2021 School rugby
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Some news.
As his playing career wound down, Mark Hammett was intent on teaching as a career option, only for coaching to intervene before he fulfilled that ambition at his former school. Hammett is a month into his new role as director of high performance and well-being at St Thomas of Canterbury College, a position that dovetailed nicely with the end of his tenure as an assistant coach at the Highlanders after Super Rugby Aotearoa.
Former All Black hooks into high-performance role at Christchurch
Former All Blacks hooker and Super Rugby coach Mark Hammett has taken a job at his former Christchurch high school.
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Update on New Zealand Schools’ Rugby Programme 2021
Following World Rugby's recommendation to postpone Rugby World Cup 2021, the New Zealand Schools’ Rugby Union (NZSRU) has confirmed that all three national 1st XV championships will again be hosted at the Massey University Sport & Rugby Institute in Palmerston North 17th – 19th September .
The Barbarians National Secondary School Rugby Championships comprise- the New Zealand National Girls 1st XV Championships for the Hine Pounamu Trophy
- the New Zealand Barbarians National 1st XV Championship for the Barbarian Cup
- the New Zealand National Invitational Co-educational Schools 1st XV Championship for the Barbarian Trophy.
In a departure from previous years, the 2021 National 1st XV Rugby Championships will not be held during winter tournament week. NZSRU has always been concerned that the timing of the National 1st XV Championships has dictated the timing of 1st XV competitions throughout the country with local competitions needing to finish earlier than desirable. This was exacerbated by the earlier timing of Winter Tournament Week in 2021. Schools Sport New Zealand have sanctioned the later timing of 17th – 19th September.
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@bovidae Yeah, I saw that. The Miles Toyota Championship (new name of the UC Championship in the Crusaders region) starts on 8 May and the Otago 1st XV competion starts on 15 May (with one early game on 12 May). As I posted earlier in the thread, the CNI starts on 15 May as well. I haven't seen the schedules of other competitions, yet.
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First XV rugby: Elite school hit with radical new playing ban
EXCLUSIVE
A fresh poaching outbreak has led to Auckland's 1A First XV competition imposing yet tougher sanctions on pupils who switch schools.
Fearing that the six-match stand-down that was agreed in 2018 was no longer a sufficient deterrent in dissuading schools from recruiting promising rugby players, the principals of the 1A schools agreed on December 18, 2020 to increase the sanction to two years.
The Herald understands the shift to a longer stand-down was instigated after King's College recruited a pupil from St Peter's College and one from De La Salle College.
It is also understood that King's poached a Year 13 pupil from Auckland Grammar School in the first week of this school year – seemingly unaware of the change in the rules.
Consequently, the talented young player will now be unable to represent the King's First XV at all.
Since late 2018 schools in Auckland's 1A competition have had to abide by an agreed code of practice, introduced after St Kentigern College aggressively recruited a significant number of pupils who had already played First XV rugby for other schools.
It was seen as a deliberate and excessive attempt to use their ability to offer full or partial sports scholarships to entice the best players to their school – causing concern among the other institutions that not only was the competition being skewed, but the education of those switching was being compromised.
As a consequence, the other 11 schools collectively agreed a new code of practice, warning St Kent's that if they didn't sign it, no one in the competition would play against them.
King's College were also warned at the same time about their aggressive recruitment policies but it is understood they avoided the same scrutiny as a result of proactively agreeing to review their policies.
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@machpants What I would like to know is what they're doing against poaching by Auckland's 1A 1st XV schools of players from other regions. I know of one particular player from Napier Boys' who an Auckland School is trying to poach (or has poached) and it makes my blood boil, because he could be a promising player for Hawke's Bay in one or two years.
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@stargazer said in 2021 School rugby:
What I would like to know is what they're doing against poaching by Auckland's 1A 1st XV schools of players from other regions.
Agree. The likes of St Kents and King's will just continue to look outside of Auckland to find players. Northland being one of those regions.
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The first preseason games were played, last weekend (27 March 2021).
I assume there may be more, but these were the results I've been able to find (all 1st XV, unless stated otherwise):
Lindisfarne College 25 - 28 Palmerston North BHS
Massy HS 0 - 39 Rotorua Boys BHS
Hutt Int Boys 1st XV 33 - 46 Palmerston North BHS 2nd XV
Marist St Pat's Colts 22 - 26 St Pat's Coll Town
Tauranga Boys 1st XV Selection 19 - 17 St Johns (Hamilton) 1st XV
Feilding HS 1st XV 17 - 15 Wellington Coll (Principal's XV)
Feilding HS 2nd XV 19 - 12 Wellington Coll (Chairman's XV)Interesting: Neemia Tialata is the new Wellington College forwards coach.
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@stargazer Doesn't seem to have much of an impact on their results yet, give him time though I suppose. From what my ears and nose to the ground tells me Well Coll do not dish out chasing "scholarships" so that puts a bit of perspective on them not reaching the comparative heights of yesteryear. I am not commenting on the Lindisfarne result and definitely not using the "S" word in the same sentence. Maybe Palmy had a lot of guys at the Maadi Cup Regatta?
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@stargazer said in 2021 School rugby:
Interesting: Neemia Tialata is the new Wellington College forwards coach.
Yeah, I read that a couple of weeks ago.
Your favourite coach (Craig Philpott) is now the Head of Physical Education and Health at Scots College.
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NZR introducing three new laws focusing on safety to be tested in school-grade rugby (incl video of interview with Mark Robinson)
School-grade rugby will test three new laws this year as New Zealand Rugby looks to make more ground in making the game safer for teenage players.
NZR CEO Mark Robinson spoke to media this afternoon following the body's March board meeting yesterday and highlighted early on in his address that changes are coming to some age grade competitions.
"We had a full update on all the work we're doing around concussion as well as some of the work we're doing to experimental law variations for the upcoming season, especially in the teenage area," Robinson said.
"One [of the new laws] relates to tackle height. We want to see tackle heights be lowered from the belly and below."
Another law change, Robinson explained, will have players using a "split-stance" when guarding the ruck to lower the chances of the neck and spine being exposed to a hit from opposition attempting to clear a player out.
The third law also focuses on safety, but this time NZR hopes to remove the dangers of a contested high ball by one or two airborne players.
"People receiving high kicks will be staying grounded," Robinson said.
The ACC reported rugby union has had the most injury claims among common sports over the last three years, with 43,886 claims made in 2020 alone.
It's not yet known which grades will use the experimental laws. -
@stargazer Years ago you had to have at least one foot on the ground to claim a mark. You never saw players jumping for the ball in those days and come to think of it I am struggling to recall all that many contested high balls as attackers seemed to be more concerned in barrelling the catcher as soon as he took it. That was way back in the early 70s so maybe my memory is a bit diminished on that score.
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Preseason games
Kelston Boys 1st XV v Hastings Boys 1st XV - Thu 1 April 2021, ?am (Kelston BHS)
Kelston Boys 2nd XV v Hastings Boys 2nd XV - Thu 1 April 2021, 12.00pm (Kelston BHS)
Lindisfarne 1st XV v Gisborne BHS 1st XV - Thu 1 April 2021, 2.30pm (Pakowhai Field)
Lindisfarne 2nd XV v Gisborne BHS 2nd XV - Thu 1 April 2021, 2.30pm (Ranui)
Feilding HS 2nd XV v Wairarapa Coll 1st XV - Thu 1 April 2021, 2.00pm (FAHS)Wellington Coll 1st XV v Palmerston North BHS 1st XV - Fri 2 April 2021, 12.45pm (Well Coll 1)
Wellington Coll 2nd XV v Palmerston North BHS 2nd XV - Fri 2 April 2021, 11.00am (Well Coll 1) -
@higgins said in 2021 School rugby:
@stargazer Years ago you had to have at least one foot on the ground to claim a mark. You never saw players jumping for the ball in those days and come to think of it I am struggling to recall all that many contested high balls as attackers seemed to be more concerned in barrelling the catcher as soon as he took it. That was way back in the early 70s so maybe my memory is a bit diminished on that score.
Pretty sure back in the day you had to have both feet firmly planted.
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Preseason games
Wednesday, 31 March 2021
Hato Pāora College 69 1st XV - 0 Freyberg HS 1st XV
Rongotai Coll 1st XV v Scots College 1st XV ???Thursday, 1 April 2021
Kelston Boys 1st XV 28 - 12 Hastings Boys 1st XV
Lindisfarne 1st XV 43 - 3 Gisborne BHS 1st XV
Feilding HS 2nd XV 14 - 20 Wairarapa Coll 1st XVFriday, 2 April 2021
Wellington Coll 1st XV 20 - 26 Palmerston North BHS 1st XV
Wellington Coll 2nd XV 20 - 17 Palmerston North BHS 2nd XVSaturday, 3 April 2021
St John's Coll (Hastings) 1st XV 46 - 12 Napier OB Marist Colts
Wesley College 17 - 52 St Kentigern College (red card for the Wesley left winger in the 2nd minute for a tip tackle)
