NSW AAGPS Rugby 2013

[Jim Belshaw]

Thanks for reminding us of what School sport should be about.


a. Best 1st XV Afternoon Tea
(Quality 25%, Quantity 45%, Range 15%, Captain's speech, 10%, Location 5%)

b. Best Canteen/BBQ
(Quality of product 50%, speed of service 30%, Value for money 20%)

c. Best Match Day experience
(parking 10%, Crowd behaviour 25%, sportsmanship 25%, Canteen 10%, Afternoon tea 5%, exciting footy 15%, presentation of ovals 10%)

Good questions. I just can't answer them in that way! When I go, I am on my own; eldest daughter loves Rugby and was going to come with me for the Newington game but got sick; so I am there just for the Rugby.

The three events that I most enjoyed were at Shore, Scots and Newington. Scots was special because I also went to watch a friend's son, an indigenous boy, playing in the 15As. I am presently doing some contract work in an Aboriginal housing organisation and boast to my Aboriginal colleagues about the TAS contribution in the Aboriginal education area. It makes me quite proud!

But leaving that aside, I give the palm to Newington. There was the bloke who gave me an extra sausage and onion because he felt I needed it! There were to boys who told me how to find the toilets (there were no signs). There were the people I talked to. As a loner, I felt that I wasn't our of place. It was just a wonderful atmosphere.

 

[Jim Belshaw]

And in 1965. Dunno about earlier years though.

Thank you, L. i knew that people would correct my memory!

 

[old fella]

That's the price they pay.
The alternative is to recognise the anachronism of the GPS and have grammar and TAS play in a different system, if they want to.
The boys at Grammar might have more chance of recognition in ISA than GPS. The Grammar captain this year was worthy of GPS selection, as he had been in u16s.
We shall see.

Could not agree more. If the GPS is unwilling and/or unable to accomodate teams going up and down then the GPS/CAS/ISA divsionalisation/amalgamation argument has irrefutable force. Traditional derbies such as Riverview/Joeys could be preserved even if they were in different divisions. The rugby elite (achieved through whatever method) can play each other, whilst those with a different perspective can also enjoy their Rugby, with their Firsts playing at 3.15pm and not at 12.00. Ill-feeling between GPS schools generated by having elite teams would be dissipated. Safety issues (eg 80kg v 115kg boys) would at least be partially addressed.

There is apparently a "meeting" in October to discuss these issues. This ought to be the outcome.

 

[rugby realist]

That's the price they pay.
The alternative is to recognise the anachronism of the GPS and have grammar and TAS play in a different system, if they want to.
The boys at Grammar might have more chance of recognition in ISA than GPS. The Grammar captain this year was worthy of GPS selection, as he had been in u16s.
We shall see.

GPS is more than just Rugby, it's a whole association of co curricular activities such as debating / swimming / athletics etc.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

GPS is more than just Rugby, it's a whole association of co curricular activities such as debating / swimming / athletics etc.

Precisely.
Some apparently see it differently.
Not all the schools are equal in every pursuit. Accommodation is given but rugby is, for some, too important for that.

 

[George Smith]

I don't like hearing grumbles about competitions. If teams reset the benchmark higher then the challenge is greater (& more enjoyable). It is not necessarily the score but the chase that matters. Competing against guys for 6 or so years in various pursuits is what it is all about. Giving it to them in some challenges and taking it in others. Rugby is probably the most talked about as it the only sport these days that boys can exhibit their respect in those physical ways, that only boys can do, which can then be tested over a prolonged season. Lifelong mateship is made from this stuff and the GPS boys are truly privileged for this opportunity that tradition provides them.

 

[scaraby]

I don't like hearing grumbles about competitions. If teams reset the benchmark higher then the challenge is greater (& more enjoyable). It is not necessarily the score but the chase that matters. Competing against guys for 6 or so years in various pursuits is what it is all about. Giving it to them in some challenges and taking it in others. Rugby is probably the most talked about as it the only sport these days that boys can exhibit their respect in those physical ways, that only boys can do, which can then be tested over a prolonged season. Lifelong mateship is made from this stuff and the GPS boys are truly privileged for this opportunity that tradition provides them.

totally agree.......... if they worked on the basis we are talking about nowdays when i was playing then Scots would not have won in 93 or 2013 as we would have relegated. Many guys i played with went right through senior years without a win against Joeys ,and probably Shore /View as well if my memory serves me correctly.
I can assure you one thing that we pumped ourselves up for everygame and died trying to get close. You get within 10-15 of a Joeys lower grade side back then and I know who thought they'd won!!
Ask the much aligned Shore team this year about their chances in the coming years and they'll still be up for it. Heads up lads we were 20 years between Trophies.....just makes it sweeter when you get there.

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The one thing rugby has that no other sport in the GPS has is the risk of serious physical injury, a risk which is heightened by enormous size differentials.
Not sure if scaraby or George Smith are for or against the arrangement this year.

 

[scaraby]

The one thing rugby has that no other sport in the GPS has is the risk of serious physical injury, a risk which is heightened by enormous size differentials.
Not sure if scaraby or George Smith are for or against the arrangement this year.

loved the 3rds comp....only issue was that some of the lower grade match ups went the other way. Tas and Grammar had some pretty tidy teams in 15s and 16s who were much better than Cs and in some cases would have matched it with As.
Scots in 15s has same issues due to some years not having the depth with glengarry but against that it has made the 16s very competitive across all grades.
Do I have a solution outside the sports masters having a crystal ball that works 12 months ahead..?.nup.
Did i love GPS this season across all grades?..hell yes.
Did we win some games easily get thrashed in others and have some epic close battles...sure did ............but funnily enough we did last season as well....and i got to watch twice the amount of games.....sigh what to do now?????

 

[George Smith]

The one thing rugby has that no other sport in the GPS has is the risk of serious physical injury, a risk which is heightened by enormous size differentials.
Not sure if scaraby or George Smith are for or against the arrangement this year.

yes, I also believe the two round comp is good. Schools having or developing periods of 'Super teams' will come and go as history has shown. After nearly ten years of junior rugby I do know that as Super teams enter comps then the standard across all the teams lifts. Shore in their ten comp games this season where trounced once, beaten three times and were in the hunt for the rest. Kings improved considerably as the season progressed. The 'school of hard knocks' taught these lads immeasurable skills this year. If you don't go in for the fight then you will never succeed.

 

[George Smith]

The one thing rugby has that no other sport in the GPS has is the risk of serious physical injury, a risk which is heightened by enormous size differentials.
Not sure if scaraby or George Smith are for or against the arrangement this year.

In terms of "risk of serious physical injury" the U19 Law Variations worked perfectly on Sat at Stanmore. The 1.5m shove limit as well as prohibiting the early shove saved many a sticky situation.
Remember, there was no better example this year of size differentials permitted in a game than when you get Genia standing next to Horwill or Mowen (last weekend). Rugby when adjudicated and played properly is as safe as any rugby player would want.

 

[ld2b]

In terms of "risk of serious physical injury" the U19 Law Variations worked perfectly on Sat at Stanmore. The 1.5m shove limit as well as prohibiting the early shove saved many a sticky situation.
Remember, there was no better example this year of size differentials permitted in a game than when you get Genia standing next to Horwill or Mowen (last weekend). Rugby when adjudicated and played properly is relatively safe.

Interesting comment relative to the Scots video showing the infamous shove at the end of the game Vs Joeys

 

[Inside Shoulder]

In terms of "risk of serious physical injury" the U19 Law Variations worked perfectly on Sat at Stanmore. The 1.5m shove limit as well as prohibiting the early shove saved many a sticky situation.
Remember, there was no better example this year of size differentials permitted in a game than when you get Genia standing next to Horwill or Mowen (last weekend). Rugby when adjudicated and played properly is relatively safe.

The U19 laws are appallingly policed on average and only, relevantly to this argument, apply to scrums.
A few fractured collarbones, broken legs, ruptured ACLs and Strained AC joints here and there being put to one side i agree its "relatively safe".
Many parents do not see it that way and a size differential heightens their concern.
Genia is faster and more athletic than those you mention - very often the obverse of the position of an adolescent male (i.e. the big ones are often faster and more co-ordinated).

 

[George Smith]

ruptured ACLs ... i agree its "relatively safe".
<snipped here and there>

IS, have seen two ACL's snapped this year, in the open and without another player within cooeee.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I have heard of a young fella dislocating his knee when he was bending over to pick the TV remote control up off the floor.

He was trying to change channels to the rugby at the time, so I guess you could call that a sporting related injury.

 

[I like to watch]

Really George Smith?
Why do you think League introduced the mercy rule?
It's because mis matches result in injuries, and no one gets injured in a League scrum!

 

[George Smith]

I have heard of a young fella dislocating his knee when he was bending over to pick the TV remote control up off the floor.

He was trying to change channels to the rugby at the time, so I guess you could call that a sporting related injury.

Not so unusual. One of the orthos I know said the most common cause of torn meniscus is from around the house such as gardening. Apparently as we get older (35+) we get lazy and refuse to lift our heel when swiveling to reach for something!

 

[George Smith]

Really George Smith?
Why do you think League introduced the mercy rule?
It's because mis matches result in injuries, and no one gets injured in a League scrum!

fine, stay with league as you wish...you may be surprised that very few injuries in rugby are from the scrum.

 

[Jim Belshaw]

This question came from TAS for the historians in our midst. Can you help?

"Jim, While there seems to be no mention of it on any AAGPS site on the net (including Wikipedia etc), I believe this may not in fact have been the first time a GPS 3rds comp ran - I"ve been told there might have been a 3rds comp about 50-60 years ago. Would you care to post a query on the green and gold thread for me please? Many thanks Tim Hughes"

 

[Inside Shoulder]

The battle is with perception.
The worst injury I heard of in my son's age group in winter 2012 involved a boy who fell down the stairs at debating and broke his ankle.
Dr John Yeo says there is more risk of suffering a catastrophic spinal injury driving to the game than playing it.