Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
The incredible plan is spot on about the Grammar 13As
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It's surprising Grammar's 13As got touched up by others' Cs, the St Ives and Paddington boys SHOULD have had a good grounding in rugby. I imagine they'd be playing for Grammar against boys whom they'd played many times in previous years. Is it due to the ethnic intake of new boys into College Street in year 7? If it is this is an area we simply must address if rugby's going to prosper in Australia's multi-cultural future.
Anyways, good to see some Grammar As are competitive and not getting flogged.
Anyways, good to see some Grammar As are competitive and not getting flogged.
Please let's avoid any ridiculous ethnic stereotyping. If someone is motivated, interested, talented and has opportunity then they will succeed whether it is rugby, chess or studying regardless of their ethnicity. a healthy multicultural mix at school is far more important and enriching for the boys than have a good rugby team. It is a great game but only a game and only a small part of a quality education.
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
9 boys in the As had never played rugby.
St Ives does not always have a 1st XV - and this age group may have been in that situation.
Steps have been taken to address this at St Ives.
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
In fairness, I don't think Lindommer was criticising the ethnic mix at Grammar. The way I read his post was, that it was a challenge that rugby needed to address to get boys of all cultures interested in the game. That's the way I read it anyway.
Inside Shoulder
Nathan Sharpe (72)
me too, I must say: and he's right and it applies at all levels of the game if you think medium term
Jim Belshaw
Bob Loudon (25)
A few random comments/questions.
First, does anybody know when decisions might be made on the structure of next year's comp? If I read the comments correctly, this seems to have been swept aside by other matters.
Secondly, on the competition between codes, I see that some 222 TAS boys played the roundball game last year. That's over a quarter of the boys. I love all sports, but it's an example of the competition that rugby faces. I wonder how badly current disputes are hurting rugby?
Thirdly, the discrepancy in the results of the SGS age teams shouldn't surprise. On average, I suspect that the minnow As should play the Bs below the top grades, although that may lead to some unbalanced scores at lower levels. But speaking as a player, it was the chance to play rather than the results that counted. And I still remember when the third thirds that I was coaching actually beat the UNE under 21 side with its GPS rep players. Mind you, helps to play without a hangover!
Finally and frustratingly, I still have no real feel for the strength of next year's TAS, SBH and SGS's first? Any hints?
First, does anybody know when decisions might be made on the structure of next year's comp? If I read the comments correctly, this seems to have been swept aside by other matters.
Secondly, on the competition between codes, I see that some 222 TAS boys played the roundball game last year. That's over a quarter of the boys. I love all sports, but it's an example of the competition that rugby faces. I wonder how badly current disputes are hurting rugby?
Thirdly, the discrepancy in the results of the SGS age teams shouldn't surprise. On average, I suspect that the minnow As should play the Bs below the top grades, although that may lead to some unbalanced scores at lower levels. But speaking as a player, it was the chance to play rather than the results that counted. And I still remember when the third thirds that I was coaching actually beat the UNE under 21 side with its GPS rep players. Mind you, helps to play without a hangover!
Finally and frustratingly, I still have no real feel for the strength of next year's TAS, SBH and SGS's first? Any hints?
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
All I heard (some time ago) was that some schools (Joeys and Shore at least) had reservations about the 2 round format. I don't think that this would affect the 3rds competition, which seems to have widespread support across the schools.
I think that you're right in saying that the events relating to basketball have diverted attention form everything else GPS.
I think that Newington, Grammar and High experience the same issues with soccer as TAS, which has something to do with the diverse ethnic makeup of those schools (nothing wrong this - the ARU needs to find a way to make rugby attractive to all).
I think that this year showed that Grammar and TAS were stronger in the age groups than many thought and so were High in a couple of age groups. Not sure about opens, although my reading of some of the posts indicated that Grammar had a young side. I saw TAS play the last game at Stanmore and I was very impressed by the physical and the mental preparation of the boys in the 1st XV - there were clearly too good for New 3rds. How many of those boys coming back?
I suspect at some point in the not too distant future that SGS and TAS will be too strong for 3rds and a way will have to be found for them to play in 2nds.
Jim Belshaw
Bob Loudon (25)
Thanks, QH. TAS is less ethnically diverse, thus highlighting the soccer issue. Not sure how many are coming back. Would greatly like to know. Looking at last year's results in the lower grades, my feeling is that the school will be competitive, but not necessarily do quite as well at top level. There should be a fair degree of non-GPS rep experience, including the three boys in the national indigenous U16/U17 sides.
This can be important for Sydney GPS thirds don't (I think) get the same degree of rep exposure. Interesting thought. I wonder how a team picked from the GPS thirds as compared to a GPS thirds team might go. It might be rather fun if there were a tour, consolidating the thirds comp and giving boys who might otherwise be neglected a chance to shine.
GPSrow
Watty Friend (18)
Fellas, fellas, fellas. The time has come. I rate Newington coming in at 6th better to be the underdogs as every year and then win it……I guess. Obviously Riverview, Joeys or Scots will tie for 1st.
Your 2014 Newington "Dream" Team 2014
(back-to-back-to-back champions?)
1. Melie Laimeni (2nd XV)
2. Sione 'Atiola (16A's)
3. Matt Serhon (shift from Hooker to prop) (1st XV, GPS I's, NSW 1's)
4. Tom Piroddi (16A's, NSW U16s)
5. Siaosi Atiola (1st XV/2nd XV)
6. Joe Duarte (16A's/1stXV)
7. Campbell Clifford (2nd XV)
8. Vunipola Fifita (prop to number 8) (1st XV, Australian Schoolboys)
9. Liam O'Connor (16A's)
10. Liam Bennett (2nd XV)/Will Ball (2nd XV)
11. Liam Bennett (2nd XV)/Will Ball (2nd XV)
12. Alan Latunipulu (2nd XV)
13. Simon Kennewell (1st XV, GPS 3s, Combined States)
14. Brodie Mellor (16A's/2nds)
15. Sepesa (1st XV, NSW U16s)
Matt Serhon (1st XV, GPS I's, NSW 1's)
Looks like another year of Up&GOs, cryotherapy and stretching for these lads, as Newington will be facing another year of lacklustre depthwith the injury count needing to stay low!
Your 2014 Newington "Dream" Team 2014
(back-to-back-to-back champions?)
1. Melie Laimeni (2nd XV)
2. Sione 'Atiola (16A's)
3. Matt Serhon (shift from Hooker to prop) (1st XV, GPS I's, NSW 1's)
4. Tom Piroddi (16A's, NSW U16s)
5. Siaosi Atiola (1st XV/2nd XV)
6. Joe Duarte (16A's/1stXV)
7. Campbell Clifford (2nd XV)
8. Vunipola Fifita (prop to number 8) (1st XV, Australian Schoolboys)
9. Liam O'Connor (16A's)
10. Liam Bennett (2nd XV)/Will Ball (2nd XV)
11. Liam Bennett (2nd XV)/Will Ball (2nd XV)
12. Alan Latunipulu (2nd XV)
13. Simon Kennewell (1st XV, GPS 3s, Combined States)
14. Brodie Mellor (16A's/2nds)
15. Sepesa (1st XV, NSW U16s)
Matt Serhon (1st XV, GPS I's, NSW 1's)
Looks like another year of Up&GOs, cryotherapy and stretching for these lads, as Newington will be facing another year of lacklustre depthwith the injury count needing to stay low!
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
It seems from your post that only 3 boys who were in the 1sts all year are back and another couple who played some 2nds or 16As, the rest of the team coming from 2nds and 16As. Both those NC teams were about the same level as Shore and suffered close losses at Stanmore in the last round. That would seem to indicate that NC and Shore will be about the same level in 2014.
GPSrow
Watty Friend (18)
Both ends and 16A's suffered losses do to "that incident" in the 2nds game and Simon, sepesa and Joe Duarte were 16s players this year.
Simmo Green
Frank Row (1)
Only on a GPS Rugby forum would you find so many aspirational Dads and Teachers/Coaches. Nine pages in no time at all.....lol
strokeside
Larry Dwyer (12)
Jim Belshaw,
Just an idea, that you might suggest to Mr Guest, considering the logistics, any thought of meeting 1/2 way, and playing, at say Muswellbrook or Scone? It would make it easier as a day trip and hopefully, also easier for both participating school spectators/parents to attend
Just an idea, that you might suggest to Mr Guest, considering the logistics, any thought of meeting 1/2 way, and playing, at say Muswellbrook or Scone? It would make it easier as a day trip and hopefully, also easier for both participating school spectators/parents to attend
Jim Belshaw
Bob Loudon (25)
My first reaction, strokeside, was to think of the difficulties! It would mean an early morning drive start for the boys, and I don't know what the facilities are in those towns although I've driven through them enough. Then I thought that's not a bad experiment, although for a slightly different reason.
Think of the promotional value for the schools and rugby! A full day of rugby culminating in the main game at three. The standard in the thirds comp is very high, the football entertaining. It may be thirds, but it's still first grade football. It would certainly attract Hunter Valley attendance and media coverage. I don't think that it would work if done every time, TAS would miss out on its home turf games so you would get opposition from boys, parents and old boys. But as an experiment?
Brian Westlake
Arch Winning (36)
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C'mon Pete, you should know this. Ask around @ Latham.
C'mon Pete, you should know this. Ask around @ Latham.
heard from a colts father down there, just wasnt ure if it was restricted to randwick guys or players in school as well
Hugh Jarse
Rocky Elsom (76)
How is Hoiles thing going to work out with Stallions Rugby who seem to be all over Wicks and Scots?
Two big dogs in a turf war on Latham Park will only end up in misery for one of them.
Two big dogs in a turf war on Latham Park will only end up in misery for one of them.
Brian Westlake
Arch Winning (36)
The whispers I have heard is that this is very much a together in house op from asking around.
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