"Johnno" said, 10 days ago:
It's a bit disappointing these minor-reforms.. They didn't go far enough(not remotely) and it seems this is what the CAS/GPS schools are saying(ISA has been more progressive as they only started in the 1990's).... But it's clear these reforms say the following.
1)Traditions:
It's the year "2017" and these GPS/CAS schools value outdated traditions over modern society/modern life. In soccer we scrapped the outdated NSL, we should scrap the GPS... Old boys networks wins for the worst for OZ rugby. And also most students and parents are not even part of these old boys networks, it's just the school boards and headmasters that are calling the shots..
2) Schools rugby culture: These schools have also made it clear in the year 2017, they don't see it as there role to be rugby factories to be elite talent factories for the ARU and making the wallabies competitive vs the All Blacks isn't a priority.. It's a big F** U to the ARU, that they want to be left alone and stop being pestered or pressured from Australian rugby(fans and ARU) to be rugby factories and unlike in NZ where the schools have given up there rugby sovereignty and let the NZRU run the schools program and make the schools rugby factories(despite concerns and protests by some kiwi parents about the rugby obsession the NZRU and rugby factory culture now in NZ schools) they press head in the name of All Black dominance. These Sydney private schools don't have the same desire or allowance to be pressured by rabbid OZ rugby fans/or ARU to turn there schools into rugby factories. Well in saying that I don't want to see these headmasters publicly complain about the wallabies woes vs the AB's if they are not willing to be part of the solution nor see it as there role to be rugby factories to be more competitive vs the AB's...
3)Merged comp: This should of happened but "tradition" sadly in this case has won. CAS for example, has been a Knox/Waverley monopoly for a long time now. Cranbrook for example have won only 1-title in 23 years and were hopeless this year. Not sure the last time Trinity/Aloys/Barker won a title.
The sydney division-1 title should of been Scot's vs Waverley, but instead these schools could only play in trials if they played this year. Scots have won 5 straight GPS titles. None of these monopolies and dominance by the big schools is good for developing elite talent. But hay the headmasters don't see it as there responsibility to develop elite pathways and talent so they won't buckle and fix there competition structures to make the wallabies more competitive and our super rugby sides. Stuff like commercialisation of schoolboy rugby. blockbuster matches $$, and making money, and TV deals $$, and big local derbies, this sorta of stuff just aint a priority for these headmasters. Im sure the parents must be getting annoyed by this, and they want there kids to get a rugby edge in more competitive structures. Well I want big crowds and commercialisation nd tv deals for school boy rugby like in other countries e.g. NZ have a big major sponsor and tv deals, 1st 15 rugby is very commercialised there despite some parents complaints about this corporate culture and rugby factory culture obsession. I want big money spinner wider audience blockbusters, and Scots vs Waverley fighting for the Sydney title would have got a big crowd and tv ratings. But no the outdated headmasters don't want such hype and commercialisation, they are a "closed shop" not a wider audiences business model.
4)Junior club rugby the future:
This latest strategic direction by the sydney private schools, has re-affirmed my point, most schools in OZ don't have the resources/desire/or facilities to produce elite rugby pathways and competitions... It's now up to the ARU to invest heavily in junior club rugby and make it the focus to develop elite talent by having elite comps like rugby league has e.g. SG Ball/Harrold Matthews...
5)Nothing new:
This is just re-spin they used to do this in the 90's, play trial games vs other schools, then have a 1 round close association comps..
6)Merger name: If a merger name was to happen which I support and tams placed in divisions based on strength/or ZONED Geography I'd name the comp ISA...Merging under 1-banner/or admin/and centralization would be better, but alas the headmasters don't want to produce elite rugby pathways they don't see it as there problem or desire too...
.
