DOWNLANDS RUGBY 2008

ADDED FRIDAY 06/06/2008

Queensland day,  nearly half another year gone.  I thought I would take this opportunity to weigh in publicly to the much publicized Downlands rugby debate,  because I can,  and because I see it differently to most people.  You will find out why I see it differently if you read on,  and as you read on.

Lots of people,  been saying lots of things,  lots of people asking for my opinion and input.  Trouble is,  most of those people don't agree with my opinion,  and then I get the "yes but what about....." reprisal.

I have no involvement with Downlands in any capacity,  I coach a few boys in the rugby college each year,  and I have coached a few boys in the opens this year back in Under 15's and 16's,  and of course I know some parents,  and a couple of coaches and teachers.

First of all,  I think we should make this distinction,  there are rugby schools,  like Nudgee,  and schools that play rugby.  Downlands would fit into a "school that plays rugby" category.

Let's also remember that Downlands sits quite high in the schools developing Wallabies,  do we all remember guys like Tim Horan,  Brett Johnstone,  Garrick Morgan;  all out of one year up there,  I am sure they beat all comers that year.  I am also sure that in today's sporting/schooling world,  these guys may not have all finished school at Downlands.  Most of you will know what I mean there.

What is rugby success,  for those people that seemingly demand First XV victory?  Is it First XV victory,  or is it percentage of wins across the board?  Personally,  I would argue that it is performance across the board.  Personally I have followed the 14A and 15A sides,  as well as the Firsts,  as that is where the College kids or ex College kids mostly lie,  and they are having awesome years,  and that is nothing to do with the Regional College,  the strength of the years is just better.  These 15A's have knocked BSHS off twice,  and I am told by BSHS sources that the 15's are a very strong age group at BSHS.  So I am sure that all the critics have duly noted that,  and are putting that in perspective when they are being critical of the set up.

All the people that matter up there tell me that this has been known as going to be a tough year for rugby in the opens,  basically for the last 5 years.  So it has come as no surprise to those close to it.  Couple that with an incredible injury toll,  and at times there are 10 Under 16's in that First XV side,  and all of them are small too. (Spare a thought for my College coaching colleague running the 16A's,  who have shown alot of fight too in matches).

Bear in mind too that a number of rugby powerhouse schools of the last few decades could no longer be included in the powerhouse category,  BGS and Terrace for example.

Going back alot of years,  I played in a First XV that was battered by similar amounts,  pretty much every week,  and there are alot better footballers in the Downlands side,  and it is way better coached than that of the side I played in,  almost 30 years ago.  We got smacked in our first GPS game of the year by Terrace by 64 to nil,  4 point tries,  and Lynagh kicked only 2 or 3 for the afternoon.  If Lynagh had kicked 90% for the afternoon,  we could have recorded a century against us.  Last game against  Nudgee was 44 or 48 to nil,  and we went down to BGS 13 to 12 in one of our better games of the year.  That could have been 50 plus too,  one of those games we played on emotion.

Again point being,  Steve Sweeney was probably the only class footballer in the side,  a good proportion of the rest of us were pretty dam ordinary,  and would probably not make a Fourth XV anywhere today,  Downlands included.  However,  some very successful men have come out of that side/school year,  a very successful cotton farmer,  and I mean very successful,  a mining magnate,  just to name the ones I know,  I am not one to go to re unions and keep tabs on people,  so those are the ones I read about in the media from time to time.  Others that I do see seem reasonably well adjusted. Personally,  I find myself not too psychologically affected (there may be some that disagree,  and you are all entitled to your opinions) by 8 rugby losses almost 30 years ago.  In fact,  they didn't even rate on the radar,  I couldn't wait to get out of the place and get into life. Today it all provides a bit of a laugh for me,  looking back at just how poor we were!

So my judgment call,  and I am sure everyone's should be,  on how a school is travelling,  has nothing to do with rugby,  has nothing to do with academic results (again some can and some can't),  it is the type of person that is moulded for continuing involvement in an ever changing and evolving society,  that is full of pressures and expectations.  As an employer,  I want good people,  with good values,  work ethics,  honesty,  loyalty,  bright alert minds,  I don't even read the sport bit in resumes,  if you were that good I know who you are anyway.  To be honest,  I am more interested in community work,  volunteer stuff,  stability.  The first thing I look at is how many jobs a person has had over a 6 month or two year period,  and therein lies another story,  probably not for this website.

So keep that in your minds when assessing the performance of the school overall.  Give these blokes your support,  that's what they need,  not constant sniping and criticism.

Good luck to all the boys this weekend,  the next one too!

One of the comments through on this piece,  most of them followed the same lines:

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