I find the level of hysteria, hyperbole, denials and inaccuracy on this thread relatively amusing, and contribute on occasions to try and keep the debate based on facts rather than rumour.
If that comes across as preaching then so be it. I'm happy to be corrected if something I have posted is factually incorrect.
In a previous post (1614) Spieber suggested that Sharks circle at U16 schoolboys competition (assume that they mean both NSW Schools Trials, normally held at Knox, and the National U16 champs) and the NSW JRU State Championships.
Spieber advised that a player at those tournaments "would be sounded out" if he was any good (1609).
Spieber suggested that chances of landing a scholarship were improved if the U15/U16 rep team was coached by someone connected to an AAGPS school (1605). This was possibly a little tongue in cheek.
Addressing these in some semblance of order:
The sharks circling (Spieber term)/Clipboard carriers (my term) are synonyms.
These could be any of Rugby Lite scouts, Rugby scouts (ARU, Club, and Schools), Player managers (yes there are 15 and 16 yo's who have player managers) "minding" their charges Player Managers that are shopping for new product, or Gaggerland Match reporters.
There are fairly strict protocols at the tournaments controlled by ARU (and Aust Schools RU) regarding players being approached by accredited agents during the tournament. Not sure about the NSW Schools RU tournaments.
Fairly confident that there is open slather at NSW JRU and SJRU tournaments for Player Managers, Agents, Scouts and Spotters to approach players and/or parents.
Everyone knows this and it is often amusing to witness the hotbed of intrigue on the sidelines at U16 in particular, and U15 to a lesser degree. U17 is viewed by many (rightly or wrongly) as too late and the sidelines are fairly tame, as most of the circling sharks are focusing on the U16's.
The advice that good players will be sounded out at tournaments is correct. Sometimes it is done with a subtlety and subterfuge that the James Bond would be proud of. Sometimes it is as blatant as one of the ARU HPU blokes rocking up and inviting the boy to "testing" at Moore Park next week.
Most "good players" have been on the radar of the circling sharks for a year or two before the "sounding out" occurs.
The Tome I prepared on last years U16 rep teams (from Nationals) debunked the myth that there was any headhunting of last years U16 players by team coaches who had "relevant contacts at a AAGPS School".
Clipboard wielding circling sharks with relevant contacts at AAGPS schools may have approached players and/or parents outside the tournament, and even pressured parents to change schools as has been asserted by others on here.
This is different from the claim/suggestion that team coaches were actively recruiting for their school.
I will concede that this cohort saw some school changes between Under 15 and Under 16's, but even then there weren't too many, and there didn't appear to be any connection between rep team Coaches and the new schools.
Rep team coaches herding players towards their AAGPS school may have occurred in the past, but last years mob appear to be "clean" in this respect.
I'd be surprised if things are as rife as many posters allude to.
From what I am hearing, the numbers of parents approaching schools spruiking their kids athletic abilities in the hope of gaining some form of subsidised education significantly outnumber the number of "sounding outs" that occur from the circling sharks.
There are some very ethical and committed Rep rugby coaches out there who's reputations are unfairly tarnished by off-the-cuff remarks suggesting that they abuse their position of responsibility that they volunteer for with an intention of poaching kids for their school.
The scholarship providers/poachers/headhunters etc are normally fairly subtle in how they improve their playing stocks.
I really don't care too much either way on the whole scholarshiping thing, providing it is more or less kept in balance and not just about the "rich" getting "richer".
I have posed the question elsewhere on this thread, "If you were offered a full scholarship at a GPS school, would you actually turn it down?"
Not many people replied that they would. It is fairly understandable.
I believe that there are very few "full" scholarships, "fee relief" or "bursaries" out there inteh system. Not all scholarships are equal and the vast majority that I am aware of are for 50% or less fee reduction.
This thread goes around in circles as a cohort of parents/posters/players leave the School rugby system, and a new bunch arrive each year.
I'd repeat the question to the current batch of readers to this thread.
In the full knowledge that is is against a code of conduct for AAGPS and CAS*, would you turn down an offer of a Y7 - Y12 free education at a CAS or AAGPS School?
*I think sports scholarships are also against the ISA code of conduct but haven't been able to confirm this via a web site post. Most likely because the ISA Web site is rather user unfriendly.
Occasionally St Auggies cops some stick about this, normally not long after an "out of conference" match.
The ISA school rugby fraternity seem to accept that a strong Auggies (some scholarships) and Oakhill (no scholarships) are necessary to have a competitive (and relevant ISA) competition.
