Record growth has rugby chiefs beating their chests

[wholetruth]

Nick Taylor, The West Australian
Rugby participation in WA grew by a record 11.5 per cent this year with more than 8000 players registered with the State union.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...-their-chests/

[hertryk]

We need to get all 8000 to sign the petition for Sharpie....... How do we contact them... !!! ???

[PeterM]

That is indeed fantastic news and a great sign of things to come hopefully it will lead to more local born and bred players going on to play for the EWF

[Eel]

Imagine what the participation rate would be like in WA if the Force and Wallabies were actually winning games and successful ...

[shasta]

Imagine what the participation rate would be like in WA if the Force and Wallabies were actually winning games and successful ...

Watch this space..........
Posted via Mobile Device

[James]

For how long?

[AndyS]

...'cos I'm still watching, haven't blinked, but bad stuff is starting to happen...

[shasta]

For how long?

Patience Grasshopper.
Posted via Mobile Device

[.X.]

Good things come to those who wait.

And Wait

And wait.......

[Stone Cold]

A steady influx of Kiwis, Saffas and Poms to a lesser extend doesn't hurt the upward trend.

[hertryk]

A steady influx of Kiwis, Saffas and Poms to a lesser extend doesn't hurt the upward trend.

Get them all to sign the petition... !!!

[PeterM]

http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/rug...-1226536511273

THE pathway for Victoria's aspiring rugby internationals traditionally involved scholarships to interstate private schools, family upheaval and the challenge of coping with massive change.

Of the select group to have managed the transition, Digby Ioane and Ewen McKenzie are the best credentialled - and exceptional.

The ratio of failure to success has been overwhelming.

Until now.

The advent of the Melbourne Rebels has led to an impressive international presence, with five players involved in last month's Wallabies tour of Europe.

Nick Phipps, Kurtley Beale, Mitch Inman, Cadeyrn Neville and Scott Higginbotham made the cut, while injured James O'Connor and Cooper Vuna could not be considered.

Other players, including Hugh Pyle, Luke Jones and Jarrod Saffy are now regularly linked to Wallabies team discussions.

But behind what has become an impressive shop-front window, a talent revolution is well under way.

Seven Victorians have been selected in Australian teams this season, providing fresh evidence of a better pathway that doesn't involve interstate private schools.

Kemu Valetini, Siotame Kavapalu, Moli Sooaemalelagi, Niua Puaka, Junior Laloifi, Bill Valetini and Pat Toeta have all graduated to international level after being uncovered locally by Rebels scouts.

Josh Philpot and Matt Tink are two of the major drivers behind the surge in numbers.

Tink said there have been significant changes over the past three years.

"Three years ago, any talented kid in rugby, I knew about them," he said.

"Now they're coming out of the woodwork.

"We seem to be punching above our weight.

"It's all about providing the kids with a pathway - and our pathway in Victoria seems to be shorter."

Figures show Victoria is outperforming both the ACT and Western Australia, despite having fewer athletes.

According to figures provided to the Herald Sun, ACT had a total of 5400 junior registered players last year but provided only four international representatives this season.

WA boasted a pool of 6200 juniors last year but had no international representation in 2012.

Victoria produced its seven representatives from 3000 players.

"The numbers don't lie," Philpot said. "We've always known we've had talented kids here, but it's about providing a pathway.

"It's exciting to think that some of these kids coming through now don't have to move away to make the transition to Super Rugby or to international level.

"They have the chance here to be mentored by some great people at the Rebels, to train with internationals and to learn.

"We are now seeing the results of that kind of ... exposure."

[PeterM]

I saw the above and posted it to engage a discussion and get a better understanding being a newbie on the Perth Rugby seen to understand from those with more knowledge than me where we as WA rugby are falling down and Victoria which is a state obsessed with the other 'football' code are getting more players to top level honours and Super 15

[wholetruth]

Figures show Victoria is outperforming both the ACT and Western Australia, despite having fewer athletes.
According to figures provided to the Herald Sun, ACT had a total of 5400 junior registered players last year but provided only four international representatives this season.
WA boasted a pool of 6200 juniors last year but had no international representation in 2012.
Victoria produced its seven representatives from 3000 players.
"The numbers don't lie," Philpot said

Yes they do.
Apparently the figures used by the ARU include those supplied by the VicRU on kids who played just ONE game of Wallarugby in ONE session at a school.
And what's this no international representation. I suggest the author checks his facts

[shasta]

Looking at those names, I'd be interested to know if some of those kids are from the islands and being provided scholarships. Not that that is a problem. Just wondering. The numbers are wrong anyway. WA had at least one age group rep in flyhalf Kyle Godwin who has graduated to a Force contract.
He is the fourth WA product to play for the Force IIRC.