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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 27 2017, 12:14 PM (278 Views) | |
| big mac returns | Jan 27 2017, 12:14 PM Post #1 |
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Senior Player
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Do we actually have an academy or do we just ask old players/coaches to bring their lads along? from the u18 team announced today: Ollie Sleightholme Connor Tupai James Grayson there is also a front rower with the surname West? Dorians lad? then in the squad we have Olver, Packman and Harry. this is strange no? I spelt the title wrong on purpose................. Edited by big mac returns, Jan 27 2017, 12:15 PM.
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| Wibble | Jan 27 2017, 12:55 PM Post #2 |
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Its a difficult one, just because your dad was good does not mean you will be but the below things to consider are: 1) If there dad played in Northampton they are likely to be in our catchment area. 2) They are likely to have had more exposure to elite rugby than most players their age 3) They will probably have a certain personal drive to achieve more than Dad did. 4) They have probably been on Saints radar since they were 5. There are other things to consider of course, possibly the odd favor or two being called in but if they are not good enough they will not get a full time contract, for those in the squad, Harry and Packman definitely look good enough to be premiership rugby players and Olver has looked like he is worth sticking with as he is comfortable mixing it with the big boys. Perhaps its a way arround the cap, come play at saints and we will give your son a job ;-) |
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| big mac returns | Jan 27 2017, 01:45 PM Post #3 |
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I agree with everything youve said, but no other clubs seem to be bringing through as many as we are. |
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| Wibble | Jan 27 2017, 04:12 PM Post #4 |
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Perhaps we are just so wonderful |
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| flanker | Jan 27 2017, 04:52 PM Post #5 |
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Makes you wonder about the 'wasted local talent' (!) of young players unrelated to former Saints players. Is it still mainly privately educated too? |
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| Wibble | Jan 27 2017, 06:01 PM Post #6 |
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Thats a tricky one Flanker.. those schools have a better budget and focus on Rugby that many state schools (although Northampton schools play a lot more rugby than a lot of counties) But i believe that many good players get encouraged to go to a number of specific schools due to their closeness to Professional clubs and the quality of coaching on offer. But you dont need to go to a private school, just play for one of the number of very good local clubs we have in northants. Worked for Courtney. |
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| happyclapper | Jan 27 2017, 06:54 PM Post #7 |
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It worked for Wally and Ben too!!! |
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| chesty | Jan 27 2017, 06:59 PM Post #8 |
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Love this subject think we miss a lot of local talent, been involved in rugby at all levels from a coaching perspective.In this county it helps to go to the right schools because they seem to be the age group coaches seen good lads give up early getting nowhere. Big subject not enough time to cover it properly. |
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| Wibble | Jan 27 2017, 07:04 PM Post #9 |
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You are probably right that we miss a lot. If you find time to get into it chesty i would love to learn more. |
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| flanker | Jan 27 2017, 07:52 PM Post #10 |
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Not living in Northampton now are the local clubs still strong? Do many of them feed through to the academy? |
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| ElmaFudd | Jan 27 2017, 09:10 PM Post #11 |
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Local clubs are still strong. I think this is just an unusual intake with a 'golden year' for Ex players. As a rule we don't see that many ex players kids get in. Time will tell |
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| happyclapper | Jan 28 2017, 11:37 AM Post #12 |
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This topic makes me very nervous... |
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| Wibble | Jan 28 2017, 12:19 PM Post #13 |
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:-) dont worry Happy. If we ever turned poisonous like the Offy ended up sometimes I would bring out the Ban Hammer. Anyway... Wasted Local Talent? :-) |
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| chesty | Feb 1 2017, 10:35 AM Post #14 |
Fringe Player
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wibble in the close season I would love to put pen to paper letting you know the frustrations of having good players ignored because they went to the wrong schools. Also they lose out because if there parents are do not have the time or inclination to get them to badly timed ,unless you live in Northampton,sessions. Have coached at mini ,junior and senior levels successfully at small clubs , East northants teams as well as taking county teams to Italy for tournaments 3 times. Not a boast but I know what I am talking about. Iam too honest and would probably upset some local clubs . |
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| Wibble | Feb 1 2017, 11:09 AM Post #15 |
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Only interested because my son has just started at the lowest level (he is only 4) but obviously, if he sticks with it i would like to make the right decisions for him. I look forward to a nice long discussion on this during the summer if you find the time :-) Might be the exact type of topic we need to keep the place looking busy out of season :-) |
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| big mac returns | Feb 1 2017, 12:21 PM Post #16 |
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I was lucky to come through a good schooling system and had my opportunities at club level, bar a dislocated knee and torn acl i could have had opportunities in national div 1 at the time, I then got the opportunity while at uni but had the same injury. However I know that the playing field is not level for everyone. there is without question failings in the system and certain schools and clubs dont get the opportunities given, i played my junior rugby at a small local club, it wasnt until i moved to the bigger club in the area that county and representative rugby came knocking. this is an issue. i was the same player but wasnt seen, only cause of my decision to try and get to a better gave the opportunities. I had to in my opinion let my mates down to do this. this is not right! however i accept that this is hard when funding is limited. My school for example invested alot into its rugby and had produced many players, a few at saints at the mo. not many schools can justify/afford that level of investment and therefore the funding must come from the clubs which are in themselves restricted by budgets, and unlikely to act in a manner which is not industry standard. I know the RFU has invested alot of money post wc into schools, im not aware if this is working or not hopefully it will and hopefully more talent will be found and more people will find a love for the sport, not just coming though to the professional game but also continue to play it at an amateur level, imo that is fundamental to maintaining the core values of the sport. I think it is very hard to make the "right" decisions for kids these days, good schooling is good for so many ways not just rugby etc. but imo the most important thing is enjoyment. I never got taken to play rugby by my parents (it was my father who took me to watch saints as well as who i still go with), but playing all came from me, my love of it drove me to try and improve and become as good as i could be. I dont think u can push any kid to do anything it terms of sport (without becoming Williams sister/agassi insane parenting) all u can do is encourage and hope they find a love for it, my father took my brother to play his games when he was a kid and ultimately he has no interest in it. i think it all comes down to the individual. I pay for my nephew 2yrs old, to got to a thing called rugby tots, its not really rugby its just running around playing and learning numbers and colours etc as well as improving hand eye coordination etc I think he enjoys it and keeps him active. hopefully he'll find a love for the game like i have. all just my opinion, id never tell anyone how to raise their kids. |
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| Wibble | Feb 1 2017, 12:48 PM Post #17 |
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I agree that you shouldnt force kids into anything. But if you can, give them as many opportunities to find a passion that you can. |
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| happyclapper | Feb 1 2017, 01:57 PM Post #18 |
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Wibble, if you can, get them to Old Scouts. Great setup, and good links to Saints. (Or least when I was growing up a few decades ago...) |
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| danjsaints | Feb 1 2017, 03:26 PM Post #19 |
Squad Player
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The infrastructure beyond the club is definitely highly influential in who succeeds and who doesn't. Rugby is still heavily reliant on the old ways of doing things which means good players can be left out. Knowing people being told to not only move clubs but to move schools in order to be seen by Saints is a particular bone of contention of mine. My younger brother has become disillusioned with the game after being told he'd have made it through a trial had he been playing for a different side. I also think the situation with Women's rugby in the area is laughable - we have one of the biggest regional fanbases in the country but any of my female friends wanting to play even semi-seriously have had to head to Worcester, Saracens etc. I know not every club can afford a professional women's team but when local players are being forced to seek out rugby at rival clubs it's frustrating. |
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| Wibble | Feb 1 2017, 04:11 PM Post #20 |
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The womens game is an interesting one. Knowing how Saints fans will turn out for any kind of Saints team uou get the feeling they could bring in enough fans to justify the cost. Its a bit embarrassing that Saints are one of the teams slow on the uptake. |
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