WA schools poor standard

[AndyS]

This is probably going to be a contentious question, but should the focus for age rugby be on the clubs rather than the schools? It is certainly the case (or at least, was) for sports like cricket and aussie rules.

[pruc]

some schools like hale/aranmore will always be more focused on there rugby then most schools. the main fact why we arent as strong as other states. pool we draw from. thats why we produce so many footy players because we have a larger pool say then QLD or NSW. more players to chose from=more competition=better rugby players

[uglea]

To Pruc,

My shot is that most of my comments stick to either clubs or schools regardless. If you reckon they dont, let me know how many coaches dont walk the touchlines during their team's match or whinge to the ref about hgis decisions and if the skill level is there, why dont we see a vast difference between the two mobs?

Obviously an astitute reader like your self would recognise that I stooped to likening school boy rugby to Britannia (club rugby) to emphasis the sideline behaviour of spectators and support are quite similar.

[blindsid3]

As a product of a CAS school in NSW (albeit 20 years ago) I would suggest that the the difference between Private Schools in NSW and here is the sheer number of kids playing Rugby.

In my high school we had U12s to U16s and Opens. U12s to U16s had teams graded A to F.

The opens had the 1st XV to 6th XV.

If you were graded outside of those teams you played "Colour Rugby" which was an internal competition, ocaisionally getting a run against the likes of ST Joseph's 12Zs.

Our friend Pruc has stated that the 1st XV games here in Perth are of a high standard. I accept that may be the case. But I would point out to him that to date WA has produced one wallaby: the QLD / NSW GPS and CAS schools have produced hundreds...

A true measure of the standard of Rugby in WA will be when WA schools are not only producing wallabies, but beating their eastern states counterparts consistently. There is a great thread running at http://forum.sportal.com.au/viewthre...?t=4532&page=2 which talks about the best rugby school in Australia. I pinched the following stats from there:



Australian Schoolboy representation.


A.R.F.S.U. Representation by Schools 1973-2006

*** Joseph's College, Hunters Hill, Sydney
82

*** Edmund's College, Canberra
58

Nudgee College, Brisbane
46

Brisbane State High School
42

The King's School, Parramatta
28

Waverley College, Sydney
26

Brisbane Grammar School
27

Marist College, Ashgrove, Brisbane
23

Marist College, Canberra
23

The Southport School
22

*** Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace, Brisbane
21

The Scots College, Sydney
21

*** Ignatius' College, Riverview
20

Anglican Church Grammar School, Brisbane
19

[Burgs]

Full list they pinched that from of schools with four or more selections here: http://austschools.rugbynet.com.au/default.asp?id=24297

To demonstrate the opposite you could pose the question, how many AFL/VFL players has Western Australia (& South Australia, Victoria, even Tasmania) produced compared to NSW & Queensland.

It is not the Winter sport of first choice in WA, it NEVER will be however, that doesn't mean the measure of success is consistently beating States of far greater depth and failure is not being able to.

If WA can turn out two or three S14 Squad Members per year from the comparatively very small footprint I would call that as successful as that coming from the might NSW & Qld.

I think we all agree that depth is a key to greater development.

[Shaun]

Here is my 2cents.

I have just completed my yr 10 rugby season and a group of about 7 of us started our first weights session today. about 3 of us are turning 16 this yr (including me) and the rest are turning 15. I don't know much about this stunting of growth topic; but I'm sure if you warm down correctly and don't over work yourself this should not be an issue? Anyways next year I will be playing in the open division of the PSA competiton wiht other members of TWF such as Ren and Pruc. For myself and Ren our rugby coaching will be of the highest standard with Mr Steve Mcfarland the inugural Western Force Academy coach being our head coach. depth in WA I agree is far behind, Hale goes from 1st-3rds in the open division. In terms of producing players at the end of schooling Hale is becoming one of the leading school if not the leading school in WA with 2 players picked in the inugural Force academy and now another, Dane. Dane and Justin Turner have also been selected to represent Aus A schoolboys. So yes I do believe WA is behind the Eastern States; but the gap seems to be closing.

[jazza93]

yea weights dont stunt your growth i do them at swimming once a week and my coach knows all about that stuff. i think heavy weights and bench presses stunt your growth.

[Burgs]

Yeah, I'm by no means a weights expert but what was explained to us was that weights for general fitness and endurance is fine but normally when people refer to "weights" they mean for bulk muscle strength and that is harmful on undeveloped and still growing bones.
16 years may feel all grown up but your skeleton doesn't think so...

[Shaun]

I'm certainly hoping to grown alot more; but will be going to the weights room on Mondays and Fridays

[BOD is GOD]

Weights does not stun you're growth it is only when doing heavy weights on a regular basis two times a week will not have an affect at all in stunting growth

[BOD is GOD]

Looking at the perth spirit side that played against Adelaide No.6 Tom Murday WA colt is he from WA if so what school did he go to?

[Burgs]

Not so much "stunting your growth", that's what tea and coffee does (just ask my Mum, that's what she told us as kids )... it is that building excessive muscle "bends" green bones and effects you down the track.

[frontrow]

I lifted a lot of heavy weights when i was 15-16 and it never hurt me, well not too much...Only problem is you eat more to keep developing, and when you get injured or go off the track then you have to remember to stop eating more or you get fat, hence my new bodyimage....( although it has been a few years since i have trained seriously....

[Burgs]

hence my new bodyimage

[shasta]

Not so much "stunting your growth", that's what tea and coffee does (just ask my Mum, that's what she told us as kids )... i

Tea, Coffee

How many packs a day did your Mum smoke?