NSW AAGPS 2017

[Quick Hands]

They'd all have their trials lined up by now. School calendars for 2017 would be done.

 

[Azzuri]

Putting aside the role of schools in educating our lads for a second, sport is still a very important part of the education experience.

With that in mind I'm sure all the lads that have worked their guts out on and off the field to achieve their aspiration of playing First XV in 2017 will be absolutely salivating at the thought that all their hard work will culminate in a a five game competition.

It's this sort of brilliant, strategic thinking that will set these lads up so perfectly for the 18/22 game colts competition in 2018 and beyond.

Is it any wonder the pipeline of Schoolboy Rugby talent making its way up into elite competitions has slowed to a drip.

So lets look ahead to what my spies tell me are some of the changes envisaged for the new "improved" AAGPS Sporting Calendar:

Rowing Rowing will be reduced to one race each year. Consistent with the type of thinking that's gone into revising the 2017 Rugby competition the race will now also be renamed.

So the Head of the River will now be referred to as "The Head up My Arse Regatta". All rowing sheds will be sold off and the money raised will be used to fund high level think tanks on the role of sport in childhood education. This report will be called the Gonski-F@cking Mad and They Shot Me Report.

Athletics: In keeping with the historical origins of the AAGPS a concerted attempt will be made to broaden the appeal of athletics to engage a larger cross section of the school community. This will see the introduction of a two term Athletic program where traditional events will be replaced by the 100 meter egg and silver spoon race ( the Lambert Challenge Cup), the 400 meter sack race (Sponsored by Yates Dynamic Lifter), and the 10K three legged race - The Rolf Harris, Donald Trump Perpetual Trophy.

Shooting: In 2017 shooting will be combined with the Annual AAGPS Head Masters meeting. It is envisaged that there will be no need to hold this event in 2018.

Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurrah!!!.... Put another notch on the Nanny State Belt.

 

[William88]

They'd all have their trials lined up by now. School calendars for 2017 would be done.

Nothing confirmed yet.

Final meeting will occur this Wednesday, I imagine news will trickle out after that.

 

[Quick Hands]

Nothing confirmed yet.

Final meeting will occur this Wednesday, I imagine news will trickle out after that.

The meeting will be a rubber stamp. The deal is done.

 

[Quick Hands]

Putting aside the role of schools in educating our lads for a second, sport is still a very important part of the education experience.

You do realise that soccer, basketball, cricket, tennis, volleyball (GPS/CAS)and water polo (GPS/CAS) are all played over one round with the time before this being taken up with trials?

And that athletics, swimming, rowing and cross country have one GPS championship preceded by a series of stand-alone invitationals?

Rifle shooting has three separate days with cumulative points scores (I don't pretend to understand how rifle shooting works)

It's only rugby that has a two round format, and even that is a very recent invention.

 

[Azzuri]

You do realise that soccer, basketball, cricket, tennis, volleyball (GPS/CAS)and water polo (GPS/CAS) are all played over one round with the time before this being taken up with trials?

And that athletics, swimming, rowing and cross country have one GPS championship preceded by a series of stand-alone invitationals?

Rifle shooting has three separate days with cumulative points scores (I don't pretend to understand how rifle shooting works)

It's only rugby that has a two round format, and even that is a very recent invention.

Understand QH, but seriously 5 competition games for Rugby is the sort of unique thinking I would expect from a Republican Presidential Candidate not highly qualified pedagogues with a more than adequate understanding of the competitive landscape of our game.

BTW, don't the single round setups for most of the lesser sports also have more than 5 competitive encounters?

A two round home and away format mirrors the real world and should be encouraged not dismantled by tree hugging, self interested ideologues who pretend they've got the kid's interest at heart.

 

[Quick Hands]

Understand QH, but seriously 5 competition games for Rugby is the sort of unique thinking I would expect from a Republican Presidential Candidate not highly qualified pedagogues with a more than adequate understanding of the competitive landscape of our game.

BTW, don't the single round setups for most of the lesser sports also have more than 5 competitive encounters?

A two round home and away format mirrors the real world and should be encouraged not dismantled by tree hugging, self interested ideologues who pretend they've got the kid's interest at heart.

Soccer, basketball, cricket and tennis have all 8 Sydney schools involved, so yes they are 7 rounds rather than 5.

I don't think that the idea is to downgrade anything. I think that there are a few factors at play and probably mostly to do with the number of teams each school can field - Joeys in particular seem to have a bee in their bonnet about playing unmatched fixtures and also going to Tamworth.

I agree that the 2016 competition was the best for some time - and I'm not advocating either way, just trying to give things an explanation.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

BTW, don't the single round setups for most of the lesser sports also have more than 5 competitive encounters?

Yes - except for one year in Basketball for similar reasons

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Joeys in particular seem to have a bee in their bonnet about playing unmatched fixtures and also going to Tamworth.

in 20 years they'll catch up to the general disinterest in rugby

 

[Lindommer]

NEVER!

 

[Azzuri]

I agree that the 2016 competition was the best for some time - and I'm not advocating either way, just trying to give things an explanation.

No messenger shooting intended @QH

 

[White line fever]

Given that there are clearly some very intelligent and game experienced people sharing ideas on this forum, I am surprised at a few things:

1. Wait until the answer is revealed, too many toys from cots are hitting the ground!
2. I believe,as quick hands intimated,that the deal is done.
I am told there will be 1 round for each comp. Prior to that there will be graded teams who will play each other, they are joeys,scots,Kings,view,new,Waves,Knox and shore.
The next grade will be Aloys,cranbrook, trinity,grammar,high,barker,I think.

It is very clear that the GPS supporters are not in favour, to say the least.

What I find hard to understand is that for many many many decades a 1 comp GPS rule was great but in the last 3/4 years it has gone to 2 rounds, so for a tiny tiny few years,and now the world is at its end because it is going back to 1 round.

Unless I have misread this, the comments like ALL the efforts/training the boys put in will go to waste etc clearly implies that the 5, apparently shore aren't too strong anymore, GPS schools are the only schools who can play solid rugby.
CRAP!
If this closed group think the world of nsw/Aussie rugby just revolves around them, then as inside shoulder pointed out, it won't take 20 years to realise what has happened to rugby. It will be over sooner and IT IS HAPPENING NOW!

Why can't people embrace a 1 round comp for all associations, like it has historically been, I also think the Wallabies did OK in those eras!
And embrace a philosophy of playing more, and hopefully,competitive teams.
And I am not saying the arrangement is right yet, I would like to see Auggies etc involved, as SDW suggested.

Rugby has to re-invent itself on the bigger stage, otherwise this closed shop approach is dead set doomed.
I know no-one wants this but it's time to change IMHO!

 

[BRUMBIEJACK]

I tend to agree . and its still only speculation.

Given a school comp whether it be CAS, GPS or some other has proven to be fairly evenly balanced over a period of time, the 2 round comp provides the different ''tribes'' the chance to square up for any defeats. Return bouts attract great interest. This has great appeal for all concerned in the schools. Schoolboy rugby with its many schoolboy supporters chanting and singing on the sidelines is the most enjoyable form of the game for many people. The atmosphere is unique and provides the players with many great memories before they go out into the real world.

A one round comp, supplemented by ''trial matches'' ?

Unfortunately the CAS comp has been unbalanced in recent years. I'm not sure what the remedy for that is.

The argument that playing a wider variety of schools somehow improves the development of individual rugby players doesn't add up.

IMHO the only reason a comp format should change is to regrade the weaker schools so they dont get smashed every week. Unfortunately some former traditional rugby schools have slipped behind due to different reasons as has been explained in detail here.

CAS comp has been unbalanced in recent years ? In the last 6 years the shield has been won or shared by five out of the six schools. How much more balanced do you want it ?

 

[Azzuri]

NEVER!

Maintain the rage LIndommer my good man!!!

 

[sidelineview]

CAS comp has been unbalanced in recent years ? In the last 6 years the shield has been won or shared by five out of the six schools. How much more balanced do you want it ?

You're right.

I should have qualified that statement by pointing out that one CAS school in particular, St Aloysuis has fallen behind. Whether they can recover or not is debatable. Consideration should be given to that school if they continue to slip back, however I'm not sure what the solution to that problem is.

IMHO the only reason a comp format should change is to regrade the weaker schools so they dont get smashed every week. Unfortunately some former traditional rugby schools have slipped behind due to different reasons as has been explained in detail here.

I don't agree with a move away from a 2 round competition structure. The intensity of the tribalism between schools will be made less potent and take away a lot of the traditional excitement and enjoyment from the competition.

The same would apply to the GPS comp, but traditional CAS rivals, Waverley and Knox have had some memorable 2nd round clashes at Death Valley in recent years. The build up to those matches is an exciting annual event for the Waverley community.

Waverley won in 2014 as underdogs at long odds.
Knox got revenge in 2015 and then Waverley triumphed this year to be joint Premiers for the first time in 7 years.

Those great memories for players, team personnel, parents and supporters would be lost with a one-round comp and therefore an important part of the fabric that makes up schoolboy rugby would be diminished.

 

[sidelineview]

I also dont support the view that playing a wider variety of schools necessarily improves the standard of rugby for schools and individuals.

it should also be considered that some schools in some Associations can attract better rugby players than other schools in other Associations. This disparity can be problematic.

I'd rather stick with the Devil I know.

 

[formerflanker]

Independent schools are not in the business of building Australian rugby. What is best rugby-wise for elite players does not drive decision-making in the GPS and CAS sporting associations, neither are they purposely creating players who can cope with 2 long rounds of colts and grade.
The future of Australian Rugby is in the hands of the ARU, not headmasters who have to balance competing sporting and academic interests at their school.
If the ARU can help independent schools to create a 2-comp structure similar to the groupings identified by White Line fever all the better. Leaving the development of rugby to independent schools is a poor decision.

 

[sidelineview]

Independent schools are not in the business of building Australian rugby. What is best rugby-wise for elite players does not drive decision-making in the GPS and CAS sporting associations, neither are they purposely creating players who can cope with 2 long rounds of colts and grade.
The future of Australian Rugby is in the hands of the ARU, not headmasters who have to balance competing sporting and academic interests at their school.
If the ARU can help independent schools to create a 2-comp structure similar to the groupings identified by White Line fever all the better. Leaving the development of rugby to independent schools is a poor decision.

Specifically, why is there a need for a 2-comp structure similar to the groupings identified by WLF ?

I can not see any correlation between the improvement of NSW/Australian rugby and this new proposed competition format. The different competitions are competitive as they stand; not perfect but competitive. It wont necessarily improve standards. It may have a negative affect with stronger rugby schools competing against schools that are not as strong and not as able to attract talented schoolboy rugby players to its classrooms.

If Rugby has to reinvent itself then the stage is much much bigger than that of schoolboy rugby.

If the 2 rounds as predicted by WLF eventuate will there be 2 separate competitions named with a Shield up for grabs for the winner ? or will Round 1 be ''trial'' matches as predicted.

I cant see the point. It seems there are plenty of toys being thrown from both sides.

 

[Azzuri]

Independent schools are not in the business of building Australian rugby. What is best rugby-wise for elite players does not drive decision-making in the GPS and CAS sporting associations, neither are they purposely creating players who can cope with 2 long rounds of colts and grade.
The future of Australian Rugby is in the hands of the ARU, not headmasters who have to balance competing sporting and academic interests at their school.
If the ARU can help independent schools to create a 2-comp structure similar to the groupings identified by White Line fever all the better. Leaving the development of rugby to independent schools is a poor decision.

It's true that it's not the role of schools (independent and otherwise) to develop the talent pipeline to feed elite Rugby.

The ARU however have abrogated their responsibility for junior development and luckily for our sport, schools have somewhat filled the vacuum.

The junior gold cup has died due to lack of funds and interest and with the ARU's balance sheet looking like a half built Algerian ruin it's hard to see how and when they will be in a position to get more involved in the development of players below U19's. The State Unions don't appear to be much better off and when you combine all that with the decline in club participation rates after U15's it's not hard to imagine where we'd be without Schools filling the breech.

The other observation I would make is that it appears quite a few of the people on this thread that are advocating a change to the AAGPS Comp are people from other associations. You can make your own mind up why that may be the case.

The AAGPS Comp ain't broke and doesn't need "fixing"!!!!

 

[Lindommer]

Joeys in particular seem to have a bee in their bonnet about playing unmatched fixtures and also going to Tamworth.

They like travelling those Joeboys, they do the odd trip to Armidale as well every coupla years.