It wouldn’t surprise me if GPS want this and it has nothing to do with CAS. I hope the CAS schools are able to find games for everyone which are competitive (and safe) for all players each week in a H&A format.
Here's my view on all this should it be true, and I believe it to be, having heard it directly from a GPS Sports Master ( so not Waverley).
There has been an abundance of talk across the various sites about the lack of direction within our schools program when it comes to developing a really strong schools structure that ultimately could/would flow on to higher levels, a la the New Zealand schools model.
Parallel to this is the lack of enjoyment mismatches provide, the dwindling number of participants, the safety factor for boys etc...
So the system clearly has major issues that need addressing.
As it stands our Sydney schools system today has basically 3 tiny associations with 6 teams in each, GPS,CAS,ISA, and a weak CHS system, in comparison to years gone by.
The best, smartest and most logical ideas put forward from many, have outlined the restructuring of this system to a divisional system based on team numbers, the strength of programs/performance within schools etc, and a fluid promotion/relegation system between the divisions.
ALL of this could have been worked through, tested, and implemented WHILST allowing the various associations
to still run their own association competition within this system.
The GPS argument will be that the other associations don't provide enough teams to match up, and that is true team by team, but it has been worked through over the last 6 years, so it can, and has, be done. Even the GPS schools don't match up evenly.
If that's a bigger issue than the benefits of all the opportunities put forward, then let's just give up.
Over the last 6 years, the top CAS and ISA schools have been very competitive against the GPS schools. Perhaps even winning more games than the GPS schools, so the perceived ability disparity has been put to bed once and for all.
The remaining issue is the Age groups, again, I don't think we are putting man on the moon, so a solution is there.
NOW, the CAS has a major problem.
The truth is that in the age groups, unless the other schools strengthen their programs, then Knox and Waverley will dominant typically year after year with massive wins from the 13s - 16s. Yes there will be the odd strong team from the other schools but probably nothing sustainable.
Barker these days are only strong from the 16s-Opens. Should this happen, then more and more boys will leave rugby, and having to play a home and away system will only accelerate this issue.
The other major problem is the complete mismatch of teams numbers, eg Alos have 9 teams, and Trinity not many more.
So some sort of restructure with the IAS schools etc is a must IMO, and happy for that, given they have been wonderful and keen to play the CAS schools!
There existed an opportunity, once the GPS schools moved away from a home and away format, to explore and see if some other schools were actually competitive enough to compete, and over 6 years it was proven that they were. So it was proven that there were sufficient teams of relative equal ability, to conceive a tier 1 and 2 system between
all the schools in these 3 associations, and that includes SBHS, Grammar, TAS etc. This could have enabled a planning process to proceed and move to the next stage and develop a really robust tiered competition possibly of 10+ teams per division.
Instead, it appears we may be about to retreat back to the dark myopic old days where development of the game, at an important schools level, and the fun and testing of teams against multiple schools, is less important than sticking to an old school tradition. WOW!
What a shame.....
