We All Got Better in 2017

I personally think that the state of Rugby in NZ is at it’s highest from a 1st XV perspective. I watch every year for different aspects and situations of the game where I think that we need work on as a whole in NZ. For me I think we have had a massive jump over the last 2 years and last year was a very talented year and I think it’s going to make another jump this year. These are just some of the things I noticed in 2017 that was a big jump from 2016 and Im picking we’ll make another big just in 2018 as well.

I want to bring it back to Girls 1st XV Rugby again because for me 2016 and 2017 were big years for the development of the game as a whole. One thing I hated about Girl 1st XV rugby was that you had your 15 on the field and out of that 15 only 6 of them could really play and the others just wanted to have a go get better through the year but the skill wasn’t there and the game was still messy. Then there was a few that just wanted to hang with the girls and not really offering anything to the team and to the girl who were really serious about playing. In 2016 I saw a massive change when it came to just 7’s alone because out of the whole team there were maybe only 3 who couldnt play but would contribute in other ways like on defence. Seeing the Girls 1st XV Top 4 this year I saw a team full of Rugby players and almost everyone understanding their game plan and flow of the game as well. Then Condors 7’s came and I just saw so many teams “STACKED” with talented rugby players and the skill level very very high that almost every game there were highlight plays after highlight plays. I give it up to the girls in 2017 who have made a big impact on Girls 1st XV Rugby and some of my favorite players from last year to watch were players like Arorangi Tauranga and Jazmin Hotham from Hamilton GHS, Dhys Faleafaga, Ainsleyana Puleiata and Renee Savai’inaea from St Mary’s College, Rosie Kelly Christchurch GHS, Shalom Setu-Veve and Lasalle Lefale Howick College, Princess Elliot MAGS, Risaleaana Pouri-Lane Motueka HS, Kalyn Takitimu-Cook Manukura, Emma and Jessica Dermody Southland GHS and Luti Sikoloni Southern Cross. I am really looking forward to this year and what new heights these girls can take this game too.

One thing I always look for in 1st XV when I Rank teams and match them up with week to week performances is the strength of the “Team”. When I talk “Team” Im not talking about the 1-22 on the field, Im talking about the rest of them that go up and down from the 1st XV to 2nd XV as well. I believe that teams need to have depth through out the whole year and having everyone on the same page. When I was at school we had at Church College of New Zealand from 1996-2000 what was called a Senior Squad and we had 45 odd players competing week to week to play in the 1st XV every Saturday. Peter Nordstrom, Lawrence Keogh and George Fruean ran this Senior Squad with mind set of lifting the competition levels, having the older players teaching the young ones players in the Squad, the overall spirit lifting and bond of all the players as well. Schools around the country have also got their own system of this and it is working, teams are having

strong players coming off the bench and finishing games strong and the talent level is up held. I think if more schools more so the small rugby programs around the country would start this concept they will get better and better as a Squad. At Church College we only had 4 or 5 rugby teams and 700 students as a Co ed school as well and we were up there with Hamilton BHS yearly.

This being said about the full squad of players getting better the other thing I have been real impressed with is the Year 11 Class of 2017 and how good these players were this year. There were so many very talented Year 11’s starting for their teams and really playing a key role in their teams. Tuki Simpkins, Jordan Thompson-Dunn, Leroy Ferguson, Max Brown, Henry Williams, Anton Sager, Aiden Morgan all were very key players this past year. Think about someone like Anton Sager who is a German kid and really putting pressure on guys in the UC Comp and I think could make that Crusaders U18 team next year if he returns for Nelson College. Tuki Simpkins who is rumored to be going to the Cowboys when he leaves school and I think should have been invited to the Chiefs U18 Camp where Aiden Morgan was selected for the Blues U18’s and more then held his own. This gets me every year how we get to see some of the best up and coming players from a young age of 15 and watch them grow as players and a massive blessing that I get to watch on a week to week basis. I cant wait to see what players we have this year and as I do my home work my Top 60 Year 11 list is getting bigger and bigger everyday.

I have been somewhat harsh when it comes to the coaches that we have in 1st XV Rugby and have come for a few heads in the past. Last year for me was one of the best years for teams being on point and prepared when they hit the field. This year players were playing with purpose and direction as well throughout the game. The players were on the field really doing it on their own without coaches screaming at them every movement. Situational rugby has been a lot better over the last year and I put that down to the coaches and what they have done with their players in making them understand the game and preparing them early. You could see boys playing smart and making all the right reads in the game and controlling 2 or 3 things in one motion. Scrum time has been better, better plays, technique more refined in the back line and a lot more specialist positional players last year as well. One thing that has been a lot different is the fitness level of the players, because more and more Coaches have been holding better and higher quality Pre Season training’s that the players come in more prepared for the season and lasting longer through out the whole year and being able to handle the week to week grind of games. If you really understand what I am doing with “High School Top 200” you would see that I am trying to expose players,Coaches, School Sports Programs so that everyone gets some shine. I talk about Coaches in hopes that Pro teams see winning records and talent coming out of a program year after year and look to the Coaches and notice their efforts too. I hope Coaches start getting picked up for Pro teams from High School because this is where all the young Star recruiting is being done and it’s because of these coaches.