QLD GPS Rugby 2020

[human]

gee, thats horrendous. For rugby schools like that to only be fielding that many teams.

Even Sydney Grammar and High can field around 3-4 teams, and they're considered really weak. They play in the 3rds comp.
The lowest the in the 1st XV comp is Newington and they have around 6.

Every other school has atleast 8, Joeys go down to the 12ths.

This is really worrying. Does soccer have more playing numbers? Are there more in lower year groups? maybe sport isnt compulsory in later years?

Sport is not compulsory in any year at BGS.

soccer is the largest participation sport with close to 70% of the BGS school population playing....unfortunately lower level BGS
teams have trouble finding games as some schools limit their soccer teams to 3 or, at most, 5 per year group.
Rugby is not the be all and end all at BGS who also do not engage in the rugby scholarship arms race that some other schools do.

 

[Blue & white]

could be wrong but I think this was the makeup last year
IGS and BSHS: 2
BGS: 3
BBC and TSS: 4
TGS and ACGS: 5
GT: 6
NC: 7

These figures are correct.
The other very very concerning situation is that for last 3 years IGS and BSHS have only had 1 under 16 team.

 

[Countryjack]

[ BGS who also do not engage in the rugby scholarship arms race that some other schools do.[/quote]


They do engage in Rugby scholarships (3 in the 16 As last year) Hamiso (now with Cowboys) the 3/10/12 in 2018- etc but certainly not to same extent.
But who cares -each school has its own priorities. But the drop in numbers playing rugby and huge jump in numbers playing soccer & basketball is really concerning. I do not know the answer I am afraid as same thing is happening in NZ.

 

[RuggerFan1]

Sport is not compulsory in any year at BGS.

soccer is the largest participation sport with close to 70% of the BGS school population playing..unfortunately lower level BGS
teams have trouble finding games as some schools limit their soccer teams to 3 or, at most, 5 per year group.
Rugby is not the be all and end all at BGS who also do not engage in the rugby scholarship arms race that some other schools do.

then 3 is pretty impressive considering its not compulsory and it clashes with other sports.

weird how different the cultures of the different GPS systems are.

 

[Aussie Luke]

BGS do engage in rugby scholarships. Very much so. Why wouldn't they? Nudgee started to offer rugby scholarships in the mid 80s to keep up with Churchie and Grammar who were offering rugby scholarships heavily through the 1970s.

 

[Rugrat]

Interesting that the schools with the highest rugby scholarships also have the highest rugby participation rates.

 

[Lammy]

One of the attractions and strengths of the GPS system is the ability to provide a top level team for the most skilled right through to a team at D and E level for the less skilled and inexperienced. A team for every player so to speak. However this is no longer the case in every school. While some schools provide opportunities and have demand to fill teams through to Ds and Es others do not. This leaves those schools with depth of involvment struggling to find games for their lower teams. For example one school last year could not regularly field a13 B rugby team last year often having to ask other schools to play a 10s game instead and most other teams playing the same team as the last two weeks again! A focus on a whole school program that encourages all kids to play surely builds a better culture and greater participation than one which is focused on building and buying A teams only

 

[Blanco]

One of the attractions and strengths of the GPS system is the ability to provide a top level team for the most skilled right through to a team at D and E level for the less skilled and inexperienced. A team for every player so to speak. However this is no longer the case in every school. While some schools provide opportunities and have demand to fill teams through to Ds and Es others do not. This leaves those schools with depth of involvment struggling to find games for their lower teams. For example one school last year could not regularly field a13 B rugby team last year often having to ask other schools to play a 10s game instead and most other teams playing the same team as the last two weeks again! A focus on a whole school program that encourages all kids to play surely builds a better culture and greater participation than one which is focused on building and buying A teams only

I dont believe any school focuses on building and buying A teams only. I think it is incorrect to link and assume a relationship between scholarships(which I assume you mean when using the term "buying") and lack of participation. Club land I expect would also be suffering from lack of participation which is a broader issue for rugby to address within Australia.

 

[theRugbyguy223]

Thoughts on grammar this year? Any possibility of them making a come back? 16As were mid table last year, they have a good young group coming through.

 

[Aussie Luke]

Not sure re BGS but its interesting what "Brave and Game" mentions above with 13 available this year for the Terrace 1sts who got game time last year. They were a pretty strong team last year so perhaps they will be a contender this season.

Re the ubiquitous scholarship chat, BSHS offer approximately 450 scholarships for year 12 students each year, the Grammar schools history/model is based on offering a significant proportion of scholarship opportunities across various fields rewarding excellence and the two Catholic schools have always had a proportion of kids on scholarships, which are a mixture of benevolence based programmes and rewards for excellence. The great Public schools in England also offer scholarships as do the top Ivy League schools in the USA both for benevolence and excellence.

Re the rugby cultures, its obvious Terrace, Nudgee, Churchie, BBC, TGS and TSS have very strong cultures and depth at the moment, but IGS, BSHS, BGS have fallen off in this area. The thing about rugby is that it builds resilience and courage and this is the case whether you're in the E team or the A team. I to this day still rate this sport/subject as the most valuable out of all the subjects offered when I was at school. Rugby is such a niche sport and privilege to play in Australia and I'm astonished that some of these schools with access to rugby are not pushing their kids more to engage in this sport.

 

[Gungenia]

BGS do engage in rugby scholarships. Very much so. Why wouldn't they? Nudgee started to offer rugby scholarships in the mid 80s to keep up with Churchie and Grammar who were offering rugby scholarships heavily through the 1970s.

Yes _correct. I remember the Alec Evans era at BGS well.They called them "bursaries" and several future Wallabies left other GPS schools in grade 11 when offered one(allegedly full fees of course!)

 

[Lammy]

I dont believe any school focuses on building and buying A teams only. I think it is incorrect to link and assume a relationship between scholarships(which I assume you mean when using the term "buying") and lack of participation. Club land I expect would also be suffering from lack of participation which is a broader issue for rugby to address within Australia.

I agree that scholarships doesn't necessarily mean poor participation. Some schools with large numbers of scholarships have the greatest depth. What I was trying to say that it seems that in some cases there is a focus on the top level teams at the expense of the broader program. With sport not compulsory just "encouraged" at many of the schools it can be hard to develop depth unless there is a strong culture at the school.

 

[Digby2016]

Actually BBC this year remind me a lot of ACGS in 2015.
1.They both have the best player in the comp(both were 13's) Sua & Howath'
2. Both those players have massive RL commitments(Howath maybe even more);
3. They both have the best forward in comp- Hockings and Romano;
4.They both have great 10s to feed that best player -Croft & young Mason.

I remember we never saw Sua until the week before the 1st match. He did not really attend pre-season camp-but he always pulled out the big play down the stretch.I expect Howath will be same and away a lot- as he actually has higher Rep honours than Sua did.
I expect ACGS to be much improved this year but if BBC keep those 3 on paddock(and that is a big ask with under 18 SOO)they could get home this year.

 

[fairplay]

A little of topic, but I have always found it interesting how Catholic schools seem to be a bit more competitive and successful at sports in general, especially since I never attended one.

I always imagined is was a more "Spartan" experience.

 

[Blue & white]

Actually BBC this year remind me a lot of ACGS in 2015.
1.They both have the best player in the comp(both were 13's) Sua & Howath'
2. Both those players have massive RL commitments(Howath maybe even more);
3. They both have the best forward in comp- Hockings and Romano;
4.They both have great 10s to feed that best player -Croft & young Mason.

I remember we never saw Sua until the week before the 1st match. He did not really attend pre-season camp-but he always pulled out the big play down the stretch.I expect Howath will be same and away a lot- as he actually has higher Rep honours than Sua did.
I expect ACGS to be much improved this year but if BBC keep those 3 on paddock(and that is a big ask with under 18 SOO)they could get home this year.

Trying to predict injuries is like guessing the future.One of our RL stars(played 4 matches in 1st xv) picked up a bad injury in a RL trial on weekend and is doubtful for round 1.
2016-BSHS wins premiership using only 18 players & their seconds were walloped every match. Go figure?

Call out to CountryJack.Your beloved TSS looks like the GC Titans academy with all this new 16 year old boys in grade 10 you got in. That Sam Walker clone you just got is sensational.
Also what positions do the 3 NZ boys play?. I know one is a number 8.

 

[intheknow2012]

Blue & White where do you get this mail from ?
what position does the blue and white player who got injured play?
The Sam walker clone played last year for TSS in the 15As...
3 New NZ boys - really ?

 

[Aussie Luke]

A little of topic, but I have always found it interesting how Catholic schools seem to be a bit more competitive and successful at sports in general, especially since I never attended one.

I always imagined is was a more "Spartan" experience.

I wouldn't agree with that. There's nothing particularly "spartan" about Ross Oval, nor Tennyson, nor Ambrose Treacy etc. The facilities are superb, arguably the best in the country.

I attended both catholic and prodi schools and there seemed to be lot more comradery, spirit, support, common purpose etc. at the catholic schools and I think this gives them the edge in team sports.

 

[fairplay]

I wouldn't agree with that. There's nothing particularly "spartan" about Ross Oval, nor Tennyson, nor Ambrose Treacy etc. The facilities are superb, arguably the best in the country.



I attended both catholic and prodi schools and there seemed to be lot more comradery, spirit, support, common purpose etc. at the catholic schools and I think this gives them the edge in team sports.

Apologies, I did not intend that to be a disparaging comment about facilities, more as a compliment about some of those characteristics you mentioned.

I spent a couple of years in the PSA system in Perth (GPS equivalent) and the two Catholic schools in that comp generally punched above their weight. Interestingly enough, the 2 schools, Aquinas and Trinity Colleges have a similar story to Nudgee and Terrace, both originally being part of the same school. Aquinas also wear the Red and Black too.

 

[newgpsfollower]

TSS do have a Titans contracted star 16 year old who is a real shot at being involved in the First XV in 2020 at either N0.8 or No.6 however.

 

[newgpsfollower]

The Sam Walker clone is a Bronco