Schools Rugby

[King_D'Arcy]

I'm just making this topic because I was thinking about how seriously schools rugby is taken in Ireland. Particularly in Leinster. There are 4 different competitions in the 4 different provinces. They dont interlink.
The Leinster Senior Cup has 4 rounds: 1st round, quarters, semis and finals meaning 16 teams compete.

However, 9 of the 10 teams must qualify before playing in the senior cup by playing in the senior league in Autumn which several schools compete in.
The top 4 teams in the senior league instantly get put through to the senior cup instantly. The left over teams compete to get the other 5 places available.
the 7 teams that don't have to qualify to play in the senior cup are known as the 'super 7' and are believed to be the best rugby schools in Leinster. These are : Blackrock College (65 senior cups, more than half the amount of senior cups played), Terenure College (10 senior cups), Belvedere College SJ (8 senior cups won), Castleknock College (8 senior cups won) Clongowes Wood College SJ (6 senior cups won), St. Mary's College (5 senior cups won), St. Michael's College (0 senior cups won)

The 1st round matches and quarter finals are generally played in Donnybrook stadium, Donnybrook, Dublin. The semis and the final are played every year in Lansdowne road (but are currently being held in Donnybrook due to the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road). The final is played every year on St. Paddy's day and is a hugely popular event in Leinster.

I just wanted to see if other countries take school's rugby as seriously and what the set-up in other countries are??

Belvedere winning the senior cup in 2005

 

[allblacksfreak]

I reckon they have something like that in New Zealand... and apparently in South Africa, schools will actually give scholarships and lure good players to play for them... someone please confirm this..

 

[melon]

I reckon they have something like that in New Zealand... and apparently in South Africa, schools will actually give scholarships and lure good players to play for them... someone please confirm this.. [/b]

It happens in Australian schools aswell. The big private schools give scholarships to promising young players. Quite alot of islanders come over each year as a result of these scholarships.

 

[allblacksfreak]

I shud be trying out then!

 

[Rugby_Cymru]

<div class='quotemain'> I reckon they have something like that in New Zealand... and apparently in South Africa, schools will actually give scholarships and lure good players to play for them... someone please confirm this.. [/b]

It happens in Australian schools aswell. The big private schools give scholarships to promising young players. Quite alot of islanders come over each year as a result of these scholarships.
[/b][/quote]

That's why New Zealand are so good...they steal little 8 year Rokococo's and Jerry Collin's!

Serious question tho, in the "elite squad" (i believe there are 22) that are currently missing out on the super 14 games, how many of them are born in New Zealand? I have no idea what the statistics are for pacific islanders making their way over and becoming NZ internationals.

 

[Prestwick]

The UK has a big, nationwide Universities tournament and other students also take part in local rugby. Like allot of RGU students play for Gordonians RFC in the Scottish lower leagues because RGU's team is usually full up. There is a strong Irish contingent representing Aberdonian rugby because of all the Irish students (thousands study in Aberdeen).

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

English schools rugby below University level is also huge.

There are under-16 and under-18 national competitions, which my school side reached the last 4 of on one occasion.

The biggest rugby playing schools almost act as feeders for Premiership academies. The likes of Colstons, Millfield, RGS High Wycombe etc. have seen many of the countries most talented players pass throuhg their doors.

 

[Prestwick]

Yeah, the big public schools take Rugby incredibly seriously too. Especially in the old days when the head of PE was usually ex Army.

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

Yeah, the big public schools take Rugby incredibly seriously too. Especially in the old days when the head of PE was usually ex Army.
[/b]

My school coach used to coach the Trinidad & Tobago national rugby team. True story.

Our school also produced Steve Thompson in recent history, as well as England and Lions players from many years ago. Got a number of guys in the Northampton Academy as well at the moment. We're the only local state school who has always taken our rugby very seriously.

 

[Rugby_Cymru]

My school "produced" Ieuan Evans and Aled Gravelle (hooker for Scarlets at the mo).
The school is pretty **** for encouraging rugby, that's why i don't like to give it credit.
The teachers would rather see the students from my school go on to play football, like Mark Delaney for Aston Villa and Wales.

 

[melon]

Our school is much more League orientated. In the last few years there has been about 10 people who have been given contracts at NRL clubs to hopefully work their way up.

 

[Boggle]

Are you kidding ?

How many schools get 20000 - 25000 spectators for a Rugby game, that's Paarl Gym vs Paarl boys high right there.

Yeah we've all got our competitions in each region, in my area it's the Super 16.
We then also have the Craven week.

Probably some more but I don't know too much about the school games, except that they are very big (*Paul Roos literally takes a few thousand students up to Grey college Bloem just to see the game*).

all my school ever really did was produce Marius Delport (*plays for the Bulls :mellow: *).

Believe me though, if you wanna see a spectacle at school level watch Paul Roos vs. Grey college, cracking games.

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

Isn't Boland another one of the big South African rugby schools?

Played them at cricket before and they absolutely destroyed us, the skills levels were phenomenal.

 

[I cant think of a username]

My school produced Philip Danaher, Anthony Foley, Keith Wood Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, Barry Murphy and Jeremy Staunton. Without using the net (I'm just going to have to trust ye on that one) tell me which school it is and I'll give you +rep

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

My knowledge of Irish schools rugby is very limited outside knowing that Blackrock College is very good. However I also know they produced Brian O'Driscoll, so it can't him him or you definately would have included him on the list.

I don't know - Terenure College?

 

[Boggle]

My school produced Philip Danaher, Anthony Foley, Keith Wood Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, Barry Murphy and Jeremy Staunton. Without using the net (I'm just going to have to trust ye on that one) tell me which school it is and I'll give you +rep
[/b]

Hmm judging from the names you gave me and the club you support I would say you're Irish right ?

Becuase I know sweet bugger all about Irish schools, but If you can tell me which school it was Marius Delport came from I would give you +rep (*We're not that big a Rugby force in the country compared to other schools, but have a decent Rugby team*).

Here's a clue, the Allblacks used our school as a training ground for their SA leg of the Tri nations last year, becuase of our excellent fields and close proximity to a Gym.

 

[el_tk]

My school produced Philip Danaher, Anthony Foley, Keith Wood Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, Barry Murphy and Jeremy Staunton. Without using the net (I'm just going to have to trust ye on that one) tell me which school it is and I'll give you +rep
[/b]

St. Munchins. Give me rep.

 

[SaintsFan_Webby]

<div class='quotemain'>
My school produced Philip Danaher, Anthony Foley, Keith Wood Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, Barry Murphy and Jeremy Staunton. Without using the net (I'm just going to have to trust ye on that one) tell me which school it is and I'll give you +rep
[/b]

Hmm judging from the names you gave me and the club you support I would say you're Irish right ?

Becuase I know sweet bugger all about Irish schools, but If you can tell me which school it was Marius Delport came from I would give you +rep (*We're not that big a Rugby force in the country compared to other schools, but have a decent Rugby team*).

Here's a clue, the Allblacks used our school as a training ground for their SA leg of the Tri nations last year, becuase of our excellent fields and close proximity to a Gym.
[/b][/quote]

Stellenbosch?

 

[Prestwick]

Hmm judging from the names you gave me and the club you support I would say you're Irish right ?

Becuase I know sweet bugger all about Irish schools, but If you can tell me which school it was Marius Delport came from I would give you +rep (*We're not that big a Rugby force in the country compared to other schools, but have a decent Rugby team*).

Here's a clue, the Allblacks used our school as a training ground for their SA leg of the Tri nations last year, becuase of our excellent fields and close proximity to a Gym.
[/b]

Stellenboch, everything rugby happens at Stellenboch! Every South African Rugby team in existence plays there!

 

[O'Rothlain]

I need to save this list so I can be sure to send my kids off to one of these schools.