Hi Joker
Agree. It happens too often and is not fair on the players. Why does it happen to Newington Rugby ? The other sports at New are a lot more settled. The coaches use the trials and training to pick a 1st and 2nds team. Not Hard. Unless there are injuries, you don't change. If you lose the odd game or two, you aren't good enough. Play on. Don't stuff the players around. They want to enjoy their rugby. One particular sport at New has done very well in the last decade. Coaches philosophy : If the training and the process for selection is done correctly and is fair and the players undertsand what is expected of them, then the teams will be selected accordingly, without fear or favours, and the team will stay the same throughout the season. Hence a very successful program. Also, they train 2 sessions a week. As mentioned before, at New, the 1st/2nd squad train 6 sessions a week. A lot of these boys also play club outside. This is too much and can cause burn out and injuries. They need to be rested to perform well. Good management leads to good performance. I don't think New coaches etc manage their open squads very well.
Anyway, this group is talented and it will be shame if they don't play as well as they are expected to. If they win the comp, fantastic but at least they should be very competitive. If not, the program should have a good hard look at itself cause this crop of boys were destined since yr 7 for big things, which means that they have been let down by poor management/coaching. Typical form for New rugby of late.
Wyvernboy
Hello Wyvernboy
I could not agree more with you.Wyvernboy. The fact is this cohort from the 13s were all conquering, a dream team, that gave us supporters so much hope. Between the13s to the 16s, this cohort lost only two matches both to Shore, who as we now see, have a very impressive 1st XV. Yet why can't New do the same. I and other New supporters felt that 2022 would be a year, where a New 1st XV would a dominate, hopefully as a premiership winning team. But while it is still early days, this hope has somewhat diminished, if not disappeared.
By all accounts they have talented players, particularly in the backline. Accounts of the Knox Game indicated, that their backline performed extremely well. Yet lost by 10 points.
I personally fill the teams is a " work in Progress" that they will "Click Together". Where this take will take the team, I will not predict.But I do now feel that Senior leadership and team management, are potential issues of concern. A team like this just don't become dudes, overnight. For example, I believe the Cadet Camp, while valuable part of a boys education Program. Should not have resulted, in the cancellation of a complete Saturday fixture. In future Cadet Cadets should be held sometime else. Hence, the New 1st XV are underdone by at least one match, in terms of their preseason preparation. Other Issues, are players having extra matches with Clubs. Injury and Fatigue, if they exist, is a management issue that should not have occurred.