Sydney U/18 Colts

[Dingasden]

Any clubs looking like getting an U18s Colts squad together in 2016?

 

[Hugh Jarse]

My usual snouts know nothing about a potential U18 Colts competition this year.

If the basics of a 2016 U18 Colts competition haven't been resolved by now, then it is too late.

I hope I am wrong, but my gut feeling is that this isn't going to happen this year.
Shame really.

 

[Dingasden]

My usual snouts know nothing about a potential U18 Colts competition this year.

If the basics of a 2016 U18 Colts competition haven't been resolved by now, then it is too late.

I hope I am wrong, but my gut feeling is that this isn't going to happen this year.
Shame really.

I think this is a critical piece of the rugby pathway that needs serious attention if we are to offer rugby to teenagers that don't attend private schools.

 

[Whale berry]

Absolutely agree the u/18's pathway is critical to Colts recruitment (not necessarily the rock stars) and to not run the 18's this year would be a stupid, short sighted decision.
Understand it is not easy to organise and manage an additional team.
Would be interesting to hear from those who had an 18's team last year as to what sort of numbers flow on they are getting.

 

[Dingasden]

My understanding is Sydney Juniors are looking after this & have done nothing to promote or organise the 2016 competition as of this week. Without a major enthusiastic drive by the majority of clubs, this critical stepping stone in the junior rugby pathway will sink once again.

 

[Druid]

My understanding is Sydney Juniors are looking after this & have done nothing to promote or organise the 2016 competition as of this week. Without a major enthusiastic drive by the majority of clubs, this critical stepping stone in the junior rugby pathway will sink once again.

If this competition is relying on Sydney Juniors to drive it, then it is doomed, SJRU sees itself as a pure administrator of competitions and sees it as the clubs responsibility to drive recruitment, player numbers etc, it does not see itself as a "driver" of competitions, they will only administer if the demand is there and maybe this is reasonable....

So, unless the clubs approach SJRU to administer the competition with an already committed number of teams, then it simply won't happen. I hope I am wrong and there is a late surge of activity in this area, but given we are only about 6 weeks until the premiership season starts it is not looking likely.

It would be interesting to hear from any Premiership clubs on whether they felt having this tier under their wing was worth it for them? Did many of them invest substantial effort to integrate these boys into their clubs and therefore have them join their colts, or did they see the comp as not required and would simply like to see these boys join colts directly?

 

[Dingasden]

At Souths our u18s train with U20s colts and many sit on bench or back up for 2nd or 3rd colts. We are already seeing the fruits from the efforts in driving this age group.

 

[Druid]

At Souths our u18s train with U20s colts and many sit on bench or back up for 2nd or 3rd colts. We are already seeing the fruits from the efforts in driving this age group b

I think this is a good approach, and I am happy to see it is paying benefits to Souths and can see the benefit of having an Under 18s comp. I think doing this and having the senior club engage with the Junior clubs (as per Manly) is what will give clubs the strength and depth to see them competitive in the long term.

 

[JuanBarn]

Very early '90s SJRU ran the U18s comp. I remember being shown around Norths facilities when they were still at North Sydney, and the jugs of beer during the information session. We ended up playing a short season vs a few other clubs plus a couple of GPS 7ths and the like. All very interesting at the moment as have an u13 who is quite keen and his school is not in the schools rugby system. Will still be young when he finishes y12, so is good to know there may be an u18s option for him.

 

[Dave Beat]

I think this is a good approach, and I am happy to see it is paying benefits to Souths and can see the benefit of having an Under 18s comp. I think doing this and having the senior club engage with the Junior clubs (as per Manly) is what will give clubs the strength and depth to see them competitive in the long term.

Should read as per Manly starting to do again, got distracted for a couple of years. This time we are going from the U6 - Colts, and looking to build something really special because it's rugby, and each age group is going to get focus.