Orange Peeler
Peter Burge (5)
The single most important change to Junior Rugby must be the further development of the player pathway.
Starting from Village Club - Junior Reps - Colts - Premiership Grade - 3 Tier - Super Rugby - Wallabies.
However this means Premiership Clubs getting more involved in the Junior Development process. Maybe the ARU Gold squads would better utilised in assisting the Premiership Clubs with development. Premiership Clubs with the support of the Franchises and the ARU must embrace Junior Development if a 3rd Tier competition is to be successful long term.
It is quite clear what your player pathway is if you play Junior League. As for Rugby there is a player pathway for only a select few in ARU programs, however the concern must be for the many fringe players that just need another year or two but decide to give it all away becuase they percieve that they are not good enoguh because they have not been selected in a Junior Rep Team or Gold Squad, all this doom and gloom before the player reaches Colts.
I have not included the Schools in this pathway process becuase I beleieve they should be left alone to their own devices. Junior Rugby Players who just play for school becuase of a schools policy can eventually join the development pathway at the later end of Junior Reps or when they reach Colts.
Starting from Village Club - Junior Reps - Colts - Premiership Grade - 3 Tier - Super Rugby - Wallabies.
However this means Premiership Clubs getting more involved in the Junior Development process. Maybe the ARU Gold squads would better utilised in assisting the Premiership Clubs with development. Premiership Clubs with the support of the Franchises and the ARU must embrace Junior Development if a 3rd Tier competition is to be successful long term.
It is quite clear what your player pathway is if you play Junior League. As for Rugby there is a player pathway for only a select few in ARU programs, however the concern must be for the many fringe players that just need another year or two but decide to give it all away becuase they percieve that they are not good enoguh because they have not been selected in a Junior Rep Team or Gold Squad, all this doom and gloom before the player reaches Colts.
I have not included the Schools in this pathway process becuase I beleieve they should be left alone to their own devices. Junior Rugby Players who just play for school becuase of a schools policy can eventually join the development pathway at the later end of Junior Reps or when they reach Colts.