My Son's rugby team.

Howzit guys, you may or may not recall that I told you about my son's rugby team last year and the fact that they won their U9 league.

Anyway today they played their first league match of the season.

Pre season friendlies did not go all that well with mixed results, the rugby festival day was held at the school and They struggled, specifically on defence.

So it was quite nerve wracking to go to a neighbouring school today, but we were soon astounded, within the first half they scored six unbelieveable tries, and another three in the second half.

Final score 51-0

Although the scoreline was something to marvel at, what was most surprising was the actual skill and execution they had on the day.

In the whole match they made 3 handling errors and were counter rucked only twice,losing only two of their own rucks.

The game plan is ultimately a simple one, but was very effective on the day, catch the restart, they didn't knock one and caught each and every restart by the opposition, they simply ran the ball, when tackled the forward rucked over, the half back cleaned the ball to his flyhalf and the ball went wide.

The halfhimself managed to score a brace as well as the inside centre who I must say has incredible pace.

From a personal perspective, my son today scrummed against a guy a full head bigger and taller than him, we managed to ensure that they didn't win one scrum, yep, not one scrum, we got three tightheads and won all of our own put ins. I juat kept screaming to my son to go low and get underneath, oh by the way, our tight head has left the school so my son has moved over to tighthead, he wasn't keen as he played loosehead the whole year bas one match last year, but he is doing just fine at tight head.

Anyway, just a proud dad bragging a bit.

Biltong, what type of scrummaging do they do at U9s.

Is it full on scrummaging (taking into account less players and underage law variations) or it is more passive.

I am pretty sure its passive in Ireland. Maybe a reason we fare badly at scrummaging.

Stag it is full scrummaging and it is 15 a side, , the only difference is their is no hit, they bind together similar to what the new scrumming law states for pro rugby (new law) but they aren't allowed to scrum the other team back for more than 1.5 meters for safety.

They also do full line outs, lifting etc.

By the way this year he is playing U10

I actualy have a video clip of last year, must see if I can get it on youtube, then will put a link here.

Might do it tomorrow if I remember.

Biltong its 15 a side??

Very interesting. I work for a rugby tour operator and I find it amazing how the norm dictates country to country.

In France until the kids are around 14 they play (I think) with 13 per team and no really defined positions. Emphasis placed on keeping the ball alive, drawing the opposite man and passing.

In SA from U8 you play 15 a side, the little ones under that plays "cub rugby" from age 5, then it is really unstructured and a wrestle for the ball untill someone can break clear and run, these little ones also only play between the goal line and the twenty two, but from U8 it is a full rugby pitch, 15 a side full laws, obviously safety issues in regards to scrums..

The primary school rugby potches aren't exactly the same size as a pro pitch though, if I have to guess it is roughly 75 % of a regular pitch.

Many moons ago when I was in the Edenderry RFC under 10s and indeed under 12s the rule was that you arent allowed kick the ball out of hand until you get to under 13s. Is that the same in SA or even still the rule in Ireland now?

By the way I was under 10s player of the year 1989. Very proud of that.

Good on you mate, I don't know if they are allowed to kick, but they never do.

The differences in junior grade rugby does appear huge depending on the nation. In Wales I believe you have to be 6 before you can join a club, although there are rugby tots schemes for those under 6. It's tag rugby then until under 9's I think (my son is only 6 so haven't got into the details of later years yet). The under 8's and under play in teams of 8, width ways across the pitch, roughly from the try line to the 22 (the width and the length of the pitch does however vary greatly and basically seems to depend on how much room they have). There is no real structure under 8. It's pretty much chase the egg! although as you go through the season you see the kids starting to work out that they need to pass and create space when in attack and spread out a bit to form a defencive line when in defence. The coaches need to be very patient with the 8's!

SA junior rugby seems much more structured, which may explain a few things!

red_stag wrote:Biltong its 15 a side??

Very interesting. I work for a rugby tour operator and I find it amazing how the norm dictates country to country.

In France until the kids are around 14 they play (I think) with 13 per team and no really defined positions. Emphasis placed on keeping the ball alive, drawing the opposite man and passing.

under 9 is 7 a side with no scrum 35*25m pitch
under 11 is 9 a side with 3vs3 scrum 50*30 m pitch. line out introduced as well.
under 13 is 11 a side with 3+2vs3+2 scrum 56*46 m pitch.
under 15 is 12 a side with 3+2+1vs3+2+1 scrum 96*56 m pitch.
no push in those scrums as well, just binding.

otherwise spot on Stag, kicking is only for restarts if anything.

It would be interesting to see our U12's play rugby against other nations, the quality of our Craven week for primary schools is high quality.

The thing about school rugby is size and pace. If some groups age differently then they will have a massive advantage.

Pacific Islanders are renowned for growing very early in their youth.

I think the idea of a craven week for guys that young is a bit wrong. Hurts development of real skills. Coaches want to win and they know a big kid who has little future once others catch him up will probably do better than a kid who may not be great now but once he's physically up there he could be awesome.

Big kids are slow FA, if I look at this particular match, every try scored here was by smaller pacier kids, my sons team has one big oke, but he isn't fast, these kids are afraid of tackling big kids from upfront, but they eaily catch them and take them down from behind.

Yeah, if you had a pace man in your team at junior level you were sorted. I remember playing one match in my early teens when this sprinter (believe he was from West Africa) came on for the opposition with 20 to go... I later found out he had only a few training sessions of rugby in him.

He received the ball four times and scored four times. We couldn't get close to him, we had our own pace guys (guys who were sub 11sec flat in the 100m come their late teens) yet they were not even in the same league as this kid especially when we were playing on an full sized pitch. He was just able to put a fend on with his extra pace and the wide spaces wingers have at that age he waltzed in everytime.

I played with him in regional junior rugby a few years later and by then people had caught up, space was less as we were more spread down the backline and we were more streetwise to guys such as him.

You say your son scrummed against a bigger guy but then you say we never lost a scrum. No wonder when you were the other prop! Never brought the other side into the equation. A heartwarming father and son tale. Keep up the good work mate!

Guys I managed to upload a video clib of his scrumming from last year when he played at loose head, he is the number 1 in the white and red jersey.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkg00kIzZW8

You will see the scrum is reset if you dominate the other scrum, notice at the last two scrums how his lock and flank disengages and he still scrums on his own. Not the biggest lad, eh?

Is it the top one mate? The quality is not so great. Bare foot. Looks a world away of frosted grounds when I was his age.

Top one?

Kia, type in darius scrum (name of the video) into google and it comes up on youtube. This is a normal youtube version, quality I think may be a lot better then the link (I couldn't get it myself so found it another way).

Your boy was facing a monster although he looked pretty gash for all his size. I will remember the name for the future when I watch the Lions play in 10 years time!!!


Thats the Golden Lions.

Cheers fa, that worked much better. The link sent me to quicktime on my computer and it looked like it was filmed with a potato.

The ref looks like a prop as well! It's not you is it BB?! There's a monster lock in Darius' side as well! I'd be scared having that hand come through below. Then again I was a back and got scared with a gust of wind.

Nah mate, I"ll send him to the Cheetahs, that way the Sharks can pay lots of money for him.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Cheers fa, that worked much better. The link sent me to quicktime on my computer and it looked like it was filmed with a potato.

The ref looks like a prop as well! It's not you is it BB?! There's a monster lock in Darius' side as well! I'd be scared having that hand come through below. Then again I was a back and got scared with a gust of wind.

Most guys in SA look like props, kia.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Cheers fa, that worked much better. The link sent me to quicktime on my computer and it looked like it was filmed with a potato.

The ref looks like a prop as well! It's not you is it BB?! There's a monster lock in Darius' side as well! I'd be scared having that hand come through below. Then again I was a back and got scared with a gust of wind.

he has mentioned the hand binding " uncomfortably" now and then.

Can you see how he wheels the scrum left every time?

Not bad for his size, eh?

They're a cuddly bunch that's for sure.

One to be proud of mate that's for sure. Just practice his drop goals and he'll be bigger than a rock star.

Biltong wrote:Nah mate, I"ll send him to the Cheetahs, that way the Sharks can pay lots of money for him.

Ha!

Grey College all the way, if you get first team you should be able to play pro rugby as some level, thats how good they are there. My skoenpa is an old boy of Boishaai but I think Paul Roos is a better rugby school so may send my boy there one day (I wouldn't tell him that though).

Drop goals?

He was asking me for a kicking tee today.

Biltong wrote:Drop goals?

He was asking me for a kicking tee today.

Can't exactly build a Neil Jenkins mud mountain in the highveld.... and with no boots on either!

A kicking prop? A future Matt Dunning perhaps???

Matt Dunning was lucky, my son will be the first international prop to score 1000 points.

Kees Meuws was the first international prop to win me 1000 dollars. Your kid will never win the sentimental stakes with me on the kicking front. Unless of course I have money riding on that eventuality...

Unless of course we move to Nz and he kicks for them.

Oom Paul will turn in his grave!

Oom Pual se gat.

I actually looked at farms in NZ, was thinking of retiring early and moving there.

I think it is a beautiful country, but the immigration thing sounds far too complicated.

Two chances of you letting him move to NZ. None and f... all!

Mate if it wasn't so complicated I would have moved to NZ, I just don't feel upto the hassles.

I am getting a bit tired of the politics in SA.

You can borrow my passport if you like. I just use my British one in Europe. If you wear shoulder pads and an extra jersey you should be a close enough match.

Perhaps the rules have changed but it seemed a lot easier than moving to the UK. We have extended family who moved a few years ago without being highly skilled individuals etc.

Always massive amounts of paperwork though. When I emigrated my required documents filled a large binder by the end. Various records, health checks, testimonies from my primary school teachers past etc etc

Thanks, can I use your bank account as well.

Sure if you promise to put it back into the black.

FA, I find a little farm in Montaque area and move there when my son finishes school, much less hassles.

I think customs may be suspicious... trying to pass off as a Kiwi trying to move back to his own country???? You'd stand out like a sore thumb.

Yeah, they would never notice my accent.

BB - nr Robertson right? One of my favourite places in the whole world. Reminds me of the highlands.... proves that God is a Scotsman.

Yep, not far from there.

beautiful mate, I've got many a speeding ticket in that part of the world... you just get taken in by the scenery.

True, there are few places more beautiful.

My boys team won their match this week, it was played yesterday, home match, won 42-0

Get autographs of the whole team now..... by the sounds of it at least 1 will end up in the green and gold... although which green and gold I'm not so sure???

Not that I want to be the grumpy old goat, but this winning every week lark...

Are the players all playing the same positions week in week out?

Are the same few players excelling and scoring tries?

Is the set peice full law?

Are the team mates all friends? Do they attend the same schools etc?

Are the games 15 a side played on full pitches? And are all positions specified?

Lighten up bluesman. You're off on holiday. Don't take things so seriously.

Are the players all playing the same positions week in week out? YES

Are the same few players excelling and scoring tries? MOSTLY

Is the set peice full law? YES

Are the team mates all friends? NO

Do they attend the same schools etc? SAME SCHOOL

Are the games 15 a side played on full pitches? YES

And are all positions specified? YES

Sadly they lost the final this week, 29-22, it was all locked up at 22 all, then from a turn over ball the other school's left wing ran 70 meters for a try, as fast as I have seen any 9 year old run.