NSW Invitational U16 Tournament 2014

[Inside Shoulder]

It was good to see country play well. As I've said before the country boys seem to have had a good program this year and for half a game caught schools napping. I must of been chatting too much because with 5 to go I thought country were 2 points up. Now that would have been an upset!!

didn't they draw 10 all with SJRU?

 

[Azzuri]

didn't they draw 10 all with SJRU?

think the 10 all draw was in the U16's City V Country fixture a few weeks back.

 

[Azzuri]

didn't they draw 10 all with SJRU?

At the schools v Country Game last weekend the score was 14-0 to Country at oranges...then Schools woke up and put on 29 unanswered points in the second half

 

[Inside Shoulder]

At the schools v Country Game last weekend the score was 14-0 to Country at oranges.then Schools woke up and put on 29 unanswered points in the second half

That's a good sign for the country boys.
Some early on were predicting school would massacre all comers.

 

[Azzuri]

That's a good sign for the country boys.
Some early on were predicting school would massacre all comers.

Country did very well and they should be proud of their efforts even though they only came away with one win..

Schools had a slow start which I think could be attributed to the fact that was the first time they'd actually played together as a team but they managed to get away with a 29-14 win. The Country game was the wake up call they needed and they kicked into gear in game 2 against Western zone with a 52 point win.

City was always going to be a tough game as they had their backs to the wall after two losses so the 17-10 result to Schools wasn't that unexpected IMHO

 

[SARugbyFan]

IS, Craig Time and Informed, I don't know any of you or the boy or family concerned. I have read the so called offending comments from IS and cannot see your point, however if you know the family and boy I can see how you could have that perception. Thats why people don't usually name players or families. So from my perspective it would be good to get back to talking about selections and how fair or unfair they are and how they could possibly be fixed and not finger poking each other.

Agreed S'UP . I wasn't at the tournament and I am not familiar with many of the boys involved in this age these days. However, I have it on good advice that two boys originally picked as (10) & (13) ended up as reserves in the NSW schools side when other players were brought in. Was there an additional trial game to justify this, were the boys affected carrying injuries or did the NSW coaches have some other reason? It does seem unusual as both were strong performers at the trials (which I did attend).

 

[Inside Shoulder]

Was there an additional trial game to justify this

I believe not.
Looks like you and I saw the same trials.

 

[SARugbyFan]

Although my coaching days are a fading memory, I at least got to pick my own teams. Do the rep coaches at this age level these days get afforded the same rights and were there shadow players named from the tournament? Again sorry if this has been previously discussed..

 

[sideline server]

Well spotted S'UP. Country 17s put the cleaners through Sydney 17s, but there were some interesting resulting selections in the NSW 17's. A number of the Sydney players were completely outplayed by their Country opposition, but they still made the NSW starting side. The make up of the front row was particularly interesting - 2 from Syd and 1 from Country. As you say, the inevitable rugby politics at play!

Getting to the game, NSW 17s started well and kicked out to a 10-0 lead, but the bigger Sydney U18s wore them down in the second half and took it out 22-17. Its just a real shame NSW 17s didn't get to play some interstate opposition after Brisbane 17s pulled out some weeks earlier.

The NSW Invitational was a great filler in the place of the former national U16s Champs. But I fear that the JGC is going to take over the NSW 15s and 17s program and NSWJRU teams may be a thing of the past - thoughts? Will be a real shame if it happens as a pathway, particularly for Country boys will close.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

At one level it will be a bit of a shame for NSW State representation go the way of the dinosaurs, but with some creative scheduling, some life could be put back into State Juniors if the games are organised around and an adjunct to the revised JGC pathway not as a direct and stand alone competitor.

In grown up footy, there is no state representation anymore. A fairly sizeable chunk of NSW has been ceded to the Brumbies, and there is very free interchange of players between the Super Rugby franchises. A longer term pathway strategy may be to realign the JGC along NRC franchise lines.

JGC seems to give a fairly good grouping of country lads higher level training and development opportunities. Reports of the demise of Country rugby may be premature.

 

[S'UP]

At one level it will be a bit of a shame for NSW State representation go the way of the dinosaurs, but with some creative scheduling, some life could be put back into State Juniors if the games are organised around and an adjunct to the revised JGC pathway not as a direct and stand alone competitor.

In grown up footy, there is no state representation anymore. A fairly sizeable chunk of NSW has been ceded to the Brumbies, and there is very free interchange of players between the Super Rugby franchises. A longer term pathway strategy may be to realign the JGC along NRC franchise lines.

JGC seems to give a fairly good grouping of country lads higher level training and development opportunities. Reports of the demise of Country rugby may be premature.

Yes it will be interesting to see the outcome of the QLD v NSW game after this years JGC. If you look forward you can see being involved in JGC will be a big thing as the boys will want to play for their state. The ARU just needs to get the message across, very clearly define the pathway and put it out there for everyone to see. It should hang out the front of every canteen where junior rugby is played.

 

[SARugbyFan]

The difference in Australia IMO from what I have observed in SA & NZ is the clear nexus that exists between junior and senior football that creates the key to it all, 'tribalism'. The NRC is a great concept. However, Junior football should be feeding into this level through 15's, 17's, 20's or whatever age group is deemed appropriate. Is this what the ARU proposes?

 

[S'UP]

The difference in Australia IMO from what I have observed in SA & NZ is the clear nexus that exists between junior and senior football that creates the key to it all, 'tribalism'. The NRC is a great concept. However, Junior football should be feeding into this level through 15's, 17's, 20's or whatever age group is deemed appropriate. Is this what the ARU proposes?

You would hope so, BP has been over to NZ a number of times to look at their structure and now we have the NRC so hopefully there is a bigger plan.
I 100% agree with you it is about tribalism, just look at the AFL I don't think they have ever changed the jerseys.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Yes it will be interesting to see the outcome of the QLD v NSW game after this years JGC. If you look forward you can see being involved in JGC will be a big thing as the boys will want to play for their state. The ARU just needs to get the message across, very clearly define the pathway and put it out there for everyone to see. It should hang out the front of every canteen where junior rugby is played.

I see parallels between the widening of the Great Western Highway across the Blue Mountains and what ARU are trying to do with the Pathway To Gold.

• It is taking a very long time to complete but it will be awesome when all works are completed.
• There is a fair bit of disruption for users of the road while the works are in progress.
• Motorists don't look at the progress being made around them as they get frustrated by the traffic jam they are stuck in.
• A few of the contractors working on the project will go bust, delaying progress and completion.
• Everyone has an opinion, and a solution that would have been done cheaper and faster with less disruption.
• There really isn't the money to do the optimal solution.
• The terrain in which they are working has some severe physical constraints that make even easy solutions difficult and expensive.
• They have to deal with snakes and bushfires during the construction phase.
• Some people are objecting to the project because of the noise and disruption the finished works will cause to their previous serenity.
• The real reason many residents will object to the project is that it will soon become easier for non-residents to enjoy the beauty of the mountains, and they will have to share their backyard with folk from the lowlands.
• The beauty of the Mountains that was previously only available to a privileged few local residents will now be easily accessible to all regardless of where they live.
• Serial Complainers will object to any change to the status quo just because they can. NIMBYism rules OK.
• The Serial Complainers will refuse to acknowledge the benefits of the works, even when they are enjoying those benefits after the works have been completed.
• Everyone will want free tickets to the bun fight to celebrate the opening.
• A few years after the works are completed, no one will understand what all the fuss and fear mongering was about, and everyone will be singing its' praises.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

You would hope so, BP has been over to NZ a number of times to look at their structure and now we have the NRC so hopefully there is a bigger plan.
I 100% agree with you it is about tribalism, just look at the AFL I don't think they have ever changed the jerseys.

Yet not everything Kiwi is good. While there is much to admire about what they do over there, the selection process for our Schoolboys side, with a provincially based national competition as the selection base for the national side, is a far more objective basis for selecting a National representative team than what the Kiwis have (setting aside all the usual gripes about state quotas, blind selectors, favouritism and incompetence, etc).

 

[SARugbyFan]

You would hope so, BP has been over to NZ a number of times to look at their structure and now we have the NRC so hopefully there is a bigger plan.
I 100% agree with you it is about tribalism, just look at the AFL I don't think they have ever changed the jerseys.

That's my biggest criticism of Australian rugby. In the ten years I have been here the changes to junior and senior programs has been constant. This year I have watched two NRC games and they were great! But it will take some time for younger generations to buy into the name and jersey. You are spot on with the AFL. Another example is the A League and the Western Sydney side (I think they are called the Wanderers).

 

[SARugbyFan]

Yet not everything Kiwi is good. While there is much to admire about what they do over there, the selection process for our Schoolboys side, with a provincially based national competition as the selection base for the national side, is a far more objective basis for selecting a National representative team than what the Kiwis have (setting aside all the usual gripes about state quotas, blind selectors, favouritism and incompetence, etc).

Quite right HJ. When Graham Henry was the NZ Schools coach, mid 1980's from memory, I don't think he had been told there was actually a tar sealed road south of the Bombay hills (South Auckland). I wouldn't know how they go about selections these days but the super 8 comps must provide exposure of players, as is reflected in the various schools the NZ boys were picked from. It does still appear to be the case that you don't get more than one or two in. With four or five key Australian players out of the touring side, the Aussies did very well to get so close in the test IMO.

 

[Gypsy]

Although my coaching days are a fading memory, I at least got to pick my own teams. Do the rep coaches at this age level these days get afforded the same rights and were there shadow players named from the tournament? Again sorry if this has been previously discussed..

Don't know about shadow players, but having been at the tournament and having knowledge of all the players in the NSW schools side, my opinion and that of many was the coaches obviously did not rate the 23 as he didn't get much of a run in the centres but played on the wing and fullback. I think his size is a problem and perhaps he is best suited as a winger.

 

[SARugbyFan]

Don't know about shadow players, but having been at the tournament and having knowledge of all the players in the NSW schools side, my opinion and that of many was the coaches obviously did not rate the 23 as he didn't get much of a run in the centres but played on the wing and fullback. I think his size is a problem and perhaps he is best suited as a winger.

Wasn't there so I can't comment. As I said they were both solid at the trials and I would not have thought either had an issue with size. Sounds like it was the coaches prerogative.

 

[Gypsy]

Compared to the other two that played in the end at centre, he was smaller. He may have gone alright at the trials but players don't always step up to the next level.