Dark Shark
Alex Ross (28)
I have watched this thread for a while now. In recent years it has been very NSW/ Sydney centric. That is probably because the divide between the schools that do and the schools that don't is too large and because of the amount of scholarships handed out as the boys get to the pointy end of their time at school.
In QLD scholarships have been in vogue for just as long but does not seem to generate as much heartache and angst. Some schools on the end of some beltings raised some concerns about safety about four years ago which got the QLD rugby forums firing but it has been fairly quiet by comparison since.
In the QLD GPS thread I made comment on how some schools have invested a little in talent and a lot in coaching to close gaps in the lower age groups (u13's and u14's). From recent results this has seemed to closed the gap between teams and some traditional lopsided results have disappeared. I thought that could only be for the good of the game.
But the observation has also raised the dreaded spectre of scholarships.
I am neither here nor there on scholarships. Managed well and done properly it provides the beneficiaries many opportunities that they would not usually have. Done callously it can be devisive and cause angst to all involved.
It now appears that some schools who were more known for an influx of talent in yr 11 are now taking a longer term view. An example, but far from being the only school is BBC.
Last year BBC won two or three A / First XV matches in all of its age groups. In the past they have tried to paper over the cracks by bringing in a host of yr 11 players. But this has not proven to be successful. This year they seem to have brought players into the 13's, 14's and 15's. After two rounds these teams have won more matches than last year. The 15's BBC team also knocked off the previously unbeaten Nudgee team.
I am not aware of how many scholarships or easier entry facilitation has gone on here or anywhere else, but I would think that taking a longer term view would be a better approach to an issue that will never go away.
In QLD scholarships have been in vogue for just as long but does not seem to generate as much heartache and angst. Some schools on the end of some beltings raised some concerns about safety about four years ago which got the QLD rugby forums firing but it has been fairly quiet by comparison since.
In the QLD GPS thread I made comment on how some schools have invested a little in talent and a lot in coaching to close gaps in the lower age groups (u13's and u14's). From recent results this has seemed to closed the gap between teams and some traditional lopsided results have disappeared. I thought that could only be for the good of the game.
But the observation has also raised the dreaded spectre of scholarships.
I am neither here nor there on scholarships. Managed well and done properly it provides the beneficiaries many opportunities that they would not usually have. Done callously it can be devisive and cause angst to all involved.
It now appears that some schools who were more known for an influx of talent in yr 11 are now taking a longer term view. An example, but far from being the only school is BBC.
Last year BBC won two or three A / First XV matches in all of its age groups. In the past they have tried to paper over the cracks by bringing in a host of yr 11 players. But this has not proven to be successful. This year they seem to have brought players into the 13's, 14's and 15's. After two rounds these teams have won more matches than last year. The 15's BBC team also knocked off the previously unbeaten Nudgee team.
I am not aware of how many scholarships or easier entry facilitation has gone on here or anywhere else, but I would think that taking a longer term view would be a better approach to an issue that will never go away.