RUGBY UNION
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
FORMER Orange Emus coach Andrew Logan, now a club director and still one of the most respected voices in rugby around the region, didn’t beat around the bush regarding Central West Rugby Union’s changes to the Blowes Clothing Cup, effective from 2016 onward.
In a candid interview where he made sure to establish his thoughts were exactly that, his personal opinion, Logan slammed the changes to the competition - which will split into two, random pools after 12 rounds - along with the change to the colts age group, and the apparent lackadaisical attitude towards third grade.
In season 2016, the colts competition will revert from under 20s to an under-19 division, while that grade, along with firsts and seconds - all now mandatory - will split after one full round into two random pools for the remaining six weeks of the season. The top five sides overall will qualify for the play-offs.
“My personal opinion is that they’re fiddling around the edges of everything, rather than making any tough decisions,” Logan said.
“Making changes like this should be done with a view of making the competition better, which I don’t think these will. They’re trying to please too many people basically, and a number of the stronger clubs will be affected by Central West trying to accommodate one more club, to add one more club.
“I remember in the 80s and 90s when colts was under 21s. There was never an issue with the jump from juniors into that age group then ... [change] will slash the number of players clubs have to choose from.
“The biggest thing being lost in all this is the demise of third grade. Third grade is the lifeblood of any club, these are guys who have given their services to Central West long-term, and it’s being treated like a playground for has-beens and old players, which it definitely isn’t and shouldn’t be.
“Essentially they’re being told, ‘We don’t care if you’re only playing rugby every two, three or four weeks’.”
Logan was Emus’ representative at all the relevant meetings, and was far more diplomatic when he expressed the club’s views on the matter, outlining the greens’ opposition to changes to the colts division, along with concerns regarding the structure of the competitions, in particular the potential for a “pool-of-death scenario”.
Outside Emus, the changes were met with mixed reactions from the other clubs around the region that could be contacted.
Orange City president Steve Stone said on Thursday the change to an under-19 colts competition would probably suit the Lions, and was intrigued by the two-pool system, although he admitted he’d had little time to think about the changes in depth.
matthew.findlay@fairfaxmedia.com.au