This article about the situation in Australia was written by Charlie Drayton for the website TheRoar.com.au
The original link: http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/09/04/schoolboy-rugby-should-promote-poaching/
The ‘poaching’ of football players from public to private schools is the best thing to happen to rugby union since Israel Folau.
Some Sydney private schools are bolstering their first XV premiership rugby union sides with the best of west and players from anywhere but the north and the east.
The GPS competition is growing larger every year and the glorified private school rugby programs are attracting footy talent from far and wide.
Some schools opt to bring their rugby hopefuls in as early as year seven, where others wait until their team is in need of a few new young guns to replenish their stocks.
Despite it being an arrow through the heart of many proud old boys, poaching is the way of the future for schoolboy rugby and a seed in the ground for nurturing young Australian talent.
Having gone to a private school myself, I know how it feels to be second best to a team of superstars, but as my glory days grow old I have realised it is a step in the right direction for the sport.
The art of poaching is dragging players away from the decoy of rugby league and giving young boys an opportunity to not only promote their skills in the other code but also benefit from the perks of a private school education.
GPS rugby programs are being pumped up with the latest protein shakes, psychologists and gym equipment to give their team of ‘boys’ the best shot at glory.
The modern day critic would argue ‘it’s just school footy’ but who knows, they might just be the next generation of Wallabies which we so desperately need.
Nurturing professionalism earlier rather than later is going to inspire young footballers to take what they have learnt into not only rugby but also life after school.
New Zealand has an obsession with schoolboy rugby and a number of schools have been reproached for importing players into private schools but all were acquitted.
If anything we should emulate the Kiwi schoolboy programs.
This year marked a considerable change in the NSW GPS competition, with the first XV and second XV tier involving just six schools, leaving Sydney Boys High and Sydney Grammar School to battle it out with the other third XVs.
The super six is a bonus for school rugby, with schools playing 10 hard competition games in 2013 compared to only five in 2012.
It provides a platform for the necessary progression to Shute Shield colts who play a total of 17 round games.
GPS schoolboy rugby union in Sydney has marked the beginning of many Wallabies careers like Phil Waugh, Ben Robinson and Kurtley Beale to name a few but it shouldn’t stop there.
After watching two of the genuine heavyweights of GPS rugby, The Scots College and Newington College, battle it out last Saturday, I couldn’t help but notice there were probably more people there than any Wests Tigers game all year.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the future of schoolboy rugby union.
@Djou: Who said anything about Garsfontein? But if the shoe fits?
The statistics regarding bursaries are irrelevant and meaningless, as they only take school bursaries into account, which are insignificant compared to private bursaries via generous and or ambitious sponsors or individuals, usually but not always managed through a school trust or OB trust. I have stated this many times before on this forum, and those that partake in or benefit from it have confirmed it here as well.
@Beet: @Tjoppa: I think Tjoppa sucked a number out of the air and already it is taken as truthful and calculations made around the number? Are you really so gullible?
If you want to know why don’t you ask Rugbyman? He should know. But I will try to attend a match of Garsfontein and see if I can find the 12 development boys. If so, I will publicly apologise to you guys.
However, the economy is dead and numbers just tell me I am not going to apologise.
@beet: Add to the schools known for poaching is only spending on A teams. I am sure my assumption is not that far fetched
@Djou: Lets rather go where Tjoppa is going. Limit the % to A-team rugby, specifically 1st XV and u16A.
30 players. 40% would be 12. Not an unreasonable assumption.
@Tjoppa: 40%?? Say a big school has 12 teams on average. 200 players including reserves. 40% = 80 boys. Then take 80 boys @ say a bursary of R30 000 each = R2.4 million. No Tjoppa, not affordable.
@Djou: Maybe 5% nationally but at some schools it is up to 40%.
@Tjoppa: 100% in agreement. (The school is not Affies or Garsies, by the way).
But something interesting I read the other day reminds me of what is going on here. They (academics) call it the “emotional cascade”. Something (wrong) happening on a small scale attracts the attention of some people and they blow it out of proportion making it sound as if it is happening on a very large scale.
I really think the recruitment is not more than 5%. And almost all that is happening is reported on here or in other news. So we make it sound bigger than it is. I would rather focus on the 95%.
@Speartackle: Sorry forget you are part of the musketeers. One like all and all like one. Skies Spiesie. Hoop hy het dit gedoen ter wille van sy seun.
@Tjoppa: That you should ask Andre T, not me. I’m still commuting between Krugersdorp and Klerksdorp with regular pitstops at the Oberholzer Hotel. He has really improved his lifestyle since that horrible incident last year.
@Djou: May that be a lesson to those parents and teachers that did not give a damn for the ethos of that school. I hear big timber is going DOWN!!!!!
Was yesterday in North West and heard that a certain “prominent” school is threatening a wannabee school in Krugersdorp, who excels in water sports these days, as it is contravening education law by contracting the players in the school’s name on school letter heads. How stupid do you get?
@Speartackle: Sorry for asking Spiesie is it Saxonworld or Sex on World in other words Krugersdorp. Just asking my friend. Impress your friends with honesty and integrity. We all know who you are.
@Ploegskaar: @kobusdoep: An example of what just happened in the north. A particular school who denied providing bursaries or recruiting from other schools, landed itself in hot water. Some of the learners with bursaries unfortunately could not keep their mouths shut and now the parents are demanding answers from the school – both the parents of learners who were under the impression their sons’ shool fees are paid for by way of bursaries and the parents of learners who believed that the school was not engaged in these practices. Denying it and doing it discreetly will eventually backfire on you. As Woltrui will discover – very soon.
The picture illustrates the north………northern suburbs of JHB………far away from the West Rand although I occasionally go to my little flat there in Wentworth Park
@kobusdoep: It is definitely not confined to the North Vaal schools and as prevalent here in the South. It’s probably just done more discreetly down here, but that does not make it more acceptable.
I think we feel the same! Unfortunately the picture you painted does almost not exist anymore. Sorry I pointed north but it is more blatant there than anywhere else.
@kobusdoep: I hear you KDoep. I bow my head in shame
@Woltrui: OMW…. This comment coming out of the north!!!! Hahaha….
@beet: They have already exiled him to Vodaworld on the golf course, hoping to escalate property prices and now he thinks he is in Saxonworld.
Please don’t let us follow in the footsteps of the convicts. Don’t let us even entertain the idea. If we do the pleasure and charm of schoolboy rugby would be lost. Schoolboy rugby have a certain charm which you don’t get in any other sport. The extreme loyalty between team mates playing for specific schools. The fanatical support for schools and the rivalry between schools. In South Africa we have a unique schoolboy rugby tradition which is not founded in any other country in the world.
You Aliens have no idea how idyllic life in Krugersdorp is. Our first attempt at a Regatta last week was something to behold. As soon as the water drains away we’ll return to playing rugby and annoy the heck out of the “big” rugby schools. Dont know where the “lot of money” will come from, we’re very simple people. We only have lots of water (sometimes). The money flows in the north, not here.
@beet: Just for interest’s sake………The T has moved into Saxonwold
@BOG: Or by getting Andre T to move into a house near a major school in a neighbouring town, even if it’s just for 6 months. Property prices tumble and Krugersdorp seems like a much safer place to raise a family and take the pitbull for a walk without a lead
Its the ONLY way that they will get kids to live in Krugersdorp- force or a lot of money
If Australia starts to shift their focus away from rugby league and start to concentrate and promote rugby union(what we play) rather in their country, they will easily become the best rugby nation in the world. Australia have a massive amount of rugby talent which are playing rugby league and even AFL..those guys can get so much more international exposure with rugby union and they should start motivating the boys to switch to union rugby instead..
I fully agree…………it’s not only the future of schoolboy rugby but the future of rugby as a sport.
Krag vs Krag
The schools who can’t poach must play in the Mickey Mouse leagues
The time has come for a national competition. The sponsors are there………big bucks for the powerhouses and peanuts for the Mickey Mouses
Let Bog feed the peanuts