Taking 1st XVs off TV is pathetic
This is unbelievable! Principals of top Auckland secondary schools involved in the 1A rugby competition will no longer allow matches to be televised live. They believe it creates unhealthy levels of scrutiny and pressure on the student athletes.
What a pathetic comment. One wonders how these guys ever became principals. Worse still, former Kelston Boys’ principal and former All Black coach Graham Henry agrees. In a statement the principals said there needed to be a strong focus on the well being of students at a time when secondary school rugby players are being exposed to unhealthy levels of scrutiny in both the traditional and social media.
They also said matches would not be live streamed on
social media and no interviews would be given by coaches or players.
This involves top schools such as St Kentigern, Sacred Heart and Kelston which have all produced many All Blacks. These principals fail to see that televised matches give mana, recognition and pride to the students watching their role models live on TV.
For Henry to say that 1st XV players will be able to concentrate on developing as players without the spotlight of being on television is weird.
I believe the backlash will be that elite secondary players will stop representing their school and look for more exposure at club level.
It's a big weekend for NZ sport at an international level. The Black Ferns will front up to a very physical English side after their dreadful tour of France and England last year.
Their close win over France showed a lot of guts and they fought right to the end.
This Saturday it's going to be tough. The English have
Black Ferns vs England
brutal forwards and this is the worry. I don't think we have the players to compete, especially in the tight fives. However if they get the ball out wide to explosive wingers like Portia Woodman they could take the match.
The Black Caps are in top form after big wins over Australia and Sri Lanka. Kane Williamson, who has been criticised for his slow batting, looked all class hitting 61 from 35 balls against Ireland. The concern will be if openers Devon Conway and Finn Allen don't dominate in the power play NZ could crumble.
What about the embarrassing loss by England against Argentina last weekend and France knocking over Australia in the dying moments of their game.
Ireland was too strong for South Africa and the Scots ran riot over a somewhat overweight Fijian side. The biggest surprise had to be Italy thumping Samoa and the All Blacks huge win over a hapless Wales. How things are changing!
And that's how Mat sees it.