Schools Rugby: A Treatise – A players’ view on the state of Schools Rugby

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Having completed my schooling this spring in inauspicious and extraordinary circumstances it was unsurprising that many of my favourite memories were undoubtedly from my rugby days, the disappointment the cancellation of the Schools’ Cup Final. This reflection lead me to consider my amazing experience at school but also schools rugby in general and where it stands.

 

The obvious place to start for me was the competitions like the Schools’ Cup. It occurred to me that in the RFU’s attempt to make a more inclusive game, certainly a positive step, the number of cups up for grabs had become too cluttered, Cup, Vase, Bowl and Plate all to be won with the Champions Trophy at U18.

 

I understand that it is important for success to be accessible but the panoply of prizes on offer dilutes the competition with the Cup having less and less schools, it does not have the fairy tale of rounds of 4 or 5 years ago, however for most lads and certainly myself it remains the pinnacle.

 

It brings us on nicely to Champions Trophy, what role does it perform? At first glance it appears a sexy new competition but delving deeper reveals it to be a small competition with 32 schools, in recent years less with many byes in the first round, all private schools with a final at Allianz Park not Twickenham. Despiet is being indisputable that the Wellington side that won it this year were quality it is further baffling to see schools like Dulwich and Hampton moving across to play it with such great pedigree in the Schools’ Cup, stranger still Hampton play two terms.

 

Maybe I haven’t understood its magic quite yet.

 

The only real barometer therefore is the Daily Mail Trophy, the league system. Although, there are many different fixture lists it sets out to bring together all the schools in the UK under one competitive umbrella. This is obviously an unenviable task for a mathematician but is a complicated and clumsy compromise. How can it be that the winning school this year Cranleigh, only play 2 sides in the top 20?

 

Obviously it is not like Australia or New Zealand where GPS and Super 8 makes comparison easier but surely there has to be some sort of weighting or seeding system or a more up to date and obvious one?

 

It is facile and superfluous of me to barrack the current state of affairs without offering solutions so here goes. Firstly, I would like to see schools rugby be a bit more jazzed up. It may spur on players and showcase those not selected in academy systems. To do this I would choose one game each weekend of the first term to stream, 10 games for 10 weekends. Huge games like Whitgift vs Sedbergh, Warwick vs Bromsgrove, anything with Kirkham, Millfield and Wellington to name a few. It would give lesser schools something to aim for as well as raising the profile of the schools game without being ridiculously expensive. It could also be a breeding ground for young commentators.

 

Secondly, getting rid of the Champions Trophy and reforming the Cup, maybe moving the final to February so one term schools can organise a couple of games before the break. Entering everyone into the Cup then maybe Vase and Plate for Rounds 1 and 2 might encourage more entries.

 

An extreme policy all together may be abolishing the knockout competitions with the top 8 or so of the Daily Mail playing each other after Christmas to determine a champion, however the vice-like grip of academies would end this. Certainly a change in the Daily Mail points system with greater points for away wins and also victories over big schools such as Sedbergh, Wellington or Whitgift to name a few.

 

The Covid-19 outbreak offers a chance for the RFU to reflect on their poor running of rugby over the last few years and hopefully schools rugby is in that. The half-game rule is a positive step, maybe not required at 1XV level but good nonetheless with minis and women’s numbers rising there are some foundations to build on. A more sustainable Premiership may allow funding for areas lower down the game with schools receiving that, importantly more state school participation. This may all be blue sky thinking with the RFU set on recouping lost cash and supporting the highest level but a schoolboy can dream.

 

By Bertie Heaver

 

You can read more from Bertie on his blog, Pitchside at Bigside.

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