IS, if Grammar don't have a rugby lunch,I think you might find that they would be the only private school in GPS that don't. I know Kings and Shore have one, and a post above said Newington do as well. Perhaps they should contemplate having one in order to drum up some more interest and passion for rugby at the school. Generally they seem to be very successful in this regard.
I am aware of what "all the other schools do" - i have no problem with the concept of a lunch and the arousal of passion and interest, or interest and passion as the case may be, by that means.
I do not understand the necessity to raise money to play rugby when the schools are flush with funds: see the rampant building programs and renovation of their playing fields on an almost annual basis, in one case.
IS given your passion for rugby development at Grammar your energies may be well spent in forming a Grammar Rugby Club or Supporters Group as getting parents involved in school rugby is as essential an ingredient for development of the sport as is the involvement of the boys themselves.
There was one, in which I was involved in an unofficial capacity, that was fairly actively discouraged and therefore died about 2 or 3 years ago.
My understanding was that the school did not want them raising money for scrum machines etc and actively discouraged that type of thing. Masters were discouraged, if not prohibited, from going to an annual dinner.
Parents were not encouraged, let alone invited, to have any real input - but this is not an approach confined to rugby: the one exception is the Boatshed.
That said there has been a sea change with the arrival of Fear.
I am told that everything he has asked for he has received.
I am not easily impressed (which may be obvious) but I am extremely impressed with him.
If he thinks he needs a supporters group he might ask for one and may get one - he is well placed to determine the need for such a thing.
There is simply no rugby culture among parents at grammar: few come from a rugby background. Relatively few old boys have sons there. Few parents played the game or even watched it. with a few exceptions its a distraction from the real business of life.
There is no real interest in the game beyond a few die hards in each age group. Fear is working on that - hence the first step in his plan was achieved by getting 2 boys into GPS U16's: this demonstrates to the other boys that it can be done. It would have been nice for Gorry to make GPS opens for the same reasons: at 6' 5'' and still growing Gorry has potential beyond school.
Just like Cam Crawford.
