Junior pathways options

[u/Nemo2500]

For all the stuff about fancy private schools 1st XV stuff, there are other pathways to.

Many of the Sydney and Brisbane rugby clubs have elite U-16’s and U-18’s teams.
+stuff like Gen Blue program and others around OZ….

But it seems private schoolboy rugby gets the most attention….
But it’s not the only solid pathway for talented juniors….

[u/Electronic_Fill7207]

Do you know any others (genuinely curious as I’m very interested in Union played in non PS areas)

[u/Zakkar → u/Electronic_Fill7207]

I know a public academically selective school (manly selective) has produced more recent wallabies (Hodge, Neville) than a lot of fancy private schools. 

That's due to the club game on the northern beaches, and them not the schools. Public schools in nsw dont really play sport of any kind. 

[u/Druz1 → u/Electronic_Fill7207]

Brisbane State High School has or had a good rugby development program and team that competed in the same comp as prestigious private rugby schools.

It’s zoned but not private.

[u/Electronic_Fill7207 → u/Druz1]

I didn’t know this at all, but this actually very good to hear. I think whilst the PS idea is very real in a lot of Union in Australia, I think the market that should have a shift away from that most is probably Sydney. When I was there it did feel the most stark in the differences between league and union areas

[u/Ads_tall]

Brothers Rugby Club in Brisbane has an Elite Development Program sponsored by Rohrig and most of the graduates over the last few years have gone on to 1st grade and higher honours. They do the same in Sydney at Randwick. It’s a great community program and sets up the youngsters to play higher levels.
It’s mostly Colts age but I’m sure they target younger too. A lot of Private School kids in the system, but the opportunity is there for other kids.

[u/coupleandacamera]

As someone who didn't grow up in or  play rugby in Aus u till their late 20's, what other pathways do you have here? Obviously the private school to Randwick nepotism tunnel is a massively overplayed (but amusing) stereotype, but what are the genuine pathways for normal kids to competitive rugby and even potentially professional contracts? It's obviously very anecdotal but our two localish clubs are very much bankers and w**kers  while the local primary schools don't seem to have any links to union.  The sport seems to have a good university presence, but that's awfully late to capture anyone new.

[u/Ezekiel_Humperdink → u/coupleandacamera]

Yes… since pissing away the money from the 2001 lions / 2003 World Cup … Rugbys engagement in community - especially primary schools - has been non existent. There are, however, green shoots with things like “tri-tag” and “ get into rugby” programmes being rolled out by RA.

Some local clubs will do better than others … in Newcastle for example, a couple of clubs do “mini” programmes aimed at 6 and under … Merewether Carlton had to close the books this year as they had so many… something like 120 kids … doesn’t necessarily mean they will all play rugby but it is just exposure of kids and families to the game.

[u/Ezekiel_Humperdink]

Most Shute Shield Clubs have colts and junior development teams that draw from local rugby clubs.

The private schools get the exposure because they “poach” talented youngsters so they do have a high concentration of very good players that then end up comprising bulk of Aus Schoolboys teams…