NSW AAGPS 2017

[The Honey Badger]

at this stage, it seems Waverley and Scots are favourites for each Association.

Thought Scots were beaten by Joeys and Joeys easily beaten by Waverley.

This does not make Scots favourite for GPS.

Doesn't sound like W vs S would be a great match either


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[Quick Hands]

It must be remembered that one of the main reasons to change the format this year was to give some of the bigger rugby schools in the CAS a chance to play similar sized schools in the GPS. This allowed those sportsmasters to get games for all their kids against predominantly one school rather than having them playing six different schools at all parts of Sydney.
.

Not really. Last week, Joeys played 6 different schools (Shore, Barker, Kings, Riverview, Knox and Pius) at 6 different locations.

This week, Shore play 6 different schools (New, High Scots, Pats, Joeys & Knox) at 5 different locations.

If this is the main raison d'etre for this format it is a spectacular failure.

 

[Olmate]

Ireland play a national Schools knock out comp. Senior Cup and Junior cup (u16). . The finals played at Donnybrook and are televised. Huge occasion for Irish rugby.
Actually the cup comps are province based . Yes they are knockout but each province runs and administers its own competition. The senior cup finals are traditionally played on St Patrick's Day but only the Leinster Schools Cup final is at Donnybrook or the RDS. Cork or Limerick host the Munster final .. Galway the Connaught and Belfast the Ulster Senior cup . Junior Cup is under 15


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[The Honey Badger]

I stand corrected

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[Black & White]

Ireland play a national Schools knock out comp. Senior Cup and Junior cup (u16). . The finals played at Donnybrook and are televised. Huge occasion for Irish rugby.

Imagine the increase in profile for schoolboy rugby.Yes, there are those who wish to keep rugby on a low key path at a schoolboy level. My view is that the increasing the profile of the game starting with the schools such as televised matches is great for the growth of the game.

Those schools who wish to avoid the glamour, have every right to do so. But in doing so they should not restrain other schools from having their matches televised, gaining income from television rights and enhancing the profiles of these schools. At the end of the day, I know which schools will increase their enrolments, those ones that market themselves.

Crass capitalism and exploitation of our youth, not if its managed professionally. As HB has stated its a big deal in Ireland and Schools such as Black Rock College the Irish equivalent to Joeys, but on steroids will get 20,000 people to their matches.

So do we go down the path of a American College football for schoolboy rugby. I say yes if expands the game.However, I am also respectfully aware that there are those of you would disagree profoundly with such a vision of schoolboy.

At the end of the day decisions and choices will differ, but our game must move with the times. I therefore ask what would soccer and AFL do, if offered the same opportunity . Our game is at a crossroads at the schoolboy level. We can move forward and make those brave choices and secure the future of schoolboy rugby. Or persist with the current downward spiral and watch our game disappear into the abyss.

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[Olmate]

I've never seen 20000 at any Leinster Schools cup game.. including any final.

 

[Black & White]

I've never seen 20000 at any Leinster Schools cup game.. including any final.

My information came from a rugby official at Newington. You may well be right, but the issue at hand is not the numbers,but the impact upon developing our game. An American college style football or the Irish promotional approach, could be the tonic schoolboy rugby needs to reinvent itself. It can be inclusive of Catholic Metropolitan schools, the Specialist Sports High Schools and even junior club rugby. So it doesn't have to be contained just to the GPS/CAS/ISA schools.

But we must do something proactive, involving major event style activities.

Otherwise in ten years time we will be all watching soccer or AFL on our major schoolboy rugby ovals. For me, I rather watch a televised matches on a Sunday morning of schoolboy Rugby. Than have watched our game disappear because we buried our heads in the sand, at time when we like or not, needed to change our outlook.

 

[rugbyman03]

Everything goes in cycles, throughout the 2000's Shore generally came top half of the comp every year (tied 1st in 06) and was always in contention for the premiership towards the end of the season. The big four back then was Joeys, View, Shore and Kings. Scots and Newington would always be competitive (never title contenders) and even Grammar knocked over a few key scalps back then.

Then from 2010 onwards, we saw the rise of Newington and Scots - both of which have done very well and have come away with a few premierships. Joeys, Kings, View (slight exception) and Shore obviously haven't done as well throughout this period but are always playing top quality footy and are extremely competitive.

Whilst Shore's results haven't been up there over the last 2-3 years, there hasn't been a game where they haven't been competitive and put up a fight.

It's great to play some ISA and CAS schools in trial games but there's no need to break the competition up just because Knox and Waverley each have gun 1st XV's this year. In two years time their 1st XV's might be very weak and Barker could have the best 1st XV. That's why we have GPS v CAS representative games.

Another key consideration is the depth of rugby teams each school has. Joeys, Shore, Kings and View generally field minimum 6 teams in each age group (joeys and shore often more), whereas Scots and Newingtons numbers seem to drop. Ideally each school would play the same school each week rather than playing fixtures against 6 different schools.

It's a fact that the CAS schools don't have this same depth and that's why we shouldn't break up the competition.

 

[sidelineview]

Thought Scots were beaten by Joeys and Joeys easily beaten by Waverley.

This does not make Scots favourite for GPS.



Doesn't sound like W vs S would be a great match either



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Pick any 2 teams you want: Stannies vs View for example.
It was in relation to the proposed 'Grand Final' to determine the Champion 1st XV team in Sydney.
In relation to the proposed Cup/Plate Comps after the one-round comps of the individual Associations.
I like the idea.

Play it as a curtain raiser to a major game and televise it.

 

[Rich_E]

Play it as a curtain raiser to a major game and televise it.

The odd game has made it on to TV. But not for a long time. The epic game between Kings and Joeys at HH in 2000 was televised. On the ABC IIRC. Kings won on the bell to secure an undefeated premiership. I had it recorded on VHS but lost the tape a while ago now. Im not sure why the schools agreed to have that match shown on TV, given how against it the schools all were and presumably still are.

 

[formerflanker]

Im not sure why the schools agreed to have that match show on TV, given how against it the schools all were and presumably still are.

A very interesting conundrum those schools have created for themselves.
The "no TV" argument runs along the lines of not putting too much pressure on teenagers.
The schools which recruit rugby players are putting pressure on them to win.
Caught between a rock and a hard place.

 

[Black & White]

As stated the game is crossroads,particularly at school boy level. We are losing ground to AFL and Soccer. If Aussie Rules and Soccer put money into their sport at the schoolboy level, whatever happens with Rugby will be at the best mild.

Those codes will flog their game with ruthless crass commercialism the likes GPS sport has not seen. Particularly, the AFL who have a ingrained hatred of Rugby. In Melbourne the Aussie Rule commentators refer to Rugby as "Bum Stiffing". If we sit back and do nothing, Schoolboy Rugby will die a quick death very shortly.

By putting Schoolboy Rugby on TV, we are do nothing immoral or placing unnecessary pressure on the boys to win. Rather we are highlighting the beauty of our game. 1st XV Rugby Games are recorded on DVDs anyway. All we doing is simply taking the game in a most positive direction by exposing to a greater audience.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

^^^^^i think your zeal and obsession with the role of the GPS in saving oz rugby from itself is a perfect example of why the schools are de-emphasising what has become a pissing contest for old boys and parents.
The head of the river was moved for similar reasons many moons ago - not sure why that was allowed on TV.

 

[Black & White]

^^^^^i think your zeal and obsession with the role of the GPS in saving oz rugby from itself is a perfect example of why the schools are de-emphasising what has become a pissing contest for old boys and parents.
The head of the river was moved for similar reasons many moons ago - not sure why that was allowed on TV.

Fair point IS. Although, no obsession regarding the GPS as the sole saviour of Rugby. As I propose the inclusion of Sports Highs and the Metropolitan Catholic Colleges. A broader liberal social inclusion of our game beyond its current social base.

There, always will those of us who are vocal in support of the game. As soccer, AFL and Rugby League supporters will be.

But I need to clarify that I believe the game is just that a game. But there is nothing wrong placing it on TV. Its what happens with the supporters who take an "over the top" approach to the game.

Such individuals will always exist and turn it in into a pissing contest. That is human nature and its present in all sports, at all levels.

 

[Wristman]

Thought Scots were beaten by Joeys and Joeys easily beaten by Waverley.

This does not make Scots favourite for GPS.

Doesn't sound like W vs S would be a great match either


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Very simplistic thought process their Honey Badger.
It would doubtless be a great and very close game.

 

[Spieber]

The odd game has made it on to TV. But not for a long time. The epic game between Kings and Joeys at HH in 2000 was televised. On the ABC IIRC. Kings won on the bell to secure an undefeated premiership. I had it recorded on VHS but lost the tape a while ago now. Im not sure why the schools agreed to have that match show on TV, given how against it the schools all were and presumably still are.

I recollect they made an exception for that game because of huge demand from country parents/old boys. I watched it and would have been interested to see the ratings (possible higher than a Tah game these days).

 

[Rugby Survivor]

Quick Hands I agree Joeys played other schools however all Shore teams played Joeys I believe and 31 Joeys teams played Shore. Logistically easier to have most of the teams playing the one school. No one can compete with the number of teams Joeys puts out each week. They do a good job to find the extra games they need. Unfortunately that entails playing a number of other teams. It would be far worse if the main school Joeys played only had a smaller number of teams.

 

[Black & White]

^^^^^i think your zeal and obsession with the role of the GPS in saving oz rugby from itself is a perfect example of why the schools are de-emphasising what has become a pissing contest for old boys and parents.
The head of the river was moved for similar reasons many moons ago - not sure why that was allowed on TV.

Oh, just had a historical recall,IS, in 1978 Grammar won the Head of the River and that was televised. I remember watching it and how Gordon Bray complemented the Grammar Crews on their hard work and preparation. Nor did it affect their HSC results as Grammar 7 boys into the top 1% of the HSC. Back then that was pretty good result for a school.

As we have discussed before, your 1st XV did something of major comeback from potential zeros to heroes in the GPS in 1978. Imagine if the Grammar Matches had been shown on TV, they would have shown the improvement in play, the resilient of your team members. Those are memories and achievements any school, any team and any player should be proud of and the pride I am sure you still have today. So what I am saying, allow the current generation of 1st XV players, to have their experiences up there for others to see and enjoy.

Yes, their are those who go over the top and my memory goes back to a Joeys and View game only a couple years ago,a classic case of Catholics versus Jesuits where the Old Boys of both schools were a little bit intoxicated to say the least and decided to carry on in the car park of one particular school. The police had to be called in.I am sure these Old Boys of both schools, neither did their schools proud. You might say that really was the pissing contest.

Oh by the way,the only disappointment about your achievements of your 1st XV that year was their 10-3 win over Newington in the last match. New had perviously beaten Grammar 21-7 in the last preseason game. But could not continue their form. For many watching such a turnaround, would have been worth the TV fees.

 

[SonnyDillWilliams]

Tips for the final pre season round.

Scots to defeat Kings in a relatively tight contest, with Scots backs proving too big and fast.

Joeys to beat Knox by a similar margin to last year.

Waverley to narrowly beat Riverview, with the Bell/Donaldson/Hardaker combo to prove the difference, despite Waverley fielding a fragile scrimmaging unit

Newington to demolish Shore, and make up for a patchy previous outing


Is Knox likely to match Joeys in any other A fixtures?

 

[Black & White]

Tips for the final pre season round.

Scots to defeat Kings in a relatively tight contest, with Scots backs proving too big and fast.

Joeys to beat Knox by a similar margin to last year.

Waverley to narrowly beat Riverview, with the Bell/Donaldson/Hardaker combo to prove the difference, despite Waverley fielding a fragile scrimmaging unit

Newington to demolish Shore, and make up for a patchy previous outing


Is Knox likely to match Joeys in any other A fixtures?

16As two very strong sides