S
saulih
Guest
Maybe this post should be in the grassroots rugby section but I will put it here for starters...
From the QRU website: http://www.redsrugby.com.au/library/news/2010/100512_players_flocking_to_qld,71812.html
202 Overseas and a balance of 40 domestic transfers to Qld this year?
Presuming a playing squad of about 35 players per team, that is almost 7 whole teams?!
Where are the plans for expansion of the QLD competition?!
What am I getting at? These are the figures for participation from the QRU annual report (http://www.qru.com.au/verve/_resources/116201_AnnualReport_LR.pdf):
# of clubs in 2009: 103 (2007 it was 118)
# of schools players in 2009: 18173 (2007 it was 19274)
# of senior club players in 2009: 9793 (2007 it was 8798)
Where the QRU (or it's member groups) have excelled is in participation events (at school level).
# of "sampling" participants in 2009: 36043 (2007 it was merely 16270)
Further in the report it shows the growth that has taken place in schools and junior rugby, but then shows a plateau for senior rugby participation since at least 2002, from between 8700 or so, to 9700 or so in the last year.
From a cursory glance, to me it appears as if the QRU is doing a great job in the juniors and schools but completely dropped the ball for seniors, where there (to me) appears as if there is no drive to increase tiers of competition, or to broadening the competitions already in place. Seriously, why is the major "statewide" (as it is being promoted "...the top level of Queensland non-professional rugby.") competition - the Premier League - only at ten teams? - and yes I know of the talk of the Downs fielding a team. Shouldn't it be 18 - 20 teams strong... is that unrealistic?
Then to hear that about 240 of QLD's players this year have transferred in from other countries and states, just makes me wonder, where do they all fit...? maybe I am reading too much into the loss of fifteen clubs in two years...? Also, do all the seniors that leave 1st XV (and 2nd's and 3rd's) each year keep playing, or is the attrition rate as high as I think it is?
Maybe I am just blowing steam, and am missing something. If so tell me...
From the QRU website: http://www.redsrugby.com.au/library/news/2010/100512_players_flocking_to_qld,71812.html
Playing rugby in Queensland has its attractions
Wednesday, 12 May 2010
Whether it’s the great form of the QR Reds or the short sleeves winter weather, playing rugby in Queensland is a popular option for the international rugby fraternity, with players from 24 countries transferring their registration to the Sunshine State so far in 2010.
From Belgium to Zimbabwe and 22 countries in between, a total of 202 overseas registered players have been cleared to play for Queensland clubs since 1 January, with another 13 currently going through the approval process.
Of those already transferred, the three leading nations are New Zealand (79 players), England (44) and Scotland (13). The highest profile transfer is former All Black Caleb Ralph, who turned out last weekend for the Sunshine Coast Stingrays, scoring a try in his Premier Rugby debut.
Some are also Aussies returning home, such as: former Reds and Wallaby great Toutai Kefu, like Caleb Ralph also now with the Sunshine Coast Stingrays after a stint in Japan; former Reds hooker Ole Avei rejoining Sunnybank and Easts 2007 Premier Player of the Year Matt Brandon, also back home from Japan.
Queensland has also attracted 77 players from other states since the beginning of the year, with 37 joining from New South Wales, 15 from ACT, nine from Victoria, six each from the Northern Territory and Western Australia and four from South Australia.
In comparison, 35 players left Queensland in 2010 to play interstate, while a further 23 transferred overseas.
Players from outside Australia registered to play rugby in Queensland since 1 January, 2010:
Belgium - 1
Canada - 6
Cook Islands - 1
England - 44
Fiji - 3
France - 5
Germany - 3
Hong Kong - 2
Ireland - 7
Italy - 1
Japan - 7
Netherlands - 3
New Zealand - 79
Papua New Guinea - 1
Peru - 1
Portugal - 1
Samoa - 1
Scotland - 13
South Africa - 6
Sweden - 1
Tonga - 1
United States of America - 8
Wales - 6
Zimbabwe - 1
Transfers from within Australia:
NSW - 37
NSWSRU - 5
NSWCRU - 21
NSWRU - 11
ACT - 15
NT - 6
SA - 4
VIC - 9
WA - 6
202 Overseas and a balance of 40 domestic transfers to Qld this year?
Presuming a playing squad of about 35 players per team, that is almost 7 whole teams?!
Where are the plans for expansion of the QLD competition?!
What am I getting at? These are the figures for participation from the QRU annual report (http://www.qru.com.au/verve/_resources/116201_AnnualReport_LR.pdf):
# of clubs in 2009: 103 (2007 it was 118)
# of schools players in 2009: 18173 (2007 it was 19274)
# of senior club players in 2009: 9793 (2007 it was 8798)
Where the QRU (or it's member groups) have excelled is in participation events (at school level).
# of "sampling" participants in 2009: 36043 (2007 it was merely 16270)
Further in the report it shows the growth that has taken place in schools and junior rugby, but then shows a plateau for senior rugby participation since at least 2002, from between 8700 or so, to 9700 or so in the last year.
From a cursory glance, to me it appears as if the QRU is doing a great job in the juniors and schools but completely dropped the ball for seniors, where there (to me) appears as if there is no drive to increase tiers of competition, or to broadening the competitions already in place. Seriously, why is the major "statewide" (as it is being promoted "...the top level of Queensland non-professional rugby.") competition - the Premier League - only at ten teams? - and yes I know of the talk of the Downs fielding a team. Shouldn't it be 18 - 20 teams strong... is that unrealistic?
Then to hear that about 240 of QLD's players this year have transferred in from other countries and states, just makes me wonder, where do they all fit...? maybe I am reading too much into the loss of fifteen clubs in two years...? Also, do all the seniors that leave 1st XV (and 2nd's and 3rd's) each year keep playing, or is the attrition rate as high as I think it is?
Maybe I am just blowing steam, and am missing something. If so tell me...