i,m with Marky Mark. best intentions in the world with leagues i understand the concept of leagues. but my past and present involvement with junior rugby does tell me that some coaches are more bothered about winning, than coaching to develope players for progresion into senior rugby. i,ve seen many a junior side unbeatable at U13,U14,U15 and lancashire as colts (where's their developement been), a couple of years ago watched Doncaster colts play Wath who they had stuffed for the last several years lose twice in their final season as juniors to the wath side. who had been developed?
Also in some areas coaches at times have devastated some of the smaller clubs as their talent has been "coached " away by coaches who need to win (who are not always the best coaches, their club may have the wow factor though). I,ve seen some great junior coaches at minor clubs who given the "talent" some of the more attractive clubs get would produce much better long term out comes.i know this is not the senior clubs fault but it shows that juniors and parents are not always able to judge the ability of the coach aswell as the facilities of the club.
This has resulted in some sides folding and the loss of players who may not want to be superstars, but would make wonderful club men, i,ve also seen lads who at U15 were average suddenly develope and blind some of the star players when they start senior level.
(The present system of talent identification may not be perfect but with th CB rugby program, District and county set up some of the young talent already gets to much rugby. look at the latest changes to the Leeds junior developement squad and junior academy were the individual players log time spent training at school club etc training and are now limited as its shown that injury to their developing bodies is all to easy if pushed to compete to often whilst young. Again lets develope and encourage rather than pressurise.)
If we could only maintain their involvement when young and not make them feel second class in a B team etc, we may later produce a superstar or at least a "club man" and we all know how important club men are because in most junior level clubs it's them that keep the club going not the superstars.
before the senior leagues came in sides and coaches knew their level based on past performance and other sides results, and in general tried to arrange games at that level. why do we need leagues can,t the coaches work it out. leagues i feel would only benefit the few (who feel a trophy is more important than seeing a lad develope on and off the field) at the detriment of others.
Sorry about the rant, but from my own experiences i know that a talented person can also be put off by the constant demands some coaches and systems put on them in the desire to win. once lost to this great game of ours not many return lets give them something to enjoy and help them develope to their maximum potential, as coaches do it for them and not for ourselves.