Selection Policy for East Midlands Under 16s: 2012/2013 season.
The East Midlands RFU has in place a programme of 'player identification' using the appointed East Midlands coaches as well as the ‘Schools of Rugby’ (SOR) programme and Northampton Saints ‘Elite Player Development Group’ (EPDG) process. East Midlands coaches will also be present at selected club and ‘sub-county’ district games in an effort to identify any suitable boys missed through the SOR and EPDG process. There will continue to be close liaison with various schools within the region.
To be eligible for selection a boy must meet at least one of the following criteria:
· Have been born within the RFU Constituent Body (‘CB’) of the East Midlands;
· Be a registered player of an East Midlands ‘CB’ club;
· Reside within the East Midlands ‘CB’ area;
· Attend a school within the East Midlands ‘CB’ area.
The East Midlands under 16s squad for 2012/2013 (i.e. current under 15’s) will primarily be made up of boys who are eligible from the Northampton Saints EPDG and the East Midlands Schools of Rugby programme. However, please note that there is not an automatic selection for boys within the EPDG and SOR as players will still be selected on ability and with the potential to progress to the Midlands and then England representative squads.
For the final EM squad (of about 28 players) there is likely to be a shortfall from EPDG and SOR in various positions and these places will be filled with boys chosen by the EM coaches from the aforementioned process. All successful boys selected for the final squad will be informed by letter in May 2012 and details posted on the East Midlands RFU web-site. All selected boys will be required to attend an introductory squad day (with parents) during early June 2012 and then a three day residential training camp which will take place in July 2012.
Training evenings are normally held at Moulton College and warm up ‘training’ matches will take place in September and October 2012. A final match day squad of 22 players will be chosen for each of the 3 Midlands and England ‘grading’ matches. These three matches are scheduled to take place during November 2012.
Any boy who thinks he may be missed through this process and believes he is of East Midlands / Midlands / England standard should contact the East Midlands under 16s Head Coach, Bob BARBA, by e-mail at bob.barba@btinternet.com.
We will require a supporting reference from your county/district/school coach. This will be followed up with a visit to watch the player(s) taking part in a school/club match.
This player watching / selection process has been extremely successful in recent seasons with an excellent series of match results and, more importantly, numerous East Midlands boys have been selected for the Midlands Division and many have received International representative honours for England.
All clubs and schools, together with County and sub-county / district U15s coaches throughout the East Midlands region, are again thanked for their continued support.
Gareth Davies
Squad Manager: East Midlands RFU – Under 16s
September 2011
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