What you a missing downtheline is that Marcus Blackburn was a Director of Rugby not just a coach of the First IV. Mr Blackburn was always at at under 13 games, the under 15 games every Saturday chatting to the boys before the game, at half time and after the match could be the 13e's or the 14as. The boys admired and respected him and he promoted a brand of Rugby that was something that the ARU could have brought all the NSW / AUS players to watch, run run and run no kicking, positive rugby right from the First IV to the 13es no difference. Now before everyone goes at me about his cattle, we all know Brian Smith has the same or more of those cattle, his results are plain for all to see, post the Blackburn generation (he left in 2014 but his program legacy ended in 2017/18) I've had two boys at Scots for the past 11 years both playing Rugby.
I can tell you one very simple and telling fact that since 2014 I have NEVER seen Brian Smith on ANY other oval than the main oval and never before 1pm, there is your first and fundamental problem, Secondly, I have never seen an opens player at a junior game since Smith took over (save one staged instagram post this year of a boy in the First IV that joined the school in year 9 from the Northern Beaches)
Scots have adopted a kicking game that has been ineffectual since Smith started yesterday the Scots boys kicked and was taken by Shores fullback and winger on the full more than 20 times its been happening every year under Smith and it never changes, constant handling mistakes are made trying fancy moves and set pieces, when i was coaching the lower teams at the mighty Lindfield Rugby Club back in the day, i said to the boys ''no kicking no cut out passes till you can catch and pass once you learn to do that then maybe you can try some razzle dazzle, but not before''. It seems Smith will never learn.
I will end this post and sign off for 2022 with what i believe sums up Brian Smith's coaching attitude and as an old boy and parent of current boys it pains me greatly.
Scots have been trained / instructed to go to the oppositions hooker at line outs and essentially scream in his ear whilst the opposition prop is trying to convey the instructions for the throw in, its arrogant and extremely unsportsmanlike, i've never seen any team stoop to this level, let alone a GPS school where the game should be played hard but with respect and sportsmanship.
Congratulations again to Joeys and Shore, and to the Scots 2nd IV who are coached by a much admired and respected House Master are home grown and who wear the jersey they love with pride, the result of there season is a testament to the bond the boys and coach have. Brian Smith could only dream of a champion team like the 2s rather than his team of individual champions. See you all in 2023 gents.
