Australian Junior Rugby Union

[Newbie]

I have recently published a consultation (green) paper seeking input in to the future direction of junior rep rugby in Queensland. This has been distributed to all our affiliates (regions). If you haven't seen it the bottleneck is at regional or club level.

My email address is:- don@qjru.com.au

If anyone emails me requesting a copy I would gladly send it to you and welcome a response.

Don Parry
President
QJRU

Don,

First and foremost let me commend you on the good work you do for grassroots rugby!

I cannot speak for QLD but from my personal experience in NSW, there is a better chance of a talented player being recognised in school rugby than there is at the club rugby.

This is reflected in the participation numbers and also the preference to favour school rep teams over club rep teams!

I personally have lost a lot of respect for the SJRU and NSWJRU.

 

[Don Parry]

Since the weekend when we had a great interstate carnival at Caloundra (where a merit AJRU U17 Merit team was named selected by former Wallaby Coach - John Connolly and Tony Dempsey - 8 NSW, 7 QLD, 4 ACT and 4 VIC) there has been so many positive developments. I can't wait until we can release these developments. In my opinion we are on the most positive developments for junior club rugby in more than a decade. So exciting!!!

 

[Newbie]

Since the weekend when we had a great interstate carnival at Caloundra (where a merit AJRU U17 Merit team was named selected by former Wallaby Coach - John Connolly and Tony Dempsey - 8 NSW, 7 QLD, 4 ACT and 4 VIC) there has been so many positive developments. I can't wait until we can release these developments. In my opinion we are on the most positive developments for junior club rugby in more than a decade. So exciting!!!

Acknowledged

The fact that Conolly and Demsey were selectors is encouraging. Now to adapt something similar to the SJRU and NSWJRU.

 

[TSR]

Guys, just thought I would throw up a character reference for Don. I was coached by Don (a few years ago Don - won't go into details as I don't expect you to remember me). Even though it was some time ago and only for a short time, from my experience he is a very decent guy who has given up lots of his time over at least 20 odd years (possibly more).

I appreciate that comments back to him have been generally positive, and I'm not suggesting there aren't some legitimate issues, but I just thought I would give him some extra support to him here.

Don, I would also add that by and large the majority of posters on here are true rugby fans who have the best interests of the game at heart - even if some of us are somewhat cynical of the powers that be (and we often don't agree on the best course of action - but that can make for entertaining reading).

 

[Don Parry]

A friend of mine has a saying "Picking a 15 year old who will become a Wallaby is like picking a Melbourne Cup winner at a yearling sale". If your sons (and daughters) don't get picked up in the schools or club junior system as a teenager please encourage them to persist. At the end of the weekend carnival John Connolly made a wonderful speech where he told the boys it was OK to be disappointed if they missed out but please don't become disillusioned as it is a long road and many players fall away.

 

[hollowman]

Guys, just thought I would throw up a character reference for Don. I was coached by Don (a few years ago Don - won't go into details as I don't expect you to remember me). Even though it was some time ago and only for a short time, from my experience he is a very decent guy who has given up lots of his time over at least 20 odd years (possibly more).

I appreciate that comments back to him have been generally positive, and I'm not suggesting there aren't some legitimate issues, but I just thought I would give him some extra support to him here.

Don, I would also add that by and large the majority of posters on here are true rugby fans who have the best interests of the game at heart - even if some of us are somewhat cynical of the powers that be (and we often don't agree on the best course of action - but that can make for entertaining reading).

I was cynical but then I worked out the hollowmen show was a documentary rather than a comedy....

 

[Don Parry]

Because I was asked to by one of those posting to this thread I have agreed to upload the Queensland Junior Rugby Union's Junior Rep Pathway Green paper. This is a public document so I have no issues with sharing it.

 

[Don Parry]

You guys might also value this piece.

 

[hollowman]

Because I was asked to by one of those posting to this thread I have agreed to upload the Queensland Junior Rugby Union's Junior Rep Pathway Green paper. This is a public document so I have no issues with sharing it.

Thanks Don, it makes interesting reading and I will provide some comments. If you can provide more information about the AJRU when you have chance that would also be appreciated.

 

[Don Parry]

A FEW FACTS
AJRU's members are the state junior bodies e.g. NSWJRU, QJRU etc.
The AJRU does have a Strategic Plan
The AJRU does NOT place a levy on club juniors

Strategic Plan: key pillars

1. National U/17s junior pathway - well under way
2. Provision of administrative resources to support affiliates - under construction
3. Collaborative pooling of the grass roots voice on rugby - starting to gain momentum
4. Identify sustainable funding model - discussion with potential national sponsor(s)

 

[Rugby Mum]

So this Australian junior rugby Union is it backed and supported by the Australian Rugby union. Do they have input into the selection criteria.?

 

[Don Parry]

Rugby Mum
The AJRU is a non voting affiliate of the ARU but receives no funding from the ARU.
At the National U17 Championships we used John Connolly (former Wallaby Coach) and Tony Dempsey as the selectors. They were very diligent and also consulted with every state coach.
To be honest I was more comfortable with this selection process than the Wallabies Mix & Match, Chop and Change approach.

 

[TOCC]

ARJU, BJRU, QJRU, ARU, QRU, QRFSU, ASRU.....

Talk about duplication of effort and resources...

 

[Don Parry]

TOCC, Jets and RugbyReg these layers of rugby beauocracy were built around 50 years ago. There is currently a national review of rugby structures and I believe some rugby organisations could and perhaps should only be competition committees.

Having said that grassroots rugby may not have survived professionalism if it weren't for these organisations as I can assure you no one who had a Super team franchise or the Wallabies was looking at the grassroots other than as a fan base and incomestream for their professional team.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Don Parry Is the national review of rugby structures you refer to in #34 the same as the Cosgrove/Arbib governance review, or is another group doing the review you refer to?

I like the thinking behind "downgrading"/rationalising some organisations to competition committees of a parent body. It would also force that parent body to actually take some notice of (and appropriately resource) the juniors rather than leave it to a volunteer group.

 

[RugbyReg]

Because I was asked to by one of those posting to this thread I have agreed to upload the Queensland Junior Rugby Union's Junior Rep Pathway Green paper. This is a public document so I have no issues with sharing it.

any consideration of the female participation pathway Don?

 

[Don Parry]

Yes Hugh I was talking about Cosgrove/Arbib.

 

[Don Parry]

RugbyReg I am no longer involved in Women's Rugby but I have noticed a lot more action around schoolgirl 7s. With the women in the next two Olympics in Rugby 7s I expect that the effort around the female pathway will be around 7s. I hope that there is a plan to grow our own Rugby Olympians and not just harvest elite touch and Oztag girls to make up our Olympic team.

 

[Jets]

It would be great if there was a girls junior rugby comp to cater for U13-U18. It seems any girls that play the game up to U12 are told "go play another sport and come back when you're 18". I think that the BJRU, QJRU and AJRU could look into this. Even if they were just small comps to start off with. I'm sure there is funding available to investigate the option.
Thinking now it would do wonders for participation numbers. QRU would be right onto that I would have though. They are all about the numbers at the moment.

 

[hollowman]

Because I was asked to by one of those posting to this thread I have agreed to upload the Queensland Junior Rugby Union's Junior Rep Pathway Green paper. This is a public document so I have no issues with sharing it.

Hi Don. I have picked out a few of your questions which I feel confident in responding to with ideas.

Firstly "How do we put processes in place to guarantee integrity around selection?"

The commitment to integrity is an essential first step. Next is demonstrating the same in a publicly available selection policy that also details the selection procedures (selection committee structure, how conflicts of interest are managed, player eligibility and selection criteria (KPIs by position), how selection decisions are made and announced, communication about non-selection and an appeals process). Finally the policy must actually be and be seen to be implemented to have credibility. Words and actions must align. I think there are plenty of examples of what not to do throughout the forums. A number of Sydney clubs and NSW country junior etc have such a policy.