My view is that the development work should go on at the Dioceses level. Each of the Dioceses should play min 5 games before the CCC trials so that the league players they are trying to convert can learn rugby, and to get the team structures and pattern working. Some will make it some won't, this will be found out at the selection trials.Then select a rugby CCC team with NO ambitions of teaching anyone how to play rugby, but only to put a 1st class rugby team on the paddock. If they're not a rugby player by the time they reach the CCC trials it is too late.
The problem for selectors (particularly one that don't know what they're doing) is that it is easy for a good player to look bad in a team that is under pressure from poor option selection.
Feedback from some of the Illawarra boys was that they were constantly covering up dumb options at the breakdown taken by the league players (not their fault they just don't know). This elevates their great result against GPS IIs. Those with an eye for what goes on on a rugby field would have seen that and thought "wow what could these boys do if we put them in a team of rugby players". Apparently the selectors just see what looks good.
Whatever, CCC don't get anyone selected directly but have indirectly. John Walker is a CCC boy, Corey Tullock ex Holy Spirit, Cameron Bond ex Holy Spirit it is just they have to change schools to get selected.[/quote]
I will respond to the points in bold.
- where are these boys to find the time for these 5 games - they are in the middle of their school (mainly league) and at the start of the weekend comps, some have just completed their Harold Matthews representative commitments. The way I see it the incompetence this year (and previous years) was with the bias of the coach and his staff - to be honest there was an oversupply of players from the north coast. The two dominant teams at the trials were the MCC and the MCS but there were more boys selected from the north coast - guess where the coach was from. The trials are the best you can ask for given the above.
- I am not one to bag individual players, but maybe you should ask the Illawarra boys who were the point scorers (or the main players creating the attack) in the game against the GPS. Just maybe they shouldn't be bagging fellow players, maybe they are covering up for their own incompetence.
- Personally I don't give a ratz about kids who changed schools - there was enough talent showed at the trials and championships that should have seen 2 or 3 players selected in the NSW school squad.