play. These will be the exceptions and can probably be dealt with on a case by case basis.

 

[George Smith]

I understand why people think to be eligable for reps you should play club and to a point I agree. However making them play 4 club games isn't going to solve the problem. They will just play the 4 games befpre state champs and then go back to their school commitments.
The 16A team I assume they are talking about didn't just drop out of the comp because state champs were over. Apparently they had something like 17 of 22 picked for regional teams and then 12 of those picked for Sydney or NSW Schools. So with school rugby, trainings and continued rep games for the Sydney boys it made it very hard for them to put a team together

playing rep is an honour and doesn't/shouldn't preclude you from playing club. In prior seasons the rep players continued playing with their mates and meeting all their commitments. Even if this meant playing over 50 games in one season! The rep season you mentioned only went for a week with two more weekends thrown in for Regionals and State Champs plus 2 games against Country and ACT.

 

[George Smith]

Fairly sure that SJRU committee pulled in Lindfield to provide a please explain to all these rumours etc

From what I understand they found no case to answer - but this was one of catalysts (along with Hunters Hill U14's) behind the new SJRU "must register within district" rule for 2014. It is a bit of reactive rule creating that kids outside of the district area must seek dispensation to be registered with another club outside their district regardless if they have played rugby before.

That being said no-one has provided a map defining the districts areas. So the rule is going to be tough to enforce for kids in say Willoughby (Chatswood / Norths Pirates boundary).

the original agreement back when Chatswood was founded was that Norths Pirates had everyone south of Boundary Rd and north of the Harbour. Chatswood in recent seasons believe anything is ripe for the taking and have advertised on Cammeray Public Schools' notice board!

 

[Shane Smeltz]

I will make

Fairly sure that SJRU committee pulled in Lindfield to provide a please explain to all these rumours etc

From what I understand they found no case to answer - but this was one of catalysts (along with Hunters Hill U14's) behind the new SJRU "must register within district" rule for 2014. It is a bit of reactive rule creating that kids outside of the district area must seek dispensation to be registered with another club outside their district regardless if they have played rugby before.

That being said no-one has provided a map defining the districts areas. So the rule is going to be tough to enforce for kids in say Willoughby (Chatswood / Norths Pirates boundary).

I will pass no comment about the Hunters Hill U14s, but I will say I am glad 'it' has been noticed.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Looks like there are few more Dr Lambert's out there in Clubland looking for World Domination.

 

[Fat Cat]

It would be nice if the proposed rules applied in the shute shield ! Maybe if they fix things at the top everybody would follow. Cant see it happening with NFJ there supervising things though.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

It would be nice if the proposed rules applied in the shute shield ! Maybe if they fix things at the top everybody would follow. Cant see it happening with NFJ there supervising things though.

I am told that they used to.
And that you could only play for uni while you were actually at Uni.
Is it better that a given kid should be allowed to play with his mates who happen to play out of his district or that he should be refused permission and not play club rugby at all?

 

[Fat Cat]

Exactly right, you can't force people to play where they don't want to. Rightly or wrongly there will be player movement regardless. Although, this is not so much about playing with mates but more about playing with a better team, in a better comp, or with a better coach.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Exactly right, you can't force people to play where they don't want to. Rightly or wrongly there will be player movement regardless. Although, this is not so much about playing with mates but more about playing with a better team, in a better comp, or with a better coach.

My impression is that the bolded bit will not gain approval