The problem with the NRC and how to fix it

[liquor box]

Agree, But how do juniors feel if there parents cant afford private school fees and that goal cant be reached? Rugby is almost like you have to go to a Private School to become a Wallaby which is wrong. Just look at other codes - summer and winter sport, it is proof that there is sporting talent out there littered through the schools its about opening doors and supporting kids opportunity.

I agree with what you say but it is possible to have both private and public school students to have a pathway. (For what it is worth I would love a private v public school match rather than a state of origin rip off.) As for juniors I think that you just need to take regions and start from there. All Super franchises should own the NRC teams. I will use Brisbane as an example. If you grown up near Sunnybank you still play for your school whether it be private or public. You then play for a club, for example Sunnybank and then move to Brisbane NRC team then Super Rugby. The school is not relevant as you are playing within the catchment for Brisbane. At club level you can apply to go to QLD Country NRC if this is your desire, an example might be that you grew up in country before moving to Brisbane. The decision occurs when you first play club rugby.

 

[Dave Beat]

I agree with what you say but it is possible to have both private and public school students to have a pathway. (For what it is worth I would love a private v public school match rather than a state of origin rip off.) As for juniors I think that you just need to take regions and start from there. All Super franchises should own the NRC teams. I will use Brisbane as an example. If you grown up near Sunnybank you still play for your school whether it be private or public. You then play for a club, for example Sunnybank and then move to Brisbane NRC team then Super Rugby. The school is not relevant as you are playing within the catchment for Brisbane. At club level you can apply to go to QLD Country NRC if this is your desire, an example might be that you grew up in country before moving to Brisbane. The decision occurs when you first play club rugby.

Yes simple, why are simple thing not always implemented. One of the frustration in Sydney - is that the public high school competition isn't what it was 25 years ago where most schools has a team in most age groups, some highs chools had an A's and a B's. Is it the education departments fault that a team sport isn't a mandatory subject. Or is it the codes fault that they aren't in their promoting the code. - a bit of each.

 

[wamberal]

Dave, I am pretty sure that sport is just not as important as it once was, particularly in the academically selective schools.

This is partly a result of demographic changes, people of Chinese, Indian, and so on ancestories put a far higher weighting on academic performance, and a lot less on organised sport. That is just a fact of life.


I doubt that any sport is played seriously at my old school, Fort Street.

 

[I like to watch]

Talking about selective Schools is a distraction.
They are a small minority of public Schools.
The fact is that many public schools that used to have a team/s in every age group, no longer have any.

 

[wamberal]

Talking about selective Schools is a distraction.
They are a small minority of public Schools.
The fact is that many public schools that used to have a team/s in every age group, no longer have any.

Errr, sorry.

But if I may be permitted to restate my point, it was that sport in general in all public schools is not as important as it once was. I mentioned selective schools, because they used to be powerhouses of the game.


And as far as I know, the demographic changes to which I referred apply to all schools, not just the academically selective ones.


These are the facts, not distractions. Nothing we can do about them. If schools do not want to play sport, any sport, and particularly a minority sport like ours, there is fark all we can do about it, unless we are either teachers or parents, and are willing to put our shoulders to the wheel.

 

[I like to watch]

you' re not restating it, you're changing it.

yep demographics have changed in selective Schools, and many immigrant parents see little value in sport.

however demographics statewide have not changed so dramatically and does not explain the deterioration in participation.

as always I disagree with your assertion that nothing can or should be done by the ruling body.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Talking about selective Schools is a distraction.
They are a small minority of public Schools.
The fact is that many public schools that used to have a team/s in every age group, no longer have any.

I've noticed particularly in the public education sector a general divergence from active inter school sporting competition outside of gala days. Which has hurt participation in my opinion. And is reflective of a wider societal trend. In my area, which has always been considered a strong region for League in terms of junior participation, they have seen yet another season with a decline in numbers. It makes the 6th or 7th year in a row. Even Soccer if a family friend who is tied into the local scene has seen its first official decline in numbers (he maintains that they have been losing numbers for a few seasons but they have been able to be masked) last years.

 

[Dave Beat]

It's about adapting to change and staying ahead of the curve with inititives and ideas.

35 years ago we had text books and lockers at school, now kids have a computer.
Kids want to play sport and have fun with their mates - (note i said sport not rugby), the code that jumps in and does it well will flourish, as WCR said above league and soccer are also on a decline.

Taking sport back to school so it is compulsury is important so we have a healthy future - the government sees this with the introduction of;
https://sport.nsw.gov.au/sectordevelopment/activekids
it is a case of bringing it all together and having rugby staying ahead of the curve.

 

[wamberal]

Dave,


I doubt that any code will flourish, except briefly, because one thing we know for certain is that fads and fashions come and go quicker and quicker these days, everything has sped up.


Nothing, but nothing, stays the same. Sure, stay ahead of the curve, if you can, but you would have to have very deep pockets, and a liking for throwing money and resources away, re-inventing the wheel, and then re-inventing it over and over again.


IMHO we should stick to our knitting, build on our strengths, and not throw money away trying to "expand the code". If the code is attractive enough, it will continue to pull in players and spectators.


If it is not, it will die.

 

[Dave Beat]

Yes stick to our strengths most certainly - haven't stepped away from that.

Just look at Test Cricket - 5 days tests are still drawing good crowds.

 

[wamberal]

Yes stick to our strengths most certainly - haven't stepped away from that.

Just look at Test Cricket - 5 days tests are still drawing good crowds.

Yes, mate. One Test a year in each major venue? Not sure that this proves much. Bledisloe Tests still draw okay, too.


If only the Tahs could sell out the occasional game. That would prove a lot more about the depth of our strengths!!!

 

[Highlander35]

Something else to consider is Twitch, Youtube and the rise of ESports in the kid and youngster market.

I'm not hugely into the scene as a whole myself: but my kryptonite is Age Of Empires 2 for the nostalgia factor.

Virtually any time of day I can find myself a live game to watch involving one of the top 50 or so players live on twitch, whether through a full time caster or the player themselves. If not, I can watch replays of old tournaments, best of series, or even for fun games.

And when the urge strikes me to play myself, the only barrier to entry is the cost of the game, and the only time it takes is moving to my computer (if I'm not already there) and finding or hosting a game myself.

When there's no physical barrier to entry (One of the top 3 players in the world is 15!) and it's at the tip of my fingers, I can understand why much more popular and shorter games (FPS/MOBAs) have the following they do, and represent such a big part of youth "Sport" Culture.

 

[Alachino]

I prefer the NRC competition that I hope will grow in time to include additional teams and proceed over a longer time period.

I do think there is something to be said for NRC teams to be forged in a combination of club teams (especially in Sydney and Brisbane) where they became essentially representative sides. I think that would be the best model to encourage the fan attachment that a national competition of any kind will find hard to achieve.

Agreed. I think more specifically, districts coming together to form self styled provinces. Just like ACT & Southern NSW have. I see that as a great example of a rural province. Warringa, Nth Syd, Gordon and Manly being affiliated with the Rays is a great example of a metro province.

If you apply the structure of 4 or 5 districts becoming affiliated and forming a province to all regions of Aust and getting rid of the state bodies (mostly), I think it would be a great national structure to bring Aust rugby communities together.

 

[TOCC]

$1500/game match fees for non Super Rugby played

So worst case, each game costs the club $34,500 in wages

 

[RebelYell]

$1500/game match fees for non Super Rugby played

So worst case, each game costs the club $34,500 in wages

Incorrect. $1500 lump sum payment to be in the squad for non-contracted players

 

[southsider]

So not sure if I’m reading this right but according to the tags fb page Rams have been cut, rays will now represent the whole of Sydney against Country Eagles. Way to shrink to greatness again.

 

[Bandar]

This has been rumored for a while but is now official.

http://www.nswwaratahs.com.au/news/...s-royal-blue-jersey-makes-a-return-for-sydney

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

So not sure if I’m reading this right but according to the tags fb page Rams have been cut, rays will now represent the whole of Sydney against Country Eagles. Way to shrink to greatness again.

Wasn't hard to see coming from last season. The Rams essentially became Eastwood with a tinge of orange in their kit. This has to be the last reduction From now on in they should be looking at growing the schedule to at least 10 games each from this point on.

 

[neilc]

Wasn't hard to see coming from last season. The Rams essentially became Eastwood with a tinge of orange in their kit. This has to be the last reduction From now on in they should be looking at growing the schedule to at least 10 games each from this point on.

So does this mean that the Waratahs are going to run the two teams like the QRU/Reds do with the two Qld NRC teams?

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

So does this mean that the Waratahs are going to run the two teams like the QRU/Reds do with the two Qld NRC teams?

Hope so.