Waratah Cup/ Shield 2014
- Thread starter sarcophilus
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sarcophilus
Charlie Fox (21)
Thank you for the consideration
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
I hear that there are some rumblings in the Knox rugby community over the forfeit. Apparently the 1st XV coach forfeited without consulting the MIC rugby or the head of sport.
Monty Python
Ted Fahey (11)
This forfeiting is pathetic. Perhaps there was a good reason, but if it's just to avoid the embarrassment of losing to an ISA or CHS school, these coaches need to review their moral and sporting compass and work out what's important in life. Winning at all costs, or following through on their commitments.
What a great example to set the boys in the Knox team for later life - 'when things get tough... back out'. Where's their ticker?!
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
My information is that it was a unilateral decision by the 1st XV coach, without consultation with either the boys or MIC Rugby or Head of Sport.
Hey predictions are OK but not accurate. Stannies lost to Oakhill last weekend by 27-25. Stannies scored more tries but missed two field goals & a conversion. I believe the finals are a three way bet, Oakhill, Stannies & St Augustine. GPS are too scared to risk their reputations. At least Knox is prepared to compete.
sarcophilus
Charlie Fox (21)
Did they?
It feels more like a high jump competition. you can keep passing and beet someone by attempting the higher height.I am not sure that Knox even bothered to run through the bar.
It feels more like a high jump competition. you can keep passing and beet someone by attempting the higher height.I am not sure that Knox even bothered to run through the bar.
sarcophilus
Charlie Fox (21)
welcome (Back?) Pedros, did you loose your password or is it just a coincidence that there is another Stannies fan with an amazingly similar handle that hasn't been here for twelve months?
Yes I am back & yes I have another son in this Stannies team. Head of Knox is an old schoolboy mate, & Knox bring teams to play both Kinros & Stannies the same weekend every year, so helping to strengthen the country Rugby competition. It's also good to see Canberra teams competing.
Iluvmyfooty
Phil Hardcastle (33)
Haven't Knox forfeited Waratah Shield games in the past couple of years as well
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
Yes.
Monty Python
Ted Fahey (11)
The final of the Waratah Cup will be played on Wed 27 August, along with the finals for the Arthur Buchan Shield, Richard Shaw Shield, 15’s Girls Shield and Bryan Palmer Shield.
Location: T. G. Milner
Kick-off times: TBC
Waratah Cup semi-final qualifiers:
1. Epping Boys HS (Sydney West)
2. Merewether High (Northern NSW)
3. Brisbane Water Secondary (Sydney North)
4. Erindale College (ACT 1)
Location: T. G. Milner
Kick-off times: TBC
Waratah Cup semi-final qualifiers:
1. Epping Boys HS (Sydney West)
2. Merewether High (Northern NSW)
3. Brisbane Water Secondary (Sydney North)
4. Erindale College (ACT 1)
Rugby Tragic
Chris McKivat (8)
Well Done Oakhill 43 Westfield Sports 17
exISA
Fred Wood (13)
they should re-name it the "papa" shield. Cause hes the only one that really cares about it. All gloss and shine and prestige that the WS once had is gone. If schools gave a shit about it like the "good ole days" then it would hold weight as a premier schoolboy comp like yesteryear. Wish the press would stop touting the WS as some sort of benchmark in Australian Schools Rugby when comparing it to the GPS/CAS/ISA comps. tough games week in week out, not some micky mouse knock out comp that only ever ends up with either a) a glorified ISA match (usually when ACT schools are "kicked out" ) b) a best of the rest comp when other teams send second string teams "because of the HSC".
sarcophilus
Charlie Fox (21)
I am sorry you feel that way and your view has not changed in a year.
Inter school matches between schools of different associations, though not within competitions, and inter association competitions/ selection trials for school boy rep teams, indicate the remaining schools are playing good quality rugby. Without this comp there is no other potential expression of inter association competition at school level
I think you will find there are NSW school Boy reps in the Waratah Cup semi finals. This is great opportunity to share their success with their respective school communities at a very local level.
It (the shield)is currently going through an identity crisis I would agree. It would seem the managers of the comp have/are experimenting with a new pool format to enhance the nature of the competition.
better advertising and ease of access to results may help with the poor perception of this comp
what would you have i its absence?
Inter school matches between schools of different associations, though not within competitions, and inter association competitions/ selection trials for school boy rep teams, indicate the remaining schools are playing good quality rugby. Without this comp there is no other potential expression of inter association competition at school level
I think you will find there are NSW school Boy reps in the Waratah Cup semi finals. This is great opportunity to share their success with their respective school communities at a very local level.
It (the shield)is currently going through an identity crisis I would agree. It would seem the managers of the comp have/are experimenting with a new pool format to enhance the nature of the competition.
better advertising and ease of access to results may help with the poor perception of this comp
what would you have i its absence?
exISA
Fred Wood (13)
ok maybe im a bit harsh in my post - ill grant that as it is important for schools to have a competition to play in .
What irks me is the prestige and "top rugby school in the country" tags that get heaped on schools like Eddies and Auggies (read pappa coached teams) for winning it constantly - I will however concede that at least Auggies play in a tough competition (ISA) . The years eddies won the waratah shield were in a severley weakened ASC competition .
My yearly moan post stems from the contiual decline in quality of opposition entering/forfeiting and generally not giving a shit in what once was a quality *and* prestigious tournament when both public and private schools either a) had a chance or b) gave a shit.
What ever happened to the Wiburd Shield? that was once upon a time the Year 10 equivalent of the Waratah Shield (again when schools cared) .
What irks me is the prestige and "top rugby school in the country" tags that get heaped on schools like Eddies and Auggies (read pappa coached teams) for winning it constantly - I will however concede that at least Auggies play in a tough competition (ISA) . The years eddies won the waratah shield were in a severley weakened ASC competition .
My yearly moan post stems from the contiual decline in quality of opposition entering/forfeiting and generally not giving a shit in what once was a quality *and* prestigious tournament when both public and private schools either a) had a chance or b) gave a shit.
What ever happened to the Wiburd Shield? that was once upon a time the Year 10 equivalent of the Waratah Shield (again when schools cared) .
Quick Hands
David Wilson (68)
It's not so much that people don't care, but what we've seen in Sydney over the past 30 years (particularly the past 15) is a demographic change in what might be termed "traditional rugby areas".
What in essence has happened is that the populations in these areas are much more likely to go to a private school than they were in the 1970s or 1980s - particularly boys. Balgowlah Boys High had 1100 boys in the 1980s, now it has less than 600. North Sydney Boys has experienced the same demographic change as Sydney High - very few students are now from rugby backgrounds. Add to this that the average age of a state school teacher is about 58, so most of the rugby stalwarts have either: retired, been promoted away from school level, no longer have enough students to coach or have simply had enough.
There's also no way that a comprehensive state high school can match a private school with a rugby programme, so what gradually began to happen was that the early rounds started to have more and more mismatches. The weaker schools would play each other, but as soon as they came up against a school with a rugby programme, they'd just forfeit. Which gets us to where we are today - less than 20 schools enter and a few of them forfeit as well. You could pretty much pick the semi-finals before a match was played.
I don't like it any more than you do, but it's just the reality.
It just illustrates how ridiculous Nick Farr-Jones was last week when he advocated stronger CHS schools playing GPS schools - the reality on the ground has changed. The time for doing something has probably passed - 15 years ago there was a chance but no-one was interested.
The Waratah Shield winner is simply the Waratah Shield winner, it carries no more prestige than that. It bestows no cross association championship title whatsoever and never will.
exISA
Fred Wood (13)
Agree with 100% of what you say . Ive been watching/aware of the Waratah Shield since the late 80's so have seen it take its various life forms as you have described .
Your last paragraph is exactly what gives me the heeby jeebys and is bang on point - it is *just* the waratah shield winner. Maybe its the media banging it up to be some prestigious tournament - rewind back to when Joeys played Eddies in what was supposed to be a "clash of the titans" between Beales- undefeated- forever Joeys team and the "Waratah Shield champs for the last X years " Eddies . I remember having arguments/banter with some ACT Rugby experts trying to tell me that Eddies has a chance. I knew the game would end how it did and finally put to bed (at least in my eyes) how far off the then ASC was to the GPS/CAS .
One could argue that the same has happened to the ISA with Auggies dominating in similar fashion the ISA competition - I still however think the ISA is/was/has been stronger than the ASC . We can talk theories on why this may be , but I suspect its for the "topic that is only discussed in that thread" - is it any surprise since "Senator Papa-tine" left Eddies, their Rugby program is no where near what it was and a previously irrelevant school in regards to Rugby (Auggies) all of a sudden is now relevant (last how ever many years) ?
sarcophilus
Charlie Fox (21)
"Without this comp there is no other potential expression of inter association competition at school level"
as stated there is no contradiction here. It is a shame we have no access to exit interviews with schools no longer queuing to compete.
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