NSW AAGPS 2017
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Jim Belshaw
Bob Loudon (25)
On a completely different topic, does anyone have a feel for this year's thirds competition? It begins before the top grades and is (I think) minus Newington, so it's no longer a fully representative comp as it was. but its still the only rugby conp involving the TAS, High and Grammar. I imagine TAS will be competitive as always, although the school sport feeds at the moment are dominated by rowing and soccer.
Jim Belshaw
Bob Loudon (25)
As a brief further point, if I interpret the draw correctly, I may well be wrong, there is only one game played in Armidale, that against Grammar, that must be the smallest number in fifty years
White line fever
Fred Wood (13)
JB, on a separate note, my younger son's team ( Waverley) are travelling up to Armidale next month for the superb junior annual Armidale comp.which features,as I am sure you know, many of the best junior school NSW and QLD teams.
We were there 2 years ago with my older son and the school and grounds are superb, and the Armidale parents and friends run it so well.
Given all this why is the Armidale 1st xv in a 3rd division GPS competition?
It appears as though the resources are available.
Jim Belshaw
Bob Loudon (25)
I really smiled when I got this. Thank you. TAS does so much for rugby and always tries to be hospitable. Its nice to see that recognised.
It's just a numbers issue. TAS has more rugby fields than many of the Sydney schools, proportionately more playing rugby, but far fewer boys.
When I was playing we played against the same grade, often lost, but the number imbalance was less than two to one. In some cases, it's now verging on three to one or more. And then you have things like the scholarships. TAS is still a strongly boarding school, boarding numbers are increasing again and that helps, but its not enough when you are playing schools who have three times the numbers to pick from even though the TAS coaching staff are very good.
TAS has played quite a clever game in making itself in some ways the effective rugby HQ of Northern NSW using its staff and facilities. That keeps rugby alive at the school and beyond. But it is only peripherally related to the normal preoccupations of this forum where a diminishing number of schools with a diminishing number of players focus on their own navels.
Oops. I suddenly sound very sour. Go Grammar and High this year.
White line fever
Fred Wood (13)
Nice to see your response, it's the best junior tournament there is, and I almost wish I had a third son, no not really.
When you say a numbers game I don't understand the dimensions you mean. Joeys is predominately a boarding school, with a smaller student base than I think all the other GPS schools, and they are historically the best.
Pardon my ignorance but I would have thought a school like TAS, similar to St. Augustine's on the northern peninsula, have a pulling power like few others.
Jim Belshaw
Bob Loudon (25)
Joey's is about twice TAS's size.
Total numbers come back to catchments. In day terms, Armidale's population is about 23,000 with six secondary schools! In boarding terms, TAS was hit with the social move against boarding, rise of more boarding schools, fewer country families could afford boarding plus loss of all Queensland country boarders when Qld Government began to subsidise boarding so long as kids went to Qld schools.
As you know from the facilities, the school has done very well to keep building the infrastructure while also recovering numbers, but it has been a bit of a battle. The facilities are actually quite remarkable, as is the staff support.
But we don't yet have the numbers to guarantee a suitable Scots or Joey's first fifteen year in, year out, We may never have, for I'm not sure the school wants to grow to that level in number terms. Better quality rather than quantity!
White line fever
Fred Wood (13)
Wow, didn't realise the school numbers, probably most don't,also so many factors working against TAS, I would have thought its position was favourably unique.
From the outside, looking at the school, you would think it held a favourable position unlike the competitiveness amongst all the Sydney schools.
Anyway chin up, it is a wonderful school and many of us will be there on April 8, if you would like catch up,if you are there, let me know, would love a tour of this beautiful school.
Jim Belshaw
Bob Loudon (25)
Didn't mean to sound negative. Sadly I won't be in Armidale, but would to have shown you around the school. The development has been truly astonishing.Reverting to the main topic of this thread, as a died in the wool rugby supporter it's good that TAS remains such a strong rugby school. Would love to see TAS beat Joey's again in the firsts!
Black & White
Vay Wilson (31)
Reverting to the main topic of this thread, as a died in the wool rugby supporter it's good that TAS remains such a strong rugby school. Would love to see TAS beat Joey's again in the firsts!
Hello Jim
As a young UNE university student studying, drinking,playing Rugby and most importantly chasing the ladies, whilst residing in Robb College. I can say one of the great delights for me in 1985, was actually watching TAS beat Joeys that year 3-0 through a field goal by Richard Tombs.
TAS had a brilliant side that year, they also beat Shore(9-6)Riverview(10-6) and Cranbrook(19-7) as well as Kinross 46-9. Joeys and Shore were joint premiers in 1985. So their wins should considered something very special.Also Richard Tombs and Michael Crawford went onto play for the Australian Schoolboys side that went through their UK tour undefeated. If I recall correctly they also beat NZ schools as well. Many GPS supporters felt on those results that TAS justified inclusion into GPS Rugby as a full member.
Unfortunately, it didn't happen and TAS's fortunes in rugby due a fall in boarding, saw that these results could be repeated. Nevertheless and despite the introduction of co-education TAS is still a force in NSW schoolboy Rugby.
Maybe not in taking on a Joeys 1st XV, but certainly against the likes of Barker, Cranbrook, Trinity, Kinross and St.Pats. They,also played Grammar and High, but I suspect country breeding and boarding life would ensure that these City Slickers would be sent back to Sydney well beaten.
I have fond memories of UNE and Robb College, but also TAS as I did my first prac in teaching there in 1984.
Regards
B&W
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
Very good footballer Richard Tombs but very poor timing that he was born so close to Horan
Jim Belshaw
Bob Loudon (25)
The first part of your first para really made me laugh B&W. Now who would do those things!
I missed that match, I was working in Canberra. I know the school went wild. Had I been there, I might have disgraced myself by getting blind roaring drunk!
TAS has had some very good teams. TAS is highly competitive at Thirds level. I have wondered what might happen if we got another of those very good cohorts. Put the 85 or other good teams such as 62 with modern coaching up against the thirds from other schools and it might blow the comp apart which is not what I want.
In regard to to the discussion with While Line Fever, this year TAS had, I think, the largest boys boarding intake in the school's history.In combination with the girls, TAS continues to expand its boarding facilities.
If the new growth is maintained for five or six years, and if rugby can maintain its place at the school and in the GPS in the face of competition from other winter sports, then I think that TAS will be again pressing at the top level.
If the boys boarding intake is as large as you say, was there a need to go co-ed? What's the effect on NEGS and PLC with girls at TAS?
Good to hear TAS are facing the future with much optimism.
I would love to know where you get this information from, this is school boy rugby not the nrl or the afl, making these accusations is completely unjustified, and i believe you should watch your words in the future.
Actually think this was worse 10+yrs ago. Number of kids not on scholarships, but whose parents certainly weren't paying the fees
Handshake deal with the parents, boarding keeps them on the right path, some decent coaching then back to the other game.
Jim Belshaw
Bob Loudon (25)
I had reservations about the co-ed decision, partly because of concerns on the impact on NEGS and PLC. I don't know what has happened there. Specifically on TAS in isolation, the decision seems to have have had a positive boarding impact in two ways: it may have increased the number of parents wanting to send their boys to TAS; the quick increase in girl boarding numbers has improved the economics of boarding as a whole.
I should note that my comments are those of an outside observer. I am not privy to internal info.
Finally, congratulations to the TAS First IV in rowing for coming third in the GPS First IV Head of River Comp today. Leaving the school, the boy's bus drove through a banner held, I think, by the new girl rowers now competing for the first time in new weekends comp. Perhaps an 8 team some day?
CB Set
Peter Burge (5)
Completely agree.....dont think we should be talking about these young men in this manner
hitmeshortslugman
Frank Row (1)
I know, that Scots Gold squad get free supplements and other various performing enhancers such as 'meat' and 'chicken'. They then have training for 3.4 hours on a wednesday.
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
There's a dam between Armidale and Guyra I believe.
https://maps.google.com.au/maps?cli...ved=0ahUKEwjxitLd6uTSAhULi5QKHTt2D-MQ_BIILzAA
Good water:
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