Summer rugby way forward for the minis
AS a parent I read with interest the Welsh Rugby Union’s plan to trial mini rugby this summer and to the critics and cricket fans who have slammed the move, my message is simple: This is a fantastic idea which could yet prove ground-breaking for rugby in Wales.
I’m sure Cricket Wales and supporters of the traditional summer sport have their concerns, but ultimately you have to look after yourself and the WRU are doing that here. They should be applauded as such and I am a big believer it will eventually prove a very smart move.
The cricket fans are up in arms. They believe playing rugby in the summer will hit participation in their sport. I don’t buy that argument.
If you look at most top level sports now, they’re all played 12 months of the year. Football has been that way for a long time, the off-season for firstclass rugby is getting ever shorter and you can turn on your TV at almost any time and watch international cricket from somewhere in the world.
Of course children aged seven or eight playing rugby or cricket in the park is a long way from the highest level, but the same principle applies in that, in 2018, sporting facilities across the United Kingdom mean you can now play almost any sport at any time of the year.
Cricket can be played outdoors in the summer and indoors in the winter. Football and rugby are all-year round sports and if you’re a young kid wanting to take part, you can simply pick and choose which you prefer and when. It’s a luxury I certainly didn’t have when I was growing up.
The youth of today don’t know how lucky they are!
So, how can Welsh rugby benefit from this summer trial? I think there are many areas. Longer days at this time of the year mean that if you want to play football, rugby, cricket, tennis, badminton or whatever, you can do that. It doesn’t simply have to be a case of one or the other. Playing multiple sports will only help the health of the next generation, but looking specifically at our game, the biggest one for me is skill level.
It’s no coincidence to me that the best teams in the world in terms of ball skills are from the Southern Hemisphere: New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
Their players grow up playing rugby on hard pitches under the sun and you can see the impact it has on their handling and passing ability.
The Northern Hemisphere is playing catch up in that area and while it’s not all down to climate, I do believe it can play a big part. Better playing conditions can only lead to increased skill level in my opinion and ultimately, that’s what we want from the next generation.
We want our props passing and running like Rob Evans and our backs flying around the pitch and playing under the summer sun will only help that.
There’s also the point that if a child’s first introduction to rugby takes place in June and July and they enjoy it, they’re more likely to come back and continue to play in the winter months.
That’s invaluable because we know Welsh rugby has issues to deal with in terms of participation at all levels of the game. That links nicely to my final point.
Ultimately we just want our children to play sport and be healthy, so why not do that whenever you can? While the sun beats down in Wales right now, let’s not forget this is not always the case.
The reason I feel so strongly about this subject is my children are of an age where they’re playing all sports. The reality is that in a Welsh winter, the weather means games are going to be called off.
Wind, rain and snow is inevitable and you have to deal with that. Last Christmas my son Carter went six weeks without a match or training due to the weather. So why not play rugby when you can, be it rain or shine? I know from personal experience that’s all children want and I think my former team-mate Ryan Jones, below, who is in charge of this summer pilot – understands that. I think the potential benefits hugely outweigh any criticism. Nobody needs to look at this as any one sport losing out at the expense of another. It can benefit everybody including Welsh rugby and the bottom line is that’s what the WRU are there for.
“Better playing conditions can only lead to increased skill levels among our next generation”