NSW AAGPS 2020

[Number 7]

It is officially over.

hugely disappointing given all the steps that have been taken and the current status in NSW.

Feel very disappointed for all these boys, many of whom have spent 6 years looking forward to this and have had the rug pulled from under them when so many other sporting activities are still permitted as others have pointed out.

I think we might see club rugby and other club sports cancelled very shortly as well. I just received a communication that the SJRU are about to update clubs on whether junior club rugby will go ahead and a number of gala days got cancelled this afternoon based on the NSW Chief Health Officers release on the 14th. The key directive from the department of health being that community sports organisations "Cease activities that result in the mixing of participants and staff from different regions, for example by ceasing zone, regional or state championships or competitions*". The release goes on to say "Examples of inter-regional mixing include activities which bring together participants (including spectators and officials) from organisations in different regions of Sydney, from a rural area into a metro area and vice versa, and movement between different rural areas". These guidelines are effective from tomorrow.

Hard to see junior club rugby proceeding on this basis. Some implications for Shute Shield as well one would think although as many have pointed out, the application of these rules seems very inconsistent.

 

[KOB1987]

It would make sense to keep the door open. There were only 3 cases in the state today, so if things change and they miss a couple of weekends it would be possible to make up those games either by going in to next term or even just 1sts, 2nds, 3rds playing mid week games.

EDIT: I have just heard it has been suspended for a week while they try to negotiate an exemption.

 

[Quick Hands]

I think we might see club rugby and other club sports cancelled very shortly as well. I just received a communication that the SJRU are about to update clubs on whether junior club rugby will go ahead and a number of gala days got cancelled this afternoon based on the NSW Chief Health Officers release on the 14th. The key directive from the department of health being that community sports organisations "Cease activities that result in the mixing of participants and staff from different regions, for example by ceasing zone, regional or state championships or competitions*". The release goes on to say "Examples of inter-regional mixing include activities which bring together participants (including spectators and officials) from organisations in different regions of Sydney, from a rural area into a metro area and vice versa, and movement between different rural areas". These guidelines are effective from tomorrow.

Hard to see junior club rugby proceeding on this basis. Some implications for Shute Shield as well one would think although as many have pointed out, the application of these rules seems very inconsistent.

It's being applied very inconsistently, particularly as the overwhelming evidence is that transmission is most common in indoor environments - pubs, clubs, school debating, religious retreats, funerals, hotel quarantine, etc.

 

[Masked Crusader]

It would make sense to keep the door open. There were only 3 cases in the state today, so if things change and they miss a couple of weekends it would be possible to make up those games either by going in to next term or even just 1sts, 2nds, 3rds playing mid week games.

EDIT: I have just heard it has been suspended for a week while they try to negotiate an exemption.

That would be sensible.

 

[Quick Hands]

Totally agree and such inconsistencies will make it so much harder to take. Why word the statement as “suspended”?

So they can restart if circumstances change.

 

[Quick Hands]

It would make sense to keep the door open. There were only 3 cases in the state today, so if things change and they miss a couple of weekends it would be possible to make up those games either by going in to next term or even just 1sts, 2nds, 3rds playing mid week games.

EDIT: I have just heard it has been suspended for a week while they try to negotiate an exemption.

I doubt they will go into next term as summer sports start 1st Saturday back in term 4. If we only lose a week it's likely that 1sts, 2nds and 3rds could play on the Saturday of the last week of term/first day of the holidays.

 

[I like to watch]

Particularly as to my knowledge there has been no case of the virus being transmitted during a game of sport (among the participants). As far as I'm aware (from the news coverage), the cases of school transmissions were at either debating competitions or religious retreats.

We've had vaccinations for measles, mumps, chicken pox and other diseases for over 50 years and as a society we still can't eliminate those so one suspects that trying to eliminate COVID is an impossible task.

We had 5 new cases yesterday in NSW and 7 the day before and to listen to some journos you'd think that there were bodies piling up in the streets.

More dangerous to be on the debating team or the choir than the front row.
how crazy is that!

 

[formerflanker]

It would make sense to keep the door open. There were only 3 cases in the state today, so if things change and they miss a couple of weekends it would be possible to make up those games either by going in to next term or even just 1sts, 2nds, 3rds playing mid week games.

EDIT: I have just heard it has been suspended for a week while they try to negotiate an exemption.

My mail is that all GPS winter sports are cancelled.
Some GPS schools may be allowed to organise games against schools in close geographic vicinity. However with CAS at the end of their competition the option of cross-sector games is minimal.
The only rugby I forsee happening is internal games.
A major disappointment all round.

 

[brumbiesrugby]

I think we might see club rugby and other club sports cancelled very shortly as well. I just received a communication that the SJRU are about to update clubs on whether junior club rugby will go ahead and a number of gala days got cancelled this afternoon based on the NSW Chief Health Officers release on the 14th. The key directive from the department of health being that community sports organisations "Cease activities that result in the mixing of participants and staff from different regions, for example by ceasing zone, regional or state championships or competitions*". The release goes on to say "Examples of inter-regional mixing include activities which bring together participants (including spectators and officials) from organisations in different regions of Sydney, from a rural area into a metro area and vice versa, and movement between different rural areas". These guidelines are effective from tomorrow.

Hard to see junior club rugby proceeding on this basis. Some implications for Shute Shield as well one would think although as many have pointed out, the application of these rules seems very inconsistent.

In the case of Junior rugby, it could relatively easily be reconfigured into districts and you just play other clubs within your district. That would be possible and better than nothing though would result in some pretty uncompetitive games I suspect. Eg in Gordon, the 8 Village clubs that make up Gordon could play each other. Likewise in other districts. But some would be small and very challenged.

 

[brumbiesrugby]

More dangerous to be on the debating team or the choir than the front row.
how crazy is that!

Most debating has been online for quite some time this year so probably OK there.

 

[Quick Hands]

Most debating has been online for quite some time this year so probably OK there.

Sydney Girls High case came from a face to face debating evening. As did a previous one at a catholic school in western Sydney. The Cherrybrook cases all come from a religious retreat run by Opus Dei.

I have no idea why schools went back to face to face debating. Nor do I have any idea why students at a school run by Opus Dei need any extra religious activity.

 

[KOB1987]

According to the news report I just saw, Greater Sydney will be treated as a single zone as far as community sport is concerned. If that’s right it’s little wonder the AAGPS have bought some time to seek an exemption. That would be nothing short of outrageous and totally unfair on kids playing in a school comp v a club comp.

 

[Quick Hands]

In the case of Junior rugby, it could relatively easily be reconfigured into districts and you just play other clubs within your district. That would be possible and better than nothing though would result in some pretty uncompetitive games I suspect. Eg in Gordon, the 8 Village clubs that make up Gordon could play each other. Likewise in other districts. But some would be small and very challenged.

Although quite strangely, the whole of Sydney is considered to be one region for club based sport. That was what was just reported on channel 7 news anyway.

 

[shanky]

According to the news report I just saw, Greater Sydney will be treated as a single zone as far as community sport is concerned. If that’s right it’s little wonder the AAGPS have bought some time to seek an exemption. That would be nothing short of outrageous and totally unfair on kids playing in a school comp v a club comp.

I agree with you, of course

However, it would be the first unfair leg-up the club boys have had in 50 years, compared to schools rugby, so I don't think 'nothing short of outrageous' is the fairest adjective

 

[SonnyDillWilliams]

Can u see why?
Because I cannot see what NSW Health sees....

This is just a head scratcher

 

[Masked Crusader]

I agree with you, of course

However, it would be the first unfair leg-up the club boys have had in 50 years, compared to schools rugby, so I don't think 'nothing short of outrageous' is the fairest adjective

A lot of boys play school and club, my sons club team is more than half made up of boys playing GPS / CAS etc . The GPS boys in particular are very cranky about the inconsistency.

 

[KOB1987]

I agree with you, of course

However, it would be the first unfair leg-up the club boys have had in 50 years, compared to schools rugby, so I don't think 'nothing short of outrageous' is the fairest adjective

I assume thats a reference to the selection policy, or lack of, which is a separate discussion. Can you cite a comparable example where school sport was able to be played but club sport wasn't?

 

[Joker]

Well, now that the season may be over, lets see who would have made the GPS 1st XV for 2020.
When you reply to this post, add names below to positions.
I will add my choices later.

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Reserve forward
Reserve Back

Coach?

 

[shanky]

Yes, of course it’s a reference to the long term imbalance. I don’t feel I’m obligated to come up with a specific reference meeting your narrow debating terms in order to make it, but what the hell, it’s a forum for argument, so here we go...

How about ‘every weekend in U16s and Opens’? When these older boys are ‘discouraged’ from playing club.

 

[Masked Crusader]

Yes, of course it’s a reference to the long term imbalance. I don’t feel I’m obligated to come up with a specific reference meeting your narrow debating terms in order to make it, but what the hell, it’s a forum for argument, so here we go.

How about ‘every weekend in U16s and Opens’? When these older boys are ‘discouraged’ from playing club.

Seems like you have an issue with GPS rugby, why participate in the forum? The truth is that a lot of players play club and school through to 16’s. After that the work load is too much to do both and the rep pathways change. Would you seriously expect a 1st XV player to front up for club on Sunday?