Shute Shield 2015

[Knuckles]

I'm reliably informed that Steve Mafi has a clause in his contract with the Force that if he is not in match day 22 and/or the Force are not playing and he is fit to play that he'll be wearing the Two Blues jersey for 2015 and 2016.

RUPA couldn't get in the way and block it as he's not eligible to play for Australia so the Super franchise telling him where to play cannot be enforced.

Great to see the grass roots have a win on that one and see him return to his home club

 

[Bomber Harris]

When was the last time Uni were hungry ?!

Woodies bashing everybody at back end of season was hungry . Compare and contrast reaction of Manly 2's on winning GF vs Uni 3's (outwardly at least) ho hum on winning theirs to see hunger on display. Rats over achieved this year because of theirs.......

 

[lily]

Bomber, your last post makes about as much sense as your name sakes saturation bombing of Dresden and the rest of Germany.

 

[Bomber Harris]

Yeah on reflection while intended as nod to grass roots vs the corporation maybe a bit to quick to jump into Intruders post re Uni back training in 2 weeks and hungry ! but a bit of saturation bombing of Camperdown doesn't hurt

 

[qwerty51]

- An Australian coach currently in Japan is worried he may be forced to return home earlier than expected if it is found out he has hooked up with a Sydney grade club for next season. He wants it kept quiet. Pity the Sydney club has already tweeted the news.

Current Aus coaches in Japan are Damien Hill, Andy Friend, (Robbie Deans)

 

[Rugby Is My Life]

Current Aus coaches in Japan are Damien Hill, Andy Friend, (Robbie Deans)

Joe Barakat to West Harbour? It's on their website with a link to this video:

 

[Knuckles]

Joe Barakat to West Harbour? It's on their website with a link to this video:

10 years ago he publicly said 'he'd never be back'.

Interesting what a cheque book can do

 

[Knuckles]

The snouts tell me that the SRU Board met last night. And before they all fell asleep they'd decided that round 1 kicks off on March 21, there's a break for the June long weekend and Grand Final is August 15 (top 6 finals again)

And interestingly Colts will be 1sts, 2nds and U18s. That might upset our friends at Camperdown a bit!

 

[Aussie D]

Interesting move with Colts if true, hopefully it will help with strengthening the non-schools pathway.

Must be pretty good snouts as the SRU board is supposed to be a mythical entity.

 

[the coach]

Interesting move with Colts if true, hopefully it will help with strengthening the non-schools pathway.

Must be pretty good snouts as the SRU board is supposed to be a mythical entity.

Probably also means another flock of under 20's heading off to Subbies if they can't fit into Colts 1 or 2.

 

[Gibbo]

Wouldn't it be 19s??? Under 18s are mostly in Year 12

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I'm with you @Gibbo. 3rds Colts should be Under 19's. If they want an Under 18 competition, then make it Colts 4's.

My rationale is that there will only be limited numbers of U18's attracted to Colts, because the majority of them are locked up in the private school system. This isn't going to change in a hurry. They will be wanted for the U18 competition, but not necessarily for the following year.

When 2015 Colts3's marry up with their age group cohort as under 19's in 2016, there will only be two grades of colts left for them to play in. There will be all the 2015 AAGPS, CAS and ISA graduates looking for a start in Colts as U19's along with the previous years Colts3's in those two grades. They will also be competing for slots in two Colts grades against the Under 20 lads who have not jumped up to grade already.

It will be tight at the top in many clubs, and will probably force talented kids to go to some of the "less popular" clubs, or force them to Subbies, or out of the game altogether.

The U18 proposal doesn't seem to leave any scope for the late developing High School Graduate to advance via the Colts programme.

 

[Aussie D]

As I stated earlier the U18 proposal may be a way to strengthen the alternative i.e. non-private school pathway, where kids aren't playing for their school on the weekend and would appreciate a higher level of competition. Players competing for spots in a squad and possibly moving to 'less' popular clubs has the potential to be a good thing IMHO.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I really hope you're right @Aussie D.

I've just seen too much of WII-FM* to be overly optimistic that what appears to be the dropping of a Colts grade to accommodate an U18 Colts grade will actually grow the participation pyramid in the long term.

I'd like to see a little more detail on how it is going to work. I can foresee problems happening at the Under 19 level, when the previous years Colts 3's are competing for positions in Colts 2's & 1's along with the influx of boys from the Private Schools, and the previous years Under 19 boys looking for a second (or third) year in Colts.

Some kids will change clubs to a "less fashionable" club to advance their "careers" if they can't get a gig at their current club. Many will retire from rugby because they just want to play with their mates, and can't.

For many previous U18 Colts players found displaced by a new recruit at U19 level, commuting issues may also dampen the ardour for a change of club to some of the more distant locations from their residence or place of work/study, even if there may be slots available on that clubs Colts 2/Colts 1 roster.


*WII-FM is That most famous radio station on the FM band, What's In It For Me.

 

[Rugby Is My Life]

Anyone know when the SS draw for 2015 will be confirmed and released to the public?

 

[Done that]

As most/all SS clubs are opposed to an under 18 colts competition in place of the usual 3rd grade comp.,I
suggest that the u18 comp. proposed is not a "fait accompli".

 

[Hugh Jarse]

A combined U18/U85 kg competition would make sense as a 4th grade Colts competition.

Glad to see that there is some opposition to the move to ditch Colts 3 for an U18s competition. Are you able to disclose your source @Done that?

None of the material on any of the Club websites about 2015 preseason/recruiting make any mention of needing 25-30 U18 players for the "third" grade for next season.

Perhaps Clubs will just do an Ostrich and present SRU with a "we've got insufficient U18 players for the 2015 season, but have an oversupply of U19 and U20 players, in fact enough to run 3 Colts teams at the club. We will integrate the U18 boys that we have managed to recruit into the various grades based on their size, skills and abilities."

Wonder which clubs were behind the proposal in the first instance, or was it the case of a zealot within SRU/NSWRU pushing an agenda?

 

[Done that]

^
My source is the conversations I have had with several officials from different clubs,who in turn tell me of their own conversations with others.
They are all in accord in their opposition.
The reality is that there are a number of under 18 boys & younger, already playing in the colts competition.In fact I know of two 16 year old guys who
played some first grade colts games this year.There may be others.
Clubs are required to put together 3 colts sides each season.Coaches will pick teams based on merit,not withstanding safety considerations.
Some clubs have great difficulty getting enough players to field 3 teams,(& some even two).
Those posters who are suggesting that there should be 3 colts teams + an under 18 team fail to take into account that most clubs are struggling to put 3 teams on the park each week(which includes under 18's) let alone 4 teams.
The current system which sees 3rd grade colts as comprising mostly of players who are not as good as the 2nd grade players together with younger guys who are developing their Rugby, is the best alternative at the moment,considering the number of boys available.

 

[Whale berry]

^
My source is the conversations I have had with several officials from different clubs,who in turn tell me of their own conversations with others.
They are all in accord in their opposition.
The reality is that there are a number of under 18 boys & younger, already playing in the colts competition.In fact I know of two 16 year old guys who
played some first grade colts games this year.There may be others.
Clubs are required to put together 3 colts sides each season.Coaches will pick teams based on merit,not withstanding safety considerations.
Some clubs have great difficulty getting enough players to field 3 teams,(& some even two).
Those posters who are suggesting that there should be 3 colts teams + an under 18 team fail to take into account that most clubs are struggling to put 3 teams on the park each week(which includes under 18's) let alone 4 teams.
The current system which sees 3rd grade colts as comprising mostly of players who are not as good as the 2nd grade players together with younger guys who are developing their Rugby, is the best alternative at the moment,considering the number of boys available.

It is true that some clubs struggle with fielding 3 teams but IMO making 3rd colts U/18 will only make that harder.
Outside of the usual top clubs, 3rd colts is made up of guys who have left school looking for a run with their mates, late developers etc etc.
Make those guys inelligible they will go to Subbies colts (or give the game away) and then those clubs will have to find 20+ 18 year olds.
As mentioned before what happens in year 2 when U/18's have to step up for Colts 1 or 2 and you have the private school boys competing for the same spots.
Dumb proposal

 

[I like to watch]

I disagree Whale.
My understanding is if U18's colts is brought in,it would replace the opens division in the SJRU Sunday comp.
I can't see why Newport juniors wouldn't play at the Rats,Beecroft at Eastwood,Blue Mountains at the Riff etc etc.
A quick look at the table this year shows the Wicks Easts & Uni are the only clubs that don't automatically have a feeder club for this comp.
I am confident that each club could field a team in U 18's next year,in addition to the sides they fielded this year.