When the Headmaster of Brian O’Driscoll’s former school in Ireland, Blackrock College, was asked what made O’Driscoll possibly the finest rugby player to represent the country, he responded wisely and obliquely. He did not allude to the boy’s courage, speed, defence or handling skills; instead, he said that great schools are about the creation of community and the personal development of everyone, pupils and staff, within the environment.
Those of us who have spent most of our working lives in schools know that competitive sport has a significant part to play in the creation of community and the shaping of character. At Blackrock College the young O’Driscoll learnt that passion, commitment, teamwork and discipline transforms young lives and helps to develop character.
The 2015 Rugby World Cup has opened the RFU to look closely at the development of the game with a particular emphasis placed on the safety and development of the player rather than the development of the competition structure. Mark Saltmarsh, Head of Education Development at the RFU, in April 2015 presented an RFU Age Grade Review that has been fully endorsed by the RFU Council. From September 2015 new rules will inform the game from the outset; for example, in Year 6 (Under 11) there will only be 9 in a team and a maximum of 3 in the scrum, in Year 7 (Under 12), 10 per team and 5 in the scrum, Year 8 (U13) 13 players and 6 in the scrum, in Year 9 (U14) 15 players form a team and only in Year 10 (U15) are line-outs introduced. Significantly, the principle of ‘one game for all’ is fundamental to these changes and, finally, schools and clubs will play the same game at each age-group. Also before the World Cup the RFU launched a video targeted at parents explaining the aims of the game and the steps that are being taken to minimise the risk of injury.
Why has the RFU invested so heavily in public relations and communication in the run-up to the Rugby World Cup this autumn?
The short answer is that the game of rugby has changed significantly in recent years and the advent of the professional game has not always translated as safely as required into schools and mini-rugby at clubs. For example, the tackle has changed radically, in the golden days when I played the game, if you tackled your opponent around the legs and brought him to ground, your work was complete and your reputation remained intact. By contrast, in today’s game the tackle is now about impact, offensive defence, running up on your opponent at full speed with a view to hitting him hard around the arms to dislodge the ball, or at least, preventing him from passing and so effect a turn-over of possession.
Similarly, the scrum has changed in emphasis, forwards have through conditioning become much larger and more physical; the art of the hooker being able to heel the ball back to his side of the scum through timing, technique and guile has given way to the physical dominance of one set of forwards solely being able to impose their weight and strength upon the opponent pack. The line-out has the potential to be dangerous as players are lifted high into the air and, if not brought safely to ground, they can land dangerously on their head and neck.
The incidents of increased injuries are seemingly on the rise; however, it is difficult to get reliable data that states unequivocally this to be the case. A series of important research projects is being undertaken, notably the ‘FMC: Rugby Project’ at Bath University and the pioneering work unfolding at Saracens RFC that uses new technologies to record levels of physical impact upon players in match conditions.
How do these developments influence the game of rugby as played in independent schools?
The school rugby circuit has changed radically across my time of coaching rugby at Millfield School, running the1st XV at Eton and then as Headmaster of two schools that compete in their top respective circuits, Campbell College in Belfast and Epsom College in Surrey. Schools that exist on the top circuits will have players that are attached to professional organisations, be it Ulster Rugby or Harlequins RFC. The boys within these set ups, in general, receive sensible advice and guidance and their progress and conditioning is safely monitored; however, difficulties may arise as these elite athletes return to their school environments and the conditioning and regimen they undertake is miss-applied by their teammates in the school environment. In this case, schools need to take responsibility for all their players and monitor their development and wellbeing assiduously.
Vigilance is also required in schools by Headmasters and Directors of Sport to ensure that physical mismatches of teams across various year groups are avoided. The key is to have individuals of proper sense and judgement in charge of the sport in schools and to adjust the teams in advance of the fixture or on the day to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Just as the RFU has changed the rules of the game to ensure the primacy of the safety of players over and above the ‘win at all costs’ approach; schools, in turn, need to do all they can to ensure that the right values and approach protect all players and the future of the game.
Ideally on a school circuit the most gifted players will be spread fairly evenly across the schools; however, problems may arise when one or two schools begin to attract a preponderance of top physical athletes. As a consequence, time-honoured fixtures that formerly were evenly contested now become mismatched and potentially dangerous. The RFU and the other governing bodies of the Home Nations can legislate to safeguard the protection of players; however, at a local level those figures in charge of the players in schools also need to put the safety and the development of the individual player ahead of other wider school considerations.
With the excitement of the Rugby World Cup, I think there is cause for optimism within our sport. If we in schools continue to take our responsibilities for player welfare seriously, we will continue to create communities that nurture the next generation of Brian O’Driscolls. Furthermore, we will continue to create an environment where sport is able to enhance our pupils and their relations with staff, and where passion and commitment can transform pupils and prepare them for the richest possible lives as adults.
Jay Piggot
Headmaster, Epsom College