angrydog
Jimmy Flynn (14)
I'm torn between knowing in my bones that some kids have an easier path and recognising that selecting on a tournament for a once in a lifetime thing is a bloody hard thing to do.
But i am also hamstrung by the fact that I can see absolutely no attraction in playing league: frankly, if a 17 year old is looking to play either code for money then he's going to be disappointed and, more importantly, not getting picked in one of these teams statistically improves his chances of playing s15 and test rugby.
Thats the message I'm hammering at this time of year.
I agree completely. This tournament is sadly becoming something I am sure it was never meant to be. It's like it has become the HSC of Rugby, i.e pass and your into Rugby Uni...fail and your finished. Much like the HSC, anybody who has actually done it before and failed will tell you it's not the end of the earth and if anything your life is just beginning in a whole new way you never probably imagined.
Because of this situation there are effects rippling across junior rugby which are damaging the image of the game and seriously affecting peoples choice to actually play the game. As I mentioned earlier, 'second tier' schools are going to find it harder and harder to retain kids playing rugby because if they firstly don't attend the 'right school' then their chances of being picked in higher rep teams begins to diminish. In my opinion, this is absolute BS and someone within the ASRU needs to do something to implement independent selection committees to avoid this perception growing any further.
If the ASRU looks at some these schools they wil note with interest that many already offer various other sports which fight with ferocity to get kids playing them each year. Many of these schools do not play in say the very structured GPS comps where in winter kids have a choice of either Rugby or Soccer. Some offer sports including AFL, Hockey, soccer, basketball and rugby all at the same time and often kids have to chose on over the other. On top of this many will also play league for a club outside the school. Rugby union is seriously on shakey ground within some of these schools and if things do not improve on the rep front there could be some real problems in the future with retaining kids in the game.
Obviuosly not every kid is rep standard and they wont be affected, But those that are or could be but feel they are being overlooked because thay may be at the 'wrong school' could easily jump ship at any time.