It’s time to get serious about Under 20s rugby
Roar Guru
By Working Class Rugger, 2 Mar 2010 Working Class Rugger is a Roar Guru
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- ARU, Rugby Union, wallabies
Later this year will see the third edition of both the Junior World Cup (JWC) and Junior World Rugby Trophy (JWRT). The JWC being held in Argentina is the one that, as Australian Rugby supporters, has more relevance to us.
The first two editions have seen 16 teams compete.
However, this year’s JWC will only have 12 to maintain the highest levels of competition possible. The teams ranked 13-16 have been relegated back down into the JWRT, where they will compete for promotion with the lesser likes of the rugby world.
While we are hardly in danger of relegation as a Top 3 ranked nation at the senior international level, we greatly underachieve at this level. This is the direct result of the lack of competition for young rugby players outside of Schoolboys and Colts Rugby at club level.
Put simply, our ‘next generation’ Wallabies are not tested near enough against equally talented opposition. This is a situation that must be rectified to ensure we produce world class Wallabies well into the future.
While a senior National Competition is a long way off, if ever, at least outside any possible expansion of the Australian conference via Super Rugby, an U20’s competition could be the very solution needed to keep Australian rugby competitive at both Super and International level.
Considering the supposed increase in income that will be derived from the upcoming TV Deal, the ARU, alongside its stakeholder’s in the form of the State Union bodies, investigate the viability of either an Australian U20’s Championship or a Trans-Tasman version, both based along the Super Rugby system.
Both competitions would provide increased standard of play, regularly testing the best juniors in the country (and possibly New Zealand), as well as implementing a vital and long overdue development pathway.
If a Trans-Tasman Competition was attempted, both the Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby teams could run U20’s squads to play in curtain raiser prior to home matches while taking games to regional centres while the senior squad are on tour in either New Zealand, Australia or South Africa.
With 10 teams, the possibility of a 2 round championship could be a real chance.
If both the ARU and States choose to go it alone, alongside the 5 established State-based teams, the establishment of 3 new ‘Academies’ would be necessary to add increased depth and competition.
Western Sydney, Gold Coast and Adelaide could compete in a 14 game season, running concurrently, with Super Rugby again playing curtain raisers prior to their senior squads or in regional centres.
There is an issue of cost, but consider that this Championship would be less about money and more about development, opportunity and education. By using budget carriers and flying teams in the night before and flying them out directly after the game, it would keep the overall costs to a minimum.
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King of the Gorganites said | March 2nd 2010 @ 7:30am | Report comment
Good article WCR.
Further to our discussion yesterday about Russian rugby in another thread, am i correct in saying that the JWRT is being hosted by Russia?
Working Class Rugger said | March 2nd 2010 @ 10:00am | Report comment
KOGS
I’m pretty sure it is. It has been awarded to Russia as part of the IRB’s push into the country. Should be another good tournament. At least the last two have been. I will be interested to see how the likes of Romania and the US handle to 4 relegated nations from the JWC.
rugbyfuture said | March 2nd 2010 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
and russia got into RWC2011 with euro 2 with georgia in euro 1
Working Class Rugger said | March 2nd 2010 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
RF
Well actually the Euro 1 and 2 spots aren’t decided quite yet. Yes, both Georgia and Russia are both New Zealand bound but Georgia still can lose it top ranking. Its likely to come down to their final faceoff in Turkey later this month. The smart money would be Georgia but the Russian could produce a surprise or two.
rugbyfuture said | March 2nd 2010 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
still, russia is on its way, which is good.
Working Class Rugger said | March 2nd 2010 @ 2:39pm | Report comment
RF
Undoubtedly. Their progress has been nothing short of phenomenal. I really have to give the IRB its credit. It has invested significant time, effort and finances to bring Russian Rugby closer to the top t in World Rugby. Considering the massive improvement in a relatively short timeframe I exoect them to in the not too distant future usurp Georgia a the top of the ENC.
You may also be interested in a meeting that will occur in LA involving the IRB and its ‘Performance’ Unions ( formerly Tier 2). It main objective will be to come to an agreement regarding regular international fixtures along the same lines as the 12 ‘High Performance’ ( Tier 1) Nations beginning in 2012. This will mean the likes of Canada, the US, Russia, Georgia, Portugal,Germany,Romania and Spain could finally have regular annual international competition. Good news.
rugbyfuture said | March 2nd 2010 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
this is good news, sounds awesome
King of the Gorganites said | March 2nd 2010 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
thats interesting about the meeting to be held in LA. very promosing.
I believe that tier two nations need to play regular tests against the top natons, so that when it comess to the WC they are not intimated by the ‘bigger countries’.
canda played wales in cardiff last year on a friday night. 60K people were at the game!. canada were almostr leading at half time. i believe that more opportuinties like that will help improve the tier 2 nations.
last year australia had to play italy twice. both games were poorly attended and of a low qaulity. IMHO it would be better for the fans to see australia play a country like russia. it would be something different. i think the crowds may actually improve. even though russia etc may not compete, aussies love underdogs, plus these teams have to start somewhere.
what i propose is that the tier two nations (excluding the weaker teams like germany and spain) play at least two games against 6 nations oppostion or tri nations oppostion. for example a team like russia does a mini southern hemisphere tour. they start with a match against fiji in suva, followed by a match against the wallabie in gosford, finfinished with a match against the AB’s in rotoura. the same would apply to the northern hemisphere. each season two tier 2 teams will tour the southern hemisphere, whilst two will tour the northern hemisphere. that means the larger countries like aus play 1 or two games more a year.
PastHisBest said | March 2nd 2010 @ 8:34am | Report comment
I agree that more is needed to be done at this level WCR.
It is my understanding that the NZ super teams already run an under 20′s program – or at least they used to. And I’m just not sure that NZ would be at all interested. They compete quite nicely at this level and it would only be of benefit to Australia to establish something along the lines you mention.
But I back you 100% on the need for games of more quality and quantity for schoolboys and juniors.
Working Class Rugger said | March 2nd 2010 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
KOGS
We’ll likely see an agreement between the IRB and the other stakeholder’s to create a regular fixtures list amongst that particular competitive level. However, up until recently IRB sponsored Canada on a 5 year cycle to tour Tier 1 Nations in November so we could see that occur again with the top Tier 2 Nations. Ideally that would be the case. On the other hand maybe I’m wrong and the door is about to be open to the likes of Russia, Georgia, Canada and the USA to begin to play higher quality opposition. Or conversely we could see the likes of Scotland, Italy and the Pacific Island Nations begin to play these Nations more often.
Hammer said | March 2nd 2010 @ 8:42am | Report comment
I suspect the NZRFU might glance at it if the ARU wanted to solely fund the whole concept – but even then it would be a stretch what exactly is in it for NZ ? – their kids get funnelled straight into the NPC – which provides a completely different level of competition to the one you’re proposing
Working Class Rugger said | March 2nd 2010 @ 8:43am | Report comment
Pasthisbest
THat’s partly why I presented two options. Personally I’d like to see Australian Rugby develop its own U20′s Competition with the 5 Super teams plus three new Academies.
PastHisBest said | March 2nd 2010 @ 8:47am | Report comment
I don’t think they would Hammer. As you quite rightly point out, kids at that level are whacked into the NPC (think Luke Braid and Chris Smith), much better competition for them. Even senior club rugby in NZ would be a better proving ground for them. The only players that would benefit would be the Australians.
If the NZRU want to increase Australia’s chances of winning world cups in the future, I say go ahead!
Ora said | March 2nd 2010 @ 9:06am | Report comment
I don’t see why not an Under 20′s comp like the NRL would be fantastic, Australias strength in rugby has to be good for world rugby and especially that of the SANZAR partners. Not only would it give our U20′s a chance to match it with their counterparts from Australia it would also open up our kids not deemed ready for ANZC to another avenue and platform to perform and improve. I see it as a win win situation for both countries as it would give more spots for much needed improvement.
Working Class Rugger said | March 2nd 2010 @ 9:25am | Report comment
Ora
That’s the spirit. Not every Schoolboy in NZ is ready to make the step up to the ANZC immediately after leaving. Such a competition would give them a crucial development period to really get going. As I see it both countries need this level just to keep up with our ‘High Perfromance’ counterparts. Especially South Africa who not only have a competitive School Championships but now the Varsity Cup, Vodacom Cup, Currie Cup and finally Super Rugby.
Ora said | March 2nd 2010 @ 9:31am | Report comment
We do have a very healthy school boys competion WCR and U20′s at most clubs but a tournament like you have proposed could be hugely beneficial to both countrues
Working Class Rugger said | March 2nd 2010 @ 8:55am | Report comment
Hammer
Its more or less about player development. That is perhaps the biggest issue within Australian Rugby. Our best player’s more often than not come out of school straight into Super Rugby and struggle. The competition with NZ was just a suggestion. Linking U20′s teams to existing Super Rugby teams would expose young player’s to top line training while having regular competition. It would give many of our player’s a one to two year period of physical and skill development that would make the transition up to Professional Rugby far easier. That’s what the NPC has provided for years.
I recognise the value of the ANZC in developing up and coming talent in New Zealand. We however do not possess that. Having this level would greatly increase our ability to compete well into the future.
Hammer said | March 2nd 2010 @ 9:33am | Report comment
I understand what you’re trying to say – I’m just saying I can’t see the NZRFU committing funds to a TT concept when they’ve already got proven pathways established .. the only way I could see them even contemplating this would be if the ARU were prepared to totally fund the whole thing … definitely an option for the Aust teams to look at – esp with the S15 proposal of increased number local clashes … but I can’t see the NZ teams coming onboard
Working Class Rugger said | March 2nd 2010 @ 9:55am | Report comment
Hammer
I understand where your coming from. It was just a suggestion. Personally it would be great in NZ got on board but in terms of our development not overly essesntial. As I have already stated we could do it ourselves with the existing Super Rugby organisation plus three other development squads.
TruBlu said | March 2nd 2010 @ 9:21am | Report comment
It’s critical that something like this happens. Outside of Sydney and Brisbane there is no real development pathway for U20′s. The only option straight to the big smoke or some choose the Brumbies path, I’m not sure if that has proven to be that successful?
Working Class Rugger said | March 2nd 2010 @ 9:42am | Report comment
Trublu
Depending on which path was taken both the Country Unions could look to enter squads. Thus at least in the short term keeping many of them in the country without the need to relocate.
sheek said | March 2nd 2010 @ 10:52am | Report comment
Off the top of my head, I can think of two players who went straight from schoolboys to a super franchise (Waratahs) – David Lyons & Kurtley Beale. And perhaps Rob Horne was another???
Despite both becoming Wallabies, neither can be said to have fulfilled the elaborate hype surrounding them. This is because faults in their makeup, both in technique & temperament, weren’t weeded out before hitting the big-time.
If I were advising promising young rugby players, I would tell them to go play league for 3-4 seasons after leaving school, then return to rugby at around age 22-23. The development of young league players (mid-late teens/early 20s) is far more advanced than for their union counterparts.
This is an obvious problem for union, & it needs to be fixed.
Working Class Rugger said | March 2nd 2010 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
Sheek
“The development of young league players (mid-late teens/early 20s) is far more advanced than for their union counterparts.
This is an obvious problem for union, & it needs to be fixed.”
Hence the reason for my article. Its a very obvious issue that is an absolute must on the ARU’s ‘fix it’ list. I’m not sure about the physical development issue as from experience watching and participating in both at Schoolboy particualarly GPS and MCS ( arguably the two sporting organisations where the highest concentration of respective talent are educated) they tended to be at the same level. Its the competitive structures where League leaves Rugby in its wake. A Junior can rise from playing park RL through SG Ball and Toyota Cup and be NRL ready at a younger age than a Rugby player can be.
Rugby as a whole has to address this much sooner than later.