SOLE334
Jimmy Flynn (14)
Heres a reflective sunday read (from the Nationals last week)for the rugby followers :
Australian Schoolboys Rugby Championships draws International Interest.
The cream of Australian schoolboys rugby union players were on display this past week in Sydney.The National championships brings together the very best of the current crop from around the country to compete against each other.It is the arena to showcase their wares for a special chance at representing their country. This is the pinnacle of schoolboys rugby. It is also, traditionally where the first “rugby auction” for agents, scouts and who's who of professional rugby come to potentially bid for the next ‘best thing’ that will help bring $uccess to their respective franchises.
Two of the more enigmatic International coaches surprisingly made grandeur appearances this week at the tournament.
Eddie Jones the 'Oz' England coach who has transformed the men in white, was not at all shy taking centre stage on the sidelines keeping a keen eye on the first day of competition. Not to be outdone, Michael Cheika the Wallaby coach, also made sure his appearance the following day of competition was ‘noticed’. A political statement or genuine rugby interest? Food for thought .
The National schoolboys rugby is always an exciting spectacle and sometimes it is about the rugby played.
The passion showcased by the State and Territory teams are no match for the boisterous and biased fans (usually the parents, families and friends of the players), who are also armed and self taught experts on all things rugby. As to be expected, their one eyed opinion heavily favours ‘their’ team and of course their son.
The rugby spectacle is just the tip of the iceberg. You maybe forgiven for assuming the rugby on the field was the main show. The fact of the matter is, if you tapped into your sixth sense and look below the surface, you would be very surprised to see that there were extra terrestrials mingling amongst the crowd for most of the week.
This is my second year at the Nationals. The amount of ‘activities’ going on at the St Ignatius school grounds was unfortunately never about the spectacular River-view towards the city skyscrapers, but the negotiations between stakeholders.Judging from the crowd, everyone had an agenda
There is the caffeine line at the coffee van, the bright fluorescent dressed army of selectors and tournament administrators armed with folders and clipboards keeping an eye on proceedings.
There were men with the friendliest smiles tapping parents ( who live the dream and the once in a lifetime hope that their son may be the next Israel Folau or a David Pocock) on the shoulder to do their sales pitch. The promise of a super rugby franchise contract is always the dangling carrot that wins over their vulnerable and ill informed trust and so they sign their sons away to an unknown god.
Unfortunately, just as the euphoria and ecstasy created by the mysterious bidder at an auction is all but done and dusted at the fall of the auctioneers hammer, so it is with the return to reality for most of the hopefuls who must accept the verdict.It's one of the sad stories that is heard often at this annual event. The other (always intriguing and filled with passion and highly charged emotions), is the selection of the Australian Schoolboys and Australian Barbarians teams.
Just tap into one of the many social media outlets minutes after the teams are announced. The critics would rival any of the human rights violation cases with their vented anger and absolute disgust at the incompetency of the selectors “paid” to pick MJ and EJ (Eddie Jones) blah blah blah because of. . . and so their conspiracy theory fills the airwaves and eventually dissipates to just hot air that is blown out to sea...within days.
Let's hope that the unthinkable ( that our sons for the return home to the motherland possibility) will NEVER occur. In keeping up with the Jones man, let's hope Cheika keeps him in ‘check -a mate’ for life.
Australian Schoolboys Rugby Championships draws International Interest.
The cream of Australian schoolboys rugby union players were on display this past week in Sydney.The National championships brings together the very best of the current crop from around the country to compete against each other.It is the arena to showcase their wares for a special chance at representing their country. This is the pinnacle of schoolboys rugby. It is also, traditionally where the first “rugby auction” for agents, scouts and who's who of professional rugby come to potentially bid for the next ‘best thing’ that will help bring $uccess to their respective franchises.
Two of the more enigmatic International coaches surprisingly made grandeur appearances this week at the tournament.
Eddie Jones the 'Oz' England coach who has transformed the men in white, was not at all shy taking centre stage on the sidelines keeping a keen eye on the first day of competition. Not to be outdone, Michael Cheika the Wallaby coach, also made sure his appearance the following day of competition was ‘noticed’. A political statement or genuine rugby interest? Food for thought .
The National schoolboys rugby is always an exciting spectacle and sometimes it is about the rugby played.
The passion showcased by the State and Territory teams are no match for the boisterous and biased fans (usually the parents, families and friends of the players), who are also armed and self taught experts on all things rugby. As to be expected, their one eyed opinion heavily favours ‘their’ team and of course their son.
The rugby spectacle is just the tip of the iceberg. You maybe forgiven for assuming the rugby on the field was the main show. The fact of the matter is, if you tapped into your sixth sense and look below the surface, you would be very surprised to see that there were extra terrestrials mingling amongst the crowd for most of the week.
This is my second year at the Nationals. The amount of ‘activities’ going on at the St Ignatius school grounds was unfortunately never about the spectacular River-view towards the city skyscrapers, but the negotiations between stakeholders.Judging from the crowd, everyone had an agenda
There is the caffeine line at the coffee van, the bright fluorescent dressed army of selectors and tournament administrators armed with folders and clipboards keeping an eye on proceedings.
There were men with the friendliest smiles tapping parents ( who live the dream and the once in a lifetime hope that their son may be the next Israel Folau or a David Pocock) on the shoulder to do their sales pitch. The promise of a super rugby franchise contract is always the dangling carrot that wins over their vulnerable and ill informed trust and so they sign their sons away to an unknown god.
Unfortunately, just as the euphoria and ecstasy created by the mysterious bidder at an auction is all but done and dusted at the fall of the auctioneers hammer, so it is with the return to reality for most of the hopefuls who must accept the verdict.It's one of the sad stories that is heard often at this annual event. The other (always intriguing and filled with passion and highly charged emotions), is the selection of the Australian Schoolboys and Australian Barbarians teams.
Just tap into one of the many social media outlets minutes after the teams are announced. The critics would rival any of the human rights violation cases with their vented anger and absolute disgust at the incompetency of the selectors “paid” to pick MJ and EJ (Eddie Jones) blah blah blah because of. . . and so their conspiracy theory fills the airwaves and eventually dissipates to just hot air that is blown out to sea...within days.
Let's hope that the unthinkable ( that our sons for the return home to the motherland possibility) will NEVER occur. In keeping up with the Jones man, let's hope Cheika keeps him in ‘check -a mate’ for life.
