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John I Dent Cup - Canberra Competition -

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Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
Agree 100% Leave Sydney in Sydney and get back to talking about how things are looking for the Ponies in 2012.

Does anyone know what the Brumbies are up to on the weekend of the 18th/19th Feb??
thats not even the subject of this thread - and not one of the questions asked has been answered: you and slim need to adopt my signature as your own
 

Inside Shoulder

Nathan Sharpe (72)
The ACT rugby scene is so strong that of 35 players listed on the Brumbies website only 5 could be said to be products of that area: 85% of the playing roster come from outside the ACT.
Axiomatically that means that the ACT comp is insufficiently strong to fuel the franchise. That suggests a comp of indifferent strength.
Where are the juniors coming through this comp?
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
There are also players playing in other provinces, and other competitions both domestic and internationally.

We provide a smaller number of players than NSW and Qld (duh), but it's still a significant number for the population, and it's the third most important rugby catchment in the county.

The John I Dent reflects that.
 
T

Tahboy

Guest
When Mitchell was coach of the Force he tried to make contracted Force players play in Perth when not needed and allocated players to each club just the same as Jake White has done. In my opinion both of these oversea coaches were trying to score brownie points with the locals and local clubs and rugby bodies to keep them happy and off his back so that there were less knives in the back when the results are not what people would like. Purely a PR agenda and not because he cares about the local comp.
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
No, he cares about being able to monitor his player locally... As has been mentioned numerous times...
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
Well, no... It's easier to monitor players when they're not spread around 3 domestic competitions...
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
1/13/2012
ACT XV 2012 schedule



By Brumbies Media Unit

imageResize.ashx


Jesse Mogg playing for the Runners in 2011.​

In support of the top flight Brumbies team, the ACT XV have announced their schedule for the 2012 season with the regular fixtures against Pacific Island A teams highlighting the calendar.

Opening with the final trial match of the pre-season, the ACT XV squad will face the full-strength Brumbies team at Viking Park on 16 February.

The understudies will be facing up against the fulltime squad with the chance to outshine their opposite man and make a name for themselves on the big stage.

Head Coach Nick Leah said it was a massive occasion for his players, many of whom have floated on the edges of professional rugby over the last five years.

“This is a good opportunity for the boys to play against a professional team,” Leah said.

“There are a lot of guys in that team who have been great servants to ACT rugby, they’ve played quality rugby in the past – Aussie sevens, aged grade Australian rep teams and Canberra Vikings and it’s a great chance for these guys to test themselves against some of the best players in Australia.

“It’s a good opportunity for them to play against guys who will represent them on an international stage.

“Hopefully moving forward this can be a traditional fixture and has a positive impact on both the Brumbies and ACT rugby.”

Moving away from the previous set up where players have come from Sydney to represent the ACT based side, selections will be made strictly from the John I Dent Cup competition encouraging local growth.

Should Sydney players want to be considered for the ACT XV they must make the move to a Canberra club. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

Head Coach Jake White said it was good for the future of rugby in Canberra to have the best players propping up the John I Dent Cup.

"The John I Dent Cup is already one of the strongest club competitions in Australia and giving the best players a chance to test themselves against the Brumbies is only going to make it stronger," White said.

"We want Canberra to be a hub for Australian rugby, somewhere the best players come to learn and become even better players.

“It’s all part of the plan to bring rugby in Canberra back up to where it should be.”

Following the match against the Brumbies, the ACT XV will face the Samoan, Tongan and Fijian A teams on their way to the regular in-season fixtures.

The ACT XV face Samoa A on February 24 as a curtain raiser for the Brumbies v Force season opener, before taking on Fiji A on 28 February and Tonga A on 4 March.

The clashes against Fiji and Tonga will both be played at Viking Park, Wanniassa.

16-Feb-12 ACT XV v Brumbies Viking Park TBC
24-Feb-12 ACT XV v Samoa Canberra Stadium 5:15pm
28-Feb-12 ACT XV v Fiji Viking Park TBC
04-Mar-12 ACT XV v Tonga Viking Park TBC
 

Slim 293

Stirling Mortlock (74)
As posted in the Brumbies thread...

Murday chasing test against Brumbies' best


1652997.jpg


BY CHRIS DUTTON, RUGBY UNION
18 Jan, 2012 04:00 AM

A brief taste of brutal pre-season training with the ACT Brumbies did little to satisfy Tom Murday's desire to play Super Rugby.

And the university student and part-time landscaper wants to prove he is ready to make the step to the next level when he lines up against the Brumbies at Viking Park next month.

Murday was one of three players invited to train with Jake White and the Brumbies for the 10 weeks before Christmas.

He put his degree and job on the back-burner to throw everything he had into training with the two-time champions.

It has already paid dividends for the Tuggeranong Vikings lock and Murday has added 3kg to his 200cm frame.

His first major test will be when he lines up for the ACT XV against the Brumbies in the last trial before the Super Rugby season.

Putting hardened professionals up against amateurs who have jobs outside of rugby hardly seems fair. But Murday is itching for the contest and urged the Brumbies to unleash a full-strength team for the clash.

''Everyone wants to test themselves against the best to see where you're at and have a little go at the Brumbies boys,'' Murday said.

''It's definitely going to be a physical match and a lot more physical than what a lot of our guys are used to.

''Everyone wants them to have a crack at us and we'd like to take on the full-strength side.''

Murday joined the Brumbies for training again yesterday.

It was the first time he had been called back to join White's squad since December and the players were put through an intense session in Canberra's heat.

When Murday first trained with the Brumbies, he struggled to get through the fitness sessions.

The 22-year-old had never been in a professional environment before and slowly found his feet training alongside fellow locks Leon Power, Ben Hand and Sam Carter.

''Once you've got a taste, everyone wants to be in that environment and it's completely different going back to club training and having to go to work and uni as well,''
Murday said.

The ACT representative side will play at the Darwin Sevens tournament this weekend before ramping up preparations to take on the Brumbies.

The side is made up of the best players from Canberra's premier competition, the John I Dent Cup.

ACT XV coach Nick Leah said that the opportunity to take on the Brumbies would boost the development of Canberra's best club players.

''The difference this year is that it's just players committed to playing in the ACT competition and it's refreshing that it's home grown and there's some tribalism,'' Leah said.

''If the local guys show they can work hard and are strong culturally, there's potential for them to get opportunities with the main squad which could lead to things later on.''


  • BRUMBIES TRIALS
February 4: v Western Force in Darwin
February 11: v Queensland Reds in Cairns
February 16: v ACT XV at Viking Park
 

Empire

Syd Malcolm (24)
how are each of the clubs looking this year

I'd hazard to say wait a few weeks before making any predictions. The single largest variable is the Brumbies players, who gets selected (and thus turns out locally) or whether the whole thing falls apart because the Brumbies don't have the balls to enforce it.

The addition of 2-3 players of this calibre could very well play a big part in deciding who does well.

The other variable is of course recruitment. Vikings have had the cheque books out again, with quite a few players reportedly joining them (Rebels academy, NZ, and the top players from Uni Norths).

Not sure on other clubs recruitment/retention and can't really comment on our own until training starts.
 

bigtoughguy

Stan Wickham (3)
i'll ask again in a couple of weeks..... who is coaching the owls this year?????
any names from the tuggeranong based club in terms of recruits
 
T

Tahboy

Guest
Jake White is doing his best to weaken the wallabies by having possible fringe test players playing rugby in Canberra where they won't be challenged as rugby players and he now admits he is going to use the new relationship with Canberra Uni to bring over young South African players.
BrumBoks here you come
Hope the Brumbies know the South African national anthem because you will soon be singing it
 

angrydog

Jimmy Flynn (14)
For those who have doubts about the strength of ACT rugby and its club comp, they are well founded. You only need to look at the slide in standards of ACT rugby from the grassroots levels to see why the quality of players coming through is some what weaker than its rival states. The ACT schools sides have been a speed bump in recent years at the state champs and have taken some severe beatings from NSW and QLD 1 teams. If these guys are not competitive at that level then why would they improve upon entering grade and potentially the next level of Super XV. Many years ago (pre professionalism) the ACT had a steady stream of players come through which were international standard, e.g Campese, O'Connor, Roff, Giteau etc etc etc. Aside from the Faiinga's I cant think of many others that are even close at present. Until the standards rise again at this grassroots level the John I Dent will need to rely on players from the Brumbies ranks to have it provide a standard which may give people like Robbies Deans a reason to travel south and watch a game of possible rep players. Without them the comp will remain as weak as it has been for the past decade and the best players from the junior level will keep travelling north to the big smoke to try and crack it with Sydney clubs in the hope of improving their own games to a level that may see them get interest from franchises.

The really sad and ironic part of all of this is that it has now taken a new coach at the Brumbies to finally act and try and salvage the ACT comp from the state it it in when in truth they could be blamed for letting it get that way. Right from the outset the Brumbies treated the local comp like it a piece of rubbish and it was tarnished with the tage 'club land' which represented an inferior group of players to those who were part of either the highly esteemed Canberra Kookaburras or the even mightier Brumbies. When the Kookaburras were thrown out of Sydney, the Brumbies and any one else who could have seen the writing on the wall ignored the signs and continued to neglect the Canberra comp and instead channel young players to Sydney and Brisbane. Whether this neglect may also be attributed for the terrible decline in standards of the junior ranks of ACT rugby is debatable....None the less it does seem appropriate that the Brumbies be the ones who try and strengthen the Canberra comp again after letting it rot for so long.
 

angrydog

Jimmy Flynn (14)
...on another note, Does anybody know where Tom Cusack from last years Marist 1st XV will be playing his senior rugby at this year?
 

Brumby Jack

Steve Williams (59)
Staff member
For those who have doubts about the strength of ACT rugby and its club comp, they are well founded. You only need to look at the slide in standards of ACT rugby from the grassroots levels to see why the quality of players coming through is some what weaker than its rival states. The ACT schools sides have been a speed bump in recent years at the state champs and have taken some severe beatings from NSW and QLD 1 teams. If these guys are not competitive at that level then why would they improve upon entering grade and potentially the next level of Super XV. Many years ago (pre professionalism) the ACT had a steady stream of players come through which were international standard, e.g Campese, O'Connor, Roff, Giteau etc etc etc. Aside from the Faiinga's I cant think of many others that are even close at present. Until the standards rise again at this grassroots level the John I Dent will need to rely on players from the Brumbies ranks to have it provide a standard which may give people like Robbies Deans a reason to travel south and watch a game of possible rep players. Without them the comp will remain as weak as it has been for the past decade and the best players from the junior level will keep travelling north to the big smoke to try and crack it with Sydney clubs in the hope of improving their own games to a level that may see them get interest from franchises.

The really sad and ironic part of all of this is that it has now taken a new coach at the Brumbies to finally act and try and salvage the ACT comp from the state it it in when in truth they could be blamed for letting it get that way. Right from the outset the Brumbies treated the local comp like it a piece of rubbish and it was tarnished with the tage 'club land' which represented an inferior group of players to those who were part of either the highly esteemed Canberra Kookaburras or the even mightier Brumbies. When the Kookaburras were thrown out of Sydney, the Brumbies and any one else who could have seen the writing on the wall ignored the signs and continued to neglect the Canberra comp and instead channel young players to Sydney and Brisbane. Whether this neglect may also be attributed for the terrible decline in standards of the junior ranks of ACT rugby is debatable....None the less it does seem appropriate that the Brumbies be the ones who try and strengthen the Canberra comp again after letting it rot for so long.

This might be true, but the decline probably started from when NSW kicked St Edmunds and Marist out of the Waratah Shield due to the former doing 'too well'.
 

angrydog

Jimmy Flynn (14)
Not sure about that. The ASC comp was harder than the Waratah shield, thats why ACT teams (Marist and Eddies) always won it. The NSW teams were mostly rubbish except for a handful every year. People go on about the Waratah shield but it wasnt that great a comp. The hardest game was beating Eddies to get through to the finals or they having to beat Marist. From there on the standard got easier rather than harder.
 

Brumbies Guy

John Solomon (38)
Not sure about that. The ASC comp was harder than the Waratah shield, thats why ACT teams (Marist and Eddies) always won it. The NSW teams were mostly rubbish except for a handful every year. People go on about the Waratah shield but it wasnt that great a comp. The hardest game was beating Eddies to get through to the finals or they having to beat Marist. From there on the standard got easier rather than harder.

St Edmunds still managed to produce the most amount of Australian schoolboys, second only to Joeys. Since NSWRU pulled the plug from St Edmunds and Marist, a lot of our talented juniors are relocating to Erindale College for the chance to play in the Arrive Alive Cup (Rugby League schools competition), now that the scouting channels from the Waratah Shield is gone.
 
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