National Academy 2012

[Scott Allen]

There are no nomination limits (maximum or minimum) or quotas per club.

The ARU is doing their own talent identification but also asking the head coaches of clubs to put forward any player they believe has the potential to play Super Rugby that has been missed.

 

[Lee Grant]

Thanks for that; so it's not only from the clubs - not that that made a lot of sense. At least the clubs have some input though.

 

[waves]

There are no nomination limits (maximum or minimum) or quotas per club.

The ARU is doing their own talent identification but also asking the head coaches of clubs to put forward any player they believe has the potential to play Super Rugby that has been missed.

In some cases not necessarily, There are players that are training with Super Franchises for future spots in the Extended Playing Squad and 3rd/4th back up positions to fill the void if needed. Regular first graders will benefit immensely then those in the National Academy.

 

[WorkingClassRugger]

Here's a quick question, one's that's probably already been covered but will this academy replace the pre-existing academy structures already in place?

 

[RugbyReg]

yes, it already has.

 

[Lee Grant]

There's still a few matters than can be discussed between the cracks.

I'm assuming that all the national academy guys will be amateurs.

Some pro academies used to have 10 guys in it. They were paid for by the ARU (except in Melbourne which was privately owned). Sometimes they had to play if there were two injuries in their position, thus they had to be ready to go, and trained with the regular squad.

If the franchises want a few more players to be attached to their team to cover injuries outside the 30+5 = 35 players, they will have to do so out of their own pockets.

As for the amateurs: It's probable that what the ARU is doing will suffice provided that Melbourne and Perth get a fair shake. We just have to watch this space on the matter and see how it works out.

I hope they still have those Junior Waratahs games before the season. I need my fix in January and early February.

 

[rugbyisfun]

will these players be available for Club Rugby in Vegas and Sydney? Or will we see a new generation of players who are encouraged to skip playing Club footy because it is below them??

 

[Scott Allen]

There's still a few matters than can be discussed between the cracks.

I'm assuming that all the national academy guys will be amateurs.

Lee - all the players in the National Academy are paid by the ARU. Amounts vary from a few thousand dollars up to $15,000 a year.

 

[Scott Allen]

will these players be available for Club Rugby in Vegas and Sydney? Or will we see a new generation of players who are encouraged to skip playing Club footy because it is below them??

The ARU are saying they want every player in the National Academy to play every minute of every club game in the season (unless injured or called up by a Super team of course), hence no Academy games scheduled.

On the encouragement front, clubs have been told that if a player is not training or playing up to standard with their club, or are showing the wrong attitude to club footy, the Academy staff will be taking action and their spot in the academy will be under threat.

 

[country rugby]

Lee - all the players in the National Academy are paid by the ARU. Amounts vary from a few thousand dollars up to $15,000 a year.

So if some only get paid a few thousand dollars a year, these players are going to suffer with the training schedule and working full-time, rent still has to be paid, and unless they are lucky enough to still live at home the life of an academy player looks like it would be tough.

 

[Lee Grant]

Lee - all the players in the National Academy are paid by the ARU. Amounts vary from a few thousand dollars up to $15,000 a year.

Thanks Austin - this is all making more sense now. The states/ACT will still have their own amateur academies and have anybody in them that they want to, if the lads want to give up their time to get free training.

I thought I read that the 5 people in each EPS can be used by the other teams it they had a need. That doesn't make sense; surely they should be dedicated to that franchise and it's the national academy from which players, especially experienced players, can be cherry picked.

Do you know if all that is correct - or not?

 

[Slim 293]

Lee,

Link confirmed in the blog IV that the 5 EPS players are contracted to that team, and the can only be traded to another team if they have not played any matches and it has to be negotiated between the teams...

The EPS players will not be swapped unless there was a mutual agreement between provinces. The National Academy players are open to everyone, but the CPS and EPS are the provinces’ for the season.

With the setup of the EPS, and in accordance with the IRB, if a player is selected and plays in a competition for one team, then he cannot play for another team in the same competition during the same year. Effectively, each squad has 35 players dedicated to the task of playing the Super Rugby season.

 

[Lee Grant]

Thanks Slim - I missed that bit.

Now I'm a happy camper that I know what I need to know. My only problem will be next week when I'll ask the same questions.

 

[Scott Allen]

I thought I read that the 5 people in each EPS can be used by the other teams it they had a need.

Lee - confirm what Slim posted that EPS players are contracted to the Super Rugby teams so only they could agree to them playing elsewhere.

The way it was explained is that if the Super Rugby teams need a player outside their 35 contracted players (squad of 30 plus 5 EPS) they will have to prove to the ARU that they have no way of covering the spot from within that 35. If the ARU are satisfied, the Super Rugby team can draft in a player from where they choose (subject to overseas player restrictions). They can request the loan of a player from the National Academy or they may have someone in an amateur academy they run or they may pick someone from club rugby.

Whilst there is no requirement to use National Academy players the ARU is hoping that they've picked the best players and have trained them so well that it is unlikely that the Super Rugby teams need to look outside the National Academy.

 

[Hawko]

Lee - confirm what Slim posted that EPS players are contracted to the Super Rugby teams so only they could agree to them playing elsewhere.

The way it was explained is that if the Super Rugby teams need a player outside their 35 contracted players (squad of 30 plus 5 EPS) they will have to prove to the ARU that they have no way of covering the spot from within that 35. If the ARU are satisfied, the Super Rugby team can draft in a player from where they choose (subject to overseas player restrictions). They can request the loan of a player from the National Academy or they may have someone in an amateur academy they run or they may pick someone from club rugby.

Whilst there is no requirement to use National Academy players the ARU is hoping that they've picked the best players and have trained them so well that it is unlikely that the Super Rugby teams need to look outside the National Academy.

Given the Tah injury toll this year, we had to go deeper than 35 (used 38 or 39 I think). I would not be surprised if franchises did not use the accademy, particularly if they needed a tight five player. In the tight five you don't reach maturity till 25+ and what 25+ year old can live on $15K a year and support a family - that's worse than the dole. So if one of the franchises crocks three props they are most likely to go for an old head like Dunning, not a 20 y.o. freshman.

 

[twenty seven]

Training, work and for some, Uni on topof that. Thats a big workload, especially for those who live away from home and have to look after the mundane also.

 

[Robert lui]

Wells baldwin miller northam Reid miller skeleton keleti havea Holmes Baer walker holloway colts 2011 in and aust schools Nsw based and Qld based

 

[Lee Grant]

It indicates that the National Academy should not have just young shavers. There should be a portion of meat and potatoes hard heads. Had this initiative been made 12 months earlier hard nuts like Ed Gower and Tom Alexander should have been in it - but now they have gone.

Every time the Junior Tahs play the Oz Barbarians and there are too many young players in the JTs, the Oz Baas (read - Sydney club hard heads plus a few ringers every now and then), just grind them down and out-footie them too.

Those same young JTs will have bigger scrapbooks by the time they finish playing than the Oz Baas guys will, but in their early days they have trouble against such players. Unless they are wingers or something like that, they will not be be cherry-picked by the hard markers from the Super teams.

Unless there are some hard head front and 2nd rowers in the National Academy, Super teams will go to the hard head club players who missed out. Most of these fellows will be mature and have a job so they may not nominate for the NA anyway.

[Have just noticed that Hawko has written something similar. The guy's a genius.]

 

[Slim 293]

Wells baldwin miller northam Reid miller skeleton keleti havea Holmes Baer walker holloway colts 2011 in and aust schools Nsw based and Qld based

Is this Mossad code?

 

[Inside Shoulder]

keep it up boys this ia great thread - even the jokes are good