Junior rugby based on weight classes
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p.Tah
John Thornett (49)
There is an increasing appetite for girls to try rugby. Girls rugby comps are few and far between. As a result the girls have to play with boys teams. Often these girls are later to the game aged 10 etc. In most cases the boys have had a number of years learning rugby skills specifically tackling and are at a much high level of confidence. This new aged/weight grading gives the opportunity for girls (if they want) to play down a grade or two and improve their skills/confidence. This may already happen, but if it doesn’t Junior clubs could focus on it to bring more females into the game. It may alleviate some concerns parents have about their daughters playing with larger boys.
T
TOCC
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I know some QLD clubs have expanded their girls programs in the past 18months, not because they have been encouraged to but because their has been a lot of demand asking for teams in certain age brackets. South Rugby in Brisbane now has a girls 7's from ages 5 through to 16.
the bulldog
Stan Wickham (3)
Just got sent this link with all the details on how it’s going to work, tbh it’s a let down in regards to the stillhuge disparity in weights my son is under 15’s at Knox and with the new rules there will be small kids 46 kilos playing against 90kg monsters.
https://www.schoolsrugby.com.au/2018/news/safety-age-weight-full-details-latest-rugby-australia/
https://www.schoolsrugby.com.au/2018/news/safety-age-weight-full-details-latest-rugby-australia/
Scrubber2050
Mark Ella (57)
Get 2 little kids to "monster" the big bloke. Or better yet get 3 of the little fellas.
Seriously it makes it hard for a small lad (and dangerous)
I like to watch
David Codey (61)
Actually, the guidelines say the big kid has to be 91kg AND taller than 188 cm.
FFS Raelene,ring up a cousin in NZ and get them to slip you a copy of how they do it.
.....and sack everyone at RA that has their fingerprints on this process.
brokendown
Bill McLean (32)
Geez,before the age of 15 I played in weight restricted comps--therefore,because i was so light,i played against kids who were 2 or 3 years younger than me,hardly fair,isn't it---then I went on to unrestricted rugby-playing against people who were twice my weight in some instances,not a problem--i survived for another 30 years without major injury
so,no big deal
so,no big deal
BAR
Chris McKivat (8)
Hey Bulldog, they might be big but they're still kids, not monsters.
I am generally supportive of the guidelines as they are drafted but have to admit the target range seems very small. Statistically, 5 players in 100 will fall outside 2 standard deviations. So, in terms of the oversized players statistically that’s just 2.5 players in 100. But, to be mandatorily assessed, the player has to exceed on BOTH height and weight which means the number of large players affected will be substantially less. I don’t know the maths on that last logical leap but is a model that targets possibly 1 in 100 players going to have any discernible impact?
My son (U15) is a mandatory assessment, and was expecting such, but even he thought it amusing that a shorter teammate who outweighs him by 15-20kg will escape mandatory assessment under these guidelines. Both boys fall outside the second std deviation right up to the U18 age group listed in the ARU documentation, both are very capable players, yet only one (the taller but "lighter" one) will be mandatorily assessed under these rules.
I am generally supportive of the guidelines as they are drafted but have to admit the target range seems very small. Statistically, 5 players in 100 will fall outside 2 standard deviations. So, in terms of the oversized players statistically that’s just 2.5 players in 100. But, to be mandatorily assessed, the player has to exceed on BOTH height and weight which means the number of large players affected will be substantially less. I don’t know the maths on that last logical leap but is a model that targets possibly 1 in 100 players going to have any discernible impact?
My son (U15) is a mandatory assessment, and was expecting such, but even he thought it amusing that a shorter teammate who outweighs him by 15-20kg will escape mandatory assessment under these guidelines. Both boys fall outside the second std deviation right up to the U18 age group listed in the ARU documentation, both are very capable players, yet only one (the taller but "lighter" one) will be mandatorily assessed under these rules.
That's why you're now broken down, brokendown. As a former secretary of a junior club (and parent of a player at said club) including a LOT of lads with parentage from parts east of here we had numerous problems over age, principally because some players were so huge. There were two results from these lads' size: one, many forfeits over the years, and, two, we could see some other clubs' player numbers dwindle over time. I well remember a match at Concord when a big, under 15 lad charged into a smaller boy (about 40kg weight difference) from Campbelltown Harlequins and broke his collar bone; the Harlequins coach called off the game there and then. Next year that team didn't turn up for the under 16s. That experience wasn't atypical, in fact it's exactly what the ARU's trying to address with these weight regulations.
There was always a weight dispensation clause in the registration rules in Sydney JRU, ie, if a player was below a certain weight on registration he could choose to play down an age group. I advocated (and brought it up at Sydney and NSWJRU AGMs years ago) if a player could go down because he was too small a significantly larger player SHOULD go up. Most of those big boys weren't challenged in their weekly comps, and, to my eye, relied on size alone without developing their skills. When I watched some of these boys play league that's exactly what they did: got the ball with a head of steam and never passed it, and left the tackling to others. I also advocated sent-up players should be allowed to play in their natural age group for all representative rugby.
Looks as if someone's been listening at HO.
There was always a weight dispensation clause in the registration rules in Sydney JRU, ie, if a player was below a certain weight on registration he could choose to play down an age group. I advocated (and brought it up at Sydney and NSWJRU AGMs years ago) if a player could go down because he was too small a significantly larger player SHOULD go up. Most of those big boys weren't challenged in their weekly comps, and, to my eye, relied on size alone without developing their skills. When I watched some of these boys play league that's exactly what they did: got the ball with a head of steam and never passed it, and left the tackling to others. I also advocated sent-up players should be allowed to play in their natural age group for all representative rugby.
Looks as if someone's been listening at HO.
Above and below the numbers, assessment is mandatory. Players not meeting both of those can be requested to be assessed to move grades and comps can request that a player be assessed to move grades.
The NZ weight for age system stops after under 13s doesn't it?
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I like to watch
David Codey (61)
My criticisms of the program are:
The participation rules regarding weight/age were released by the ruling body AFTER most junior clubs registration days.
Assesment is mandatory for any kid outside the parameters for his age group.Why?
Surely it makes more sense that it's automatic, with the option for kids/parents to appeal then be assessed?
What's the process if I have a big/little kid? Where/how do I find a level 2 coach to do the assessment?
How many level 2 coaches regularly watch the age groups of the kids they are being asked to assess ?
How would Cheika go, if he was asked to grade a bunch of kids from ages 9 to 14?
Bessa
Ted Fahey (11)
As I understand it, an independent assessor will be at all the Sydney Junior trial matches throughout March to watch all the games and make a decision then.
I may be wrong, happy to be corrected.
BAR
Chris McKivat (8)
I have the same concern about the timing ILTW. With a son who is almost certain to be re-graded I held off registering in the hope of learning something about the system before signing up. The club couldn’t inform me as they were starved of information too. I ended up registering so my son could attend first training without understanding anything about the implications of his being re-graded. To be honest I am still not too sure what/when/how but I do know that if he is re-graded there is no team at our club for him to play in.
BAR
Chris McKivat (8)
Up.
Go for it. Assuming the child is up to it. My kid did it (not convinced it was the right decision). It falls within the allowed window.
BAR
Chris McKivat (8)
There are no specific restrictions against players playing up ONE age group. Most of the club rego material seems to offer a token statement to discourage it but I have never heard of any active steps against it happening. The only catch I can think of would be if the player fell outside the bandwidth on the new weight for age criteria but even then there would be an assessment requirement.
Bessa
Ted Fahey (11)
Yeah thanks, I thought that too. I thought there might have been an issue with a kid going from Mini's (U6-U9) up to Junior (U10 up)
I seem to remember we had a young fella play up in mini's but the family was told while he could do it in mini's he had to fall back into his age bracket once he hit under10's......
the new age/weight class might stop it too if the kid is smaller.
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