New comp to focus on young talent [ Marlborough Express]
http://www.stuff.co.nz/marlborough-express/sport/6024535/Focus-on-helping-young-talent
The addition of a national under- 19 competition next season and a change of focus for the Tasman Rugby Academy, means the umbrella is being spread wider to develop up-and-coming rugby players in the region.
All provinces in the ITM Cup competition, including Tasman, will field a team in the new under-19 competition, a stepping-stone for players aspiring to play for the New Zealand under-20s.
Tasman are in a pool with Canterbury, Otago and Southland.
All the teams will assemble in the North Island at a time and date to be confirmed for 10 days of competition, sponsored by Sky TV, based on their seedings from pool play, to find an eventual winner.
Marlborough area rugby manager Aaron Senior said the new competition could be good for Marlborough clubs as well.
"It's exciting. A carrot for players to come to the district and play club rugby.
"Real opportunities," he said.
The coaching staff have yet to be appointed for the Tasman under- 19 team, but the new competition has also led to a slight change of direction for the Tasman academy programme. Under-16 to 18 players will now be the focus, rather than an older age group.
Nelson-based Gary Stevens is the Tasman academy manager, but Marlborough will have input on this side of the hill.
Frank Burns has charge of the strength and conditioning part of the programme and Senior hopes former All Black and Tasman Makos' assistant coach Leon MacDonald may look after the technical and tactical areas, although that is yet to be confirmed.
Specialist people will be assigned in areas such as nutrition and mental skills, and the players involved will be selected early in the new year.
The pathway starts at Marlborough Boys' College where first XV coach Gray Cornelius runs a special rugby class.
MacDonald is expected to have a significant input there as well.
Meanwhile, Senior is delighted the Marlborough premier clubs are being a lot more pro-active about getting their 2012 season set up than in previous years and in recent weeks he has held meetings with club officials to monitor their situations. He said they needed to be well organised, because player numbers were dwindling at that level.
"It is challenging. It is tough.
"Only three boys have left Marlborough Boys' College from the first XV last season to filter back into our clubs. We are leaking players and having a net loss."
Central has lost nine players for various reasons from their premier side, many of them now playing overseas, although some are expected to return.
Waitohi, last year's champions, face the prospect of being able to field only a premier team and no backup division two senior team next year.
Makos coaches Kieran Keane and MacDonald have been assisting clubs to find players from outside the area and Senior said that at the most recent club chairmen's meeting, all were confident they would field premier teams.
The Marlborough premier club season is scheduled to kick off on April 14 and following the first round, the Tasman Trophy competition against Nelson clubs begins on May 19, with the final on June 23. Round two of the Marlborough competition begins on June 27, the final taking place on August 4.
- The Marlborough Express
