Sometimes we need to get our priorities right. Whether that is in life, work or in a professional sports career, the busy schedule of the modern world we have today leaves less time to look on our ‘back doorstep’. In the midst of this Rugby World Cup, the RugbyNZ_ Overview takes time out to reflect on Schoolboy Rugby, Age Grade competition and our game.
Today, my RugbyNZ_ column covers ‘grassroots rugby’ at it’s base — the age old tradition of school age rugby. Such a breaking ground for the famous, and not so famous, participants from all regions where this game has caught a foothold. That is in the schools, in clubs youngest entry level Rippa Rugby, and in the game played socially — in the parks, on the playground and in regional organised events.
We cover this because, as I said, it is a busy time in our rugby calendars. But while that is ‘rugby heaven’ for most of us, it does pay to acknowledge the other levels of competition being played at this time of year. That includes the the all important schools First XV and age grade divisions that will reach their final stages before the summer sports invade our calendar.
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Schoolboy Rugby
Wanting to head up to QBE Stadium and to watch North Harbour Rugby play Counties-Manukau in the ITM Cup this season, I found myself driving past the local rugby grounds (running late, I have to admit). Noticing a greater number of cars outside than normal, I recalled that the local Schoolboy Rugby competition was in full swing, so I clicked on the indicator and headed down to the sidelines of the Silverdale United rugby grounds.
For many, the game evolves from this grassroots level, with current players in ITM Cup, Heartland Championship and even the Women’s Provincial Championship all beginning at the school First XV and age grade representative levels. That fact alone is an acknowledgement that this is a crucial point of development which allows players to learn the important lessons in discipline and increased training regimes, as many adolescents will have gone from just simply ‘throwing a ball around’ to now being a part of their school/colleges high performance units.
That means the increased need for dedicated training, managing fitness in combination with studies, learning the rules of sportsmanship and representing the schools’ values. For many, it is the first experience of reaching set goals and for a select few, progressing up the age grades towards full representative level rugby does become their personal goal.
What is also still evident though, is the enjoyment and satisfaction that children and young men/women gain from such competition. Down at the park on a Saturday afternoon, there would have been up to 300 people watching, so it was these players’ first exposure to the exhilaration of having families, friends and followers cheer them on, and that can be contagious.
Whilst I respect that pure enjoyment, what is now more important are the roles that schools, colleges and regional sports organisations have in organising this representation. Every school from Silverdale, New Zealand to Soweto, South Africa will, in 2015, have programs in place that allow children to apply themselves and to reach a high-performing level at their own school, district or region.
Pathway to selection.
Over the years, we have seen positive improvements in this system of player recognition, identification and in fostering raw talent. For some schools, they have taken it to the next level and in College sport especially, the player prospects and candidates are often approached early once they are seen to be potential ‘game breakers’. Some are even brought in from overseas — emigrants or players leaving their homeland to move to a school/college in the pursuit of rugby and schooling facilities unavailable in their own land.
The positive examples of this can be seen at Wesley College, where young students with sports talent can apply to the school for general admission, or if from out of the area, can look to board at the school and become absorbed into the sports and educational curriculum. The most famous alumnus is Jonah Lomu, but the list also includes many provincial representatives, as well as ITM Cup and higher representative players of note.
Progressing through the many schoolboy rugby systems is now a clear pathway to future representative level sport. That is mostly a positive outcome, but when we look at the good, you often need to examine the bad too — for example, players being approached to switch schools or being coerced into pledging with an out -of -area school just to promote that organisation’s sporting ambitions.
Yes it does happen at the earliest levels, and in quality schools the lure for young players and their families of a high-performing, recognized FirstXV or a stronger educational system can see ‘players of interest’ being swayed towards a school who may offer better incentives, which is well outside the pure principals of rugby. But it does happen, and unlike in American College Sport, where controls and protocols are followed and policed, in New Zealand if Auckland Grammar target a player from Kaipara College and draw him away from his local school, it is all too often we say “that student is lucky to be selected”.
Whilst most of the time this holds true, but, for say, a player running around for Orewa College on the Silverdale rugby ground who is lured to a bigger, more established college by promises and ‘questionable tactics’, it can sometimes smell of elitism. When such an offense has been sighted, they can come with fines and repercussion if schools are found to be promoting this policy in their Rugby Departments.
Yes, investment can and must be made in any player might shift region/emigrate for legitimate reasons, but it must also be ethical and be rewarding for the child first and foremost.
What I can tell you though, is that Schoolboy Rugby definitely still has a draw on fans of grassroots rugby. It halted me, for one, from going to the bigger stadium, and to their credit North Harbour in fact did upset the Steelers side (28-20, well done). I still see the value and appeal in watching kids from Orewa College playing a Silverdale Under-16 representative side play on a familiar field.
It just feels like ‘real rugby’ at it’s Grassroots best.
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Age Grade competition.
Between clubs Rippa Rugby level and the schools programs, regional systems begin to organise the children (boys and girls teams, as well as mixed) into mini-competitions. These allow for a level of competitiveness not promoted until the children have established minimum standards, a solid understanding of the game and of course, are happy to compete [some children may naturally be removed due to attrition and changes in focus/enthusiasm].
The regional teams are now organised into modules and ‘pods’ within school clusters. These identify the children available, with parents’ encouragement of course, and the boys and girls can then compete to join squads that will soon compete in some established tournaments. One of those is the Roller Mills tournament, hosted this season by Northland Rugby (Whangarei, New Zealand).
With a rich history stretching over 90 years, the competition boasts young participants that included Wilson Whineray, Colin Meads, Grant Fox, Kevin Schuler, Keven Mealamu, Stephen Donald and Kieran Read to name but a few. Such former players gives this competition a great credibility, so that invited regions hold the Roller Mills as a highlight of the calendar.
Based on a 57kg maximum weight, it allows children to compete on an even standing with other kids the same size, so the games are in groups to find the best sides, but there is also a large focus on the fairest and the most improved players and sides. That aspect will ensure many more players are congratulated on their efforts, and stay within the game.
Televised rugby
In recent times, our national Pay Television network Sky TV has made commitments to publicizing the very best of Age-grade competition. That is in several ways, including Landrover First XV Rugby that televise’s senior schoolboy rugby (usually one match per week) on selected Sky Sports channels.
This ensures an exposure of the game, from the on-site broadcasting of the game; which brings with it a focused approach from those schools being filmed and that usually shows in the raised performance. The heightened competition and slick production is twofold (1) in promoting the game to a wide market, and (2) bringing pride to those schools on show as much as ex-students who show pride in their alumni and increase the loyalty value.
Sky Sports also promote the Premier age grade competition, during the Under 19’s Jock Hobbs Memorial Tournament. This includes the best players from within their region, that are presented within this national competition to compete for two prestigious rewards.
The top seeded teams after the round robin series vie with each other to compete for the Graham Mourie Cup (for the teams finishing in first and second place) and the Michael Jones Cup (for teams placing third and fourth). The names represent two of the standout All Blacks, and it recognizes Jock Hobbs who captained his national side, as well as helping to engineer the hosting of the successful 2011 tournament.
These broadcast competitions, along with the Roller Mills event and other competitions through out the country (Southern, Mid-North and Lower-North Island) all help to elevate our game outside of the top grades and previously recognizable teams. It has built on the successes of the past, the heritage and the enthusiasm of the participants.
NOTE: The New Zealand Under 20 representative side is selected from this group, and the Junior Rugby World Championships are a key step in players pathways towards a professional career within the NZ rugby system.
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New Zealand Rugby support
To support the development of the game; at any stage, not just in Schools but primarily pointed towards organisations and the individuals, NZ Rugby has in place crucial resources and a structure to reinforce the work done by the school-system. The SmallBlacks program is that early step into the game, exposing the children and parents to the enjoyment in physical activity which is usually non-contact at the earliest age.
Not only does it include skills development and the rules and values of the game, it has endorsement with inclusion of some current All Blacks like Dan Carter, and that positive reinforcement is then used to encourage participation through school teams and in rugby clubs and regional organisations.
NZ Rugby have created many elements for this age group from five years old up to 11 or 12 years when they move from age to a more weight-structured system. One of the elements is the ‘Applaud System’, where fair play is rewarded through interaction with the players, parents, coaches and spectators – to ensure that a positive message is communicated, including Certificates of Merit, the Green Card for fair play and spot prizes for parents, given to volunteers and spectators to promote positive support. It all goes towards placing children on a pathway towards further participation.
- Within New Zealand Rugby, there are 520 clubs are affiliated to the NZRU. In a statement in September 2010, Brent Anderson stated “This year we had 74,334 children aged 12 years and under registered as playing rugby, which is up 700 on last year (see reference link)
While the control of sports participation is predominantly through children’s interest alone, it is also naturally generated through parents interaction and encouragement. The social factor is important and the family group dynamic is fundamental in the early values. Who else remembers their mothers waking them early on a Saturday, with a solid breakfast before heading off for a game?
The only component not included are the children themselves. An unknown factor, as children have such a wide choice today–from Rugby, Netball, Swimming, Golf or Petanque. Why kids play sport is up to them, and even with all the resources in place, it is the boy or girl who ultimately chooses. The key to any successful future is the enthusiasm shown by the individual.
All these elements cannot ensure children turn up for training, but it can help them pick up the games’ rules and motivate them to participate, and then hopefully return the next season with a smile on their face. That point can never be lost as it is key to the entire goal. Kids playing sport in Schoolboy Rugby, Age Grade competition and our game in general.
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In this article, I hope you can see the important role that Schoolboy Rugby and Age Grade competition have on this sport. From here, children can become young men and go as far in this sport as their talent and enthusiasm will take them.
But most important of all, they will never lose that deep rooted love for our game.
“Main photo”
