Here is an interesting conundrum, which may ultimately lead us to question the whole structure of the current Australian Schools Rugby Union organisation, and potentially assist them in examining their role in the overall scheme of the game.
Why have we put up with a program that does not work for so long?
I mean, for example, a kid gets a scholarship to an elite rugby school. He is a great player and one for the future, he is a real star of the 1st XV.
Now, maybe he was at that school since year four and deserves his genius status – we will call him a native. This article is not about that kid.
That is a Stirling Mortlock, Matt Giteau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, George Gregan, Stephen Larkham, Joe Roff et al. Those players really went on to make a mark in the Green and Gold.
(Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
But what if he came to that school in year 11 or 12 because he was plucked out of obscurity from some random high school as a result of his sheer talent and offered a scholarship?
Or an even worse situation would be if he was identified in the rugby league system years before and already had a manager ‘touting’ for him.
Then there is the third triangle player in the rugby schools orchestra (let us face it, school orchestras can never have too many triangle players!) So, the honest toiler does what his parents have told him to do; works his guts out on the training paddock and in the gym, as all players should, and gets noticed – only to be signed up by a rugby league talent scout offering more money.
Now, he is in the slot, onward and upward to his future league career. How did we let that happen?
Truth be told, It has been happening for years. The ASRU chaps let it happen and we all live with it. It makes me question if there is some funny business going on along the way. Certainly seems to be some sort of skullduggery or intentional blindless happening.
In the Navy, we had a thing called Return of Service; if the government made a significant investment in your training, you had an obligation to serve for a defined number of years, afterwards.
A pretty simple concept to understand and could be applied to private school rugby scholarship holders, in a similar vein.
Now, as a lawyer, I understand that it is hard to hold minors to contracts and that there are concepts in professional sport, as in the general community, such as unreasonable restraints of trade.
But for goodness sake, let us get real and apply principles of commonsense. Right is right, wrong is wrong, and black will never be white. If we are going to bring these kids into our system, we need to work out hard and fast ways of keeping them in our system.
What ticks me off, is that we blindly accept that this prodigy or that prodigy crossed over, and all we do is say “Gosh, we lost another one” – and then do nothing about it!
How do we stop it? I do not have all the answers, but we need to ask ourselves if the current schools system is relevant. If not, what are some answers – do we also need to be looking at “all” schools?
I am looking forward to debating what should be one of the hot topics in our game.
gatesy
Roar Guru
That's my whole point. Not all kids play for a club -in case you hadn't noticed a lot of them play other sports such as League or AFL or Soccer. This is a chance to scoop up a lot of them and you won't necessarily feed all of them into clubs, but I would guess we could broaden the base.
Jim
Roar Rookie
The GPS schools system in Australia still works, it still has major relevance, but rugby league is scalping it now. The Pathways have been corrupted. Far too much politics and favouritism. Too many poor coaches who are inept, but still control the development of our juniors and don't let the good coaches in. But the huge Elephant in the room is how poorly the game is viewed in Australia. It's completely shot itself in the foot. The game has lost control of its laws and any common sense. As an example , my son has always played both codes, league and union. Because of his upbringing he has always been more of a rugby player whilst still excelling at league. Now though he is losing interest, he is hugely talented, but cannot connect with the game anymore. He watches state of origin and sees the wow factor of league. He has huge family support and a love of the game, he does not need to be signed by league because he doesn't need the financial support. If any budding potential champion would be likely to stay in the game of Rugby it is him. But he is losing interest, he's talking more and more about league because the game he grew up loving has been disembowelled by stupidity, and no longer presents any sort of spectacle that he wants to watch, let alone aspire to. How that is driven has nothing to do with the GPS system. It's not about loyalty it's about the entertainment factor. Kids are losing interest.
Frankly
Roar Rookie
Interesting, why do you think rugby needs to be in schools? If the kids are playing for a club, where are the kids going to get time to play and train for 2 teams. If they are playing club rugby, doesn't that make school rugby redundent? If a school has a strong rugby program, great. I think it kids should either play for their school or for their club, not both.
Frankly
Roar Rookie
Arcturus, I had a discussion around school boy rugby in reaction to another Roar article weeks back. There are many that believe development of players need to be in the schools. I argued it needs to be in the clubs as they have the resources train and develop players, and provides an avenue for kids that go to a school that would never be able to support a rugby. I'm also aware of clubs that are no longer existent, or have been reduced to a subbies team when the club previously had up to 4 grades. How can rugby find new life in the 2 towns you have mentioned? Is it engaging kids in primary school and nurture them through the age group, and eventually build the player numbers to fill a senior team or teams?
Captain 15
Roar Rookie
Arcturus, Which country towns are they?? Very depressing! Captain
gatesy
Roar Guru
Great comment, Steve, but my suggestion is not to get bogged down in the detail yet, but to for RA to get every stakeholder around the table for a think tank, get an issue paper (whitepaper) written promptly and then start putting in place the basic pyramid structure that is needed from the ground up.
Adsa
Roar Rookie
Spot on Gatesy. Similar to you I don't know the answer on how to stop it. We saw League boys who dabbled in Union from up here in CQ go to Brisbane GPS schools on scholarships. Some would play lower grades at the School as they were not up to 1st xv level. The term I heard was warehousing players so another school could not get them. They took the gig on the advice that it could help them with NRL contracts. The feeder system is broken.
Brumby43
Roar Rookie
I have been heavily involved in both club and schools rugby. No-one knows where the next best player comes from. Eg Steve Larkham (public school), George Gregan (private). Private schools have more money and better facilities, while the public school needs support in all areas. In the case of here in Canberra, many junior clubs lose players to the private schools and hope they come back to the senior club after school. Also, the U18 and 1stXV competitions have been rolled into one which has lifted the standard of all players. I firmly believe that the cohesive existence will lead to more players staying in the game and raising the standard overall.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Because schools, even well resourced private schools are ill equipped in the professional era. NRL clubs worked that out years ago.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
For participation yes, not for professional development.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I don’t think schools care about development per se, they care only about their prestige. I don’t have a problem with that in and of itself, but RA can’t rely on them.
Sterling
Roar Rookie
You're connecting multiple dots and filling in a lot of blanks if that's what you think I'm saying. The fault lies with multiple bodies. Aust Rugby is super fractured. And yes, I think the school rugby system is one of them.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
No, but it is RA’s fault for relying on private schools as it’s pathway
Sterling
Roar Rookie
Agreed. Participation is the domain of subdistrict/suburban clubs, schools and district bodies. Nothing higher. Development is that of Premier Clubs & SR franchises. But if schools don't want to be responsible for development, then they should stop actively recruiting the top talent. It's a form of warehousing.
AndyS
Roar Rookie
I didn't think the author was suggesting destroying schools rugby, more that rugby should move away from relying on them. The fact that the sport is relying on the schools for 90% of its players, and mostly private schools at that, is very much the problem. That isn't a pathway, it is a narrow gully with lots of ambush points.
gatesy
Roar Guru
I wasn't suggesting that we dismantle the private school system. That would be seen as heresy to the system. This is just about creating a funnel for all schools to improve participation rates, talent identification and talent recognition, and by talent I don't just mean players. It can extend to referees, coaches, enthusiastic parents who might become sponsors, etc
Arcturus
Roar Rookie
Not insane, just continually disappointed that the two country towns I used to play rugby in, neither has a rugby club anymore. Yet the Leagues clubs are thriving. If you're a young person and you want to play rugby, your options as of now are to move towns, or hope your parents enrol you in an elite private school. Seems a bit pointless having a professional pathway if you can't even get on the path.
gatesy
Roar Guru
I'm not suggesting that the two are mutually exclusive. My plan, if possible, would see Rugby in schools as a mid-week event, then allow those new recruits to feed into the club system, on Saturdays and let the clubs do what they have always done best - that is tribalism and inclusiveness.
Footy Franks
Roar Rookie
Stupid comment Stirling, that it is the schools fault for Eddie’s wallabies woes
Footy Franks
Roar Rookie
Are You insane Arctaturus