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Why bio banding in rugby is the future for schools rugby
Why I’m advocating Bio-Banding for rugby
- Steffan Jones. New article
It has been a busy few weeks for me after I voiced my concerns on the future of rugby union in schools in an article published by Rob Kittson in the guardian on 5th February this year.
http://www.theguardian.com/…/england-six-nations-rugby-foot…
Since that initial article I’ve been mentioned in various newspapers from ‘The Times to the ‘Financial Times’. There has also been the 10 min report on BBC ‘Inside Out’ and also very recently a 3 min report on the national BBC ‘One show’ program. It’s all been a bit manic but I’m pleased that various people are talking about the issue of concussion in schoolboy rugby. Let me first clarify, straight off the bat that I’m not advocating banning tackling in schoolboy rugby. That is totally irrational and has no logic. By banning tackling the game of rugby union no longer exists. Are we expecting our young players to then switch immediately into tackling as they pass 18 years of age? Now that is dangerous! Contact and tackling in rugby union is part of the game and should remain so.
‘Steffan, what do you know, you were a cricketer not a rugby player?’
Well, actually I was both. I was a dual professional and last of an extinct breed. I retired from rugby in the winter of 1998 after a 2-year fully professional career with Exeter Chiefs, Moseley RFC and Bristol RFC and after representing my country at schoolboy and youth level. I actually think I was a better rugby player but combining both cricket and rugby throughout my childhood, adolescent years and professional career meant I was always a reluctant tackler and shied away from contact. I was definitely not suited for the professional game. My philosophy of ‘I may give away one try but I would score three ‘ was never fully endorsed when other player’s careers depended on me not doing anything too ‘maverick’ at the back. Rugby had become too serious, predictable, structured and attack stifling for me. It was time to move on. So, as a highly rated school boy rugby player who gave it up early I’m in an ideal position now to be sympathetic to the needs of the young aspiring players I coach at schoolboy level.
So, what is my reasoning for selecting players based on their stages of development, their maturation age as opposed to their chronological age?
The game has changed! Simple. It’s no longer the game I played or the game the current schoolboy coaches played. The argument of, ‘we’ve always done it this way’, doesn’t carry much weight [excuse the pun]. There are a number of reasons why the game has changed over the last 20 years.
Coaching has changed. Defend for your lives!
It may be due to a reluctance to record concussion but I’m not aware of a high number of incidences at schoolboy level in the New Zealand. ‘It’s because they play in weight bands I hear you shout!’ Exactly, case closed your honor.
Even at the pro level there are very few severe head trauma injuries. I genuinely believe it’s down to the coaching philosophy at grass roots level. There are four key performance traits to rugby. Catch, Pass, Tackle and Evade.
These are the basic skills that the All Blacks drill into every rugby player who puts on the famous shirt but also is entwined into the fabric of rugby union in the southern hemisphere. During the England v Scotland 6 nations game the whole country went crazy over the fact a prop forward passed the ball to his winger on a wrap around. Seriously! Is that how low our skill levels have dropped? Should that not be the norm? If not then every schoolboy front row player in a Welsh comprehensive school in the 1980’s would be a British Lion now. It was a given back then. What’s gone wrong?
Spending an afternoon or an evening at a northern hemisphere game is like... <<<<<< N.B from Jumbotweet: auto-truncated at 4K characters on index page - Click here or on the "view" link to see entire jumbotweet! http://www.jumbotweet.com/ltweets/view/139514