Providing regular games for colts still a problem

A DEDICATED team is continuing their mission to nurture Guernsey's young rugby talent. Guernsey Rugby Football Club is trying to hold on to players at an age when many drop out in order to get more home-grown players in the first team squad.

The main problem is the lack of games available for 15 to 20 year olds.

Players leaving under-17s are settling for around five or six competitive games a year and full-contact training with the firsts.

'We need to provide the colts team with a lot more competitive rugby,' admitted first team coach, Rob Box.

'We didn't even put out a colts team in the Siam Cup last time, while Jersey could have.'

Of the 30-strong senior squad, around 10 to 15 are local which is more than Jersey.

At mini-level there are already full squads in all 11 age groups up to the age of 17, thanks to a big push 10 years ago when RFU funding finally came through.

Box is encouraged by the prospect of more local players, but said he selected players only on ability.

'There are definitely some promising players around the ages of 15 and 17.

'We also have Mark Elliott and Will Wyatt coming back from university.

'They're both examples of young lads with a good chance of making it into first team rugby.'

He said university experience also added to players' abilities, while admitting that continuity was a problem for rugby.

'From last year's Siam, there are only five players left, but that just shows you the way it is at the club.'

'But the major issue is that at the ages of 16 and 17, compared to teams in the UK where they get a game every Saturday, our players train for a whole year for maybe three games.'

He said the problem was funding, with the club having to fend for its own travel costs.

'I am striving to get the 16-17 year-olds into a proper league in England.'

He praised new captain Andy Bailey, 24, for his determination in getting through the system.

Box said Bailey probably didn't get the support he deserved, but praised his will to succeed.

'He was voted captain by his fellow players and deservedly so,' he said. 'He is very confident, disciplined, is always at training and gives 150%. He is not complete yet, but he knows what he's got to do.'

Bailey rose through the ranks despite the lack of structure and the game. Sheer determination and love of the game saw him through when he could have opted for football.

'The main problem was a lack of games from the age of 15 upwards,' he said.

But he also praised the Guernsey Mini/Youth Club system that is starting to deliver players.

'If you go down and see the minis on a Sunday, it's incredible,' he said.

Dave Parish, director of the Mini/Youth Club, also emphasised the importance of continuity.

'Over the past seven or eight years the players feeding through from minis has been sporadic, but we're hoping for 20-plus players to come through every year from now on.'

He also said the problem in getting under-21 players competitive experience was one of cost, especially during the months when they have to rely on air travel.

'You're looking at £2,000 which is an awful lot of money, and most players are, of course, still in full time education.'

He said the goal of the minis was to keep a sustainable number of youngsters coming through the ranks.

The minis system has been widely praised and the onus is now on not letting 10 years go to waste. There are around 30 coaches in the youth system.

Parish said he was grateful to Bailey for helping out with coaching the young players.

'While the minis club is going from strength to strength, we need coaches, especially those with recent match experience for the 15,16 and 17 age category,' he said.

'We've all worked hard and made improvements,' he said. 'And we would rather have a lot of people doing a little than a small number doing a lot to keep it sustainable.'

Tim Davison has coached the current under-17 group since they started as under-sixes.

'This year is about blending them in positively. By better integration you can stop people drifting away from the game. But lack of games is certainly the major problem,' said the coach.

The under-17s are looking forward to trips to Leicester, Cherbourg and in the Hampshire Cup competition.

His team has four fixtures to look forward to in September and October but, as ever, things tail off during the actual season, only to pick up around February and Easter.

Davison's group of players have never lost to Jersey, an indication of how the standards they keep.

This year, 19 players have moved into the seniors from the under-17s.

'We need to sustain this,' he said. 'Obviously the quality of players will vary but we should have in place a good production line.'

Adie Le Page, the GRUFC chairman, said that holding on to young local talent was important to the club.

'When I started playing in 1973 I was one of only two Guernseymen in the team.

'The teams go with the flow of building booms, when lots of players come into the island. There is a boom at the moment and we have many Welsh players. But when the boom is over the players dry up and that leaves us depending on local players.'

Registration for minis is this coming Sunday. All under-17s are welcome.