Victorian Schools RU (VSRU) 2013

[Hugh Jarse]

This will be a great experience for the boys and wider touring party.

Schoolboys, Colts, Seniors - It doesn't matter. International and interstate touring is a significant point of difference for Rugby.

Bloody good thing that the boys are getting good results as well.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi.

[Cue the Music]

I am, You are, We are Australian .....

 

[kronic]

Give the oi oi oi crap a rest, leave that to cricket bogans. Aussie Rugby fans are better than that.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

^^^^ The Lions Tour (and their supporting tourists) will establish if Aussie Rugby Fans are up to it or not. (Separate thread issue).

 

[kronic]

It'll be terrible, no thanks to the ARU, bunch of pricks.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

By all accounts they seem more interested in separating you from your wallet regardless of the consequences.

Sooner or later they will figure out that we are happy to let the moths fly free from our wallets if (and only if) we enjoy ourselves. The ARU and Wallabies are in the Entertainment industry.

Back to the Vic Schools Tour. Does anyone have a touring party list?

How many of these lads will we likely see as Vic Schoolboys next year at the Opens Tournament?

 

[kronic]

You could ask @VicRugby on twitter (if you have it)?

 

[en_force_er]

How many of these lads will we likely see as Vic Schoolboys next year at the Opens Tournament?

I'd be surprised if you saw more than 3-5.

Mostly due to the fact that this is not the full state team and they are under 16s (it's a big jump to opens).

They will however probably make up the lion's share of the u17 state team that play that oddball u17 tournament next year.

 

[dougdew99]

VSRU finals today. St Kevin's made a clean sweep of 1sts, 2nds, U16, U15, but very close games. No sign of 'scholarship' dominance, as was feared early in the season.

 

[en_force_er]

VSRU finals today. St Kevin's made a clean sweep of 1sts, 2nds, U16, U15, but very close games. No sign of 'scholarship' dominance, as was feared early in the season.

I really don't like this comment, even though I'm sure you mean nothing by it.

When a school has 10ish rugby scholarships and the next most scholarships is 2, with the rest of the schools in the league having none, you have to question the fairness. Closeness in results or not, their 1st grade's for and against was +546 in a 10 game season.

I'm all for giving a great kid who happens to be good at rugby a shot at a better education, but having such huge numbers of them is ridiculous and doesn't do the boys (as athletes) or the league any favours. The Rep players that are on scholarship in Skevs 1st grade played a total of 5 competitive games all year and 4 of them were Vic rep games.

It's actually shocking.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Is there a VSRU tour this year?

IIRC last year's tour was rather successful.

 

[dougdew99]

I really don't like this comment, even though I'm sure you mean nothing by it.

When a school has 10ish rugby scholarships and the next most scholarships is 2, with the rest of the schools in the league having none, you have to question the fairness. Closeness in results or not, their 1st grade's for and against was +546 in a 10 game season.

I'm all for giving a great kid who happens to be good at rugby a shot at a better education, but having such huge numbers of them is ridiculous and doesn't do the boys (as athletes) or the league any favours. The Rep players that are on scholarship in Skevs 1st grade played a total of 5 competitive games all year and 4 of them were Vic rep games.

It's actually shocking.

I not taking the slightest offense. I wonder what is the source of your information as to the number of rugby 'scholarships' in each of the participating schools? My understanding is that this confidential information that no school would make public. How did you find this out?

 

[en_force_er]

I not taking the slightest offense. I wonder what is the source of your information as to the number of rugby 'scholarships' in each of the participating schools? My understanding is that this confidential information that no school would make public. How did you find this out?

It's a small league that I've had an eye on for a while for starters.

Also, when a player of considerable rugby talent pops up a school and it's pretty questionable as to how (lives on the polar opposite side of Melbourne and does not have the financial means) you can pretty much presume it's fee paid. It's not always a full scholarship and sometimes the fees are paid by external sources like old boys clubs (that's what people say Grammar do) but the scholarships are worth thousands none-the-less.

Plus, there's a pretty open and candid conversation about it amongst rugby folk. Plenty of conversations including from the boys in question themselves. They and their parents are usually pretty proud of their achievement (and to be given an opportunity because of a skill you work hard at is an achievement) and will make it pretty obvious. I can't exactly see why anybody would lie about this.

There were plenty of crisis meetings with those in charge of all the rugby programs about specifically what to do about Skevs' scholarships this season, they were not casual affairs. The general opinion was whilst Skevs have had scholarships for a while, and it had been an advantage, that they'd gone overboard in 2013. The scores and the amount of players playing rep rugby from there reflect this.

Trust me, this is a very real and documentable problem. I say 10ish because Skevs may have as few as 8 but some people think more then 10 (I call BS). As far at the rest of the league, Grammar have at most 3 but I think 2, some say Brighton Grammar has 1 but I'm not sure, St.Pats have done it in the past (but that's mostly just to support their program), and Carrey has 1. I think that's all.

This is not conspiracy theory, that I promise you. You can talk to most VSRU people and they will have an opinion on it, mostly negative.