Unfortunately the future options of schoolboy rugby put forward by some in the papers this week show a real lack of understanding about the GPS. The greatest strength of the GPS is that amazingly, week in and week out, fixtures are found for thousands of boys. It is one thing to talk about the First XV, however, what about the other 40 odd games played between two schools on a particular day?
To sit back and observe fixtures between schools where on some days, over 1000 boys from two or three schools converge on one campus and play rugby is just awesome.
It is great that a boy in the 13Hs can firstly get a game and then, at the same venue, watch the First XV later in the day. The suggestions of merging clubs and public schools in with GPS, CAS etc is just not practical. The interest of the schools is to find fixtures for each of their boys and without having them spread across Sydney. Most of the schools in the GPS have significant numbers of boarders and therefore, the competitions that they are in need to be such that almost all the boys are going to the same venue.
And the atmosphere! Apart from Tests and Super Rugby, the GPS competition matches attract much larger crowds and lively atmosphere than any Shute Shield or club game. Why all of a sudden is there a feeling that there are massive problems?
As for safety - if you saw the highlights of the Newington and Scots game, safety was no bigger issue than any other game. In fact, Newington's scrum was probably their strength. Since when does a big score line necessarily mean that there is a safety issue? In fact, one could argue that games like these have less injuries as the contest is far less physical and fewer in number.
It is amazing that the NSWRU are so interested at the moment. I really have no idea what they contribute to GPS rugby yet for years, the number of GPS boys in representative teams is considerably greater than those from other competitions. Now, during an unusual season where high scores have been attained ... now, they want to stick their head in? Please!