CB Schools of Rugby are the building blocks of the performance development pathway in England.
The programme is designed to identify and support the development of the young players with the most talent and potential between the ages of 13 and 16 in each County.
Each School of Rugby will deliver a programme based around a National Core Curriculum developed by the RFU’s Coaching Departments.
Clubs and schools will be invited to nominate players with potential to Summer Assessment sessions. Following the assesment sessions 15-25 players from each age group will be invited to attend the SoR. These players should demonstrate the potential to perform at the elite level and be drawn from nominations, existing CB Development Squads or directly from a strong schools programme.
The focus of the Schools of Rugby is to develop core technical skills together with tactical appreciation of the game. Players will also be educated on the key fitness, lifestyle and mental components which will help them reach the highest levels of performance.
The programme forms part, and is indeed the start, of a single elite player development structure for the game in England, developing core skills away from the pressures of preparing young players for the next game. Players might progress from the CB School of Rugby into an England Rugby Academy Elite Player Development Group (EPDG), and ultimately to become a member of an England Rugby Academy.
CONTENT
In addition, the county will organise a playing programme where the SoR pupils come together with the remainder of their CB Development Squad colleagues. This will include sub county Area games at Under 13 and 14, and inter county games at Under 15 and 16.
The programme is based on the RFU’s Core Skills Curriculum, which outlines the range of technical & tactical outcomes that players should be able to achieve at each age or stage of development.
Coaches have been provided with a range of resources to enable them to devise their own activities and delivery methodologies to develop the technical and tactical skills of the players in their charge. The England Rugby Academy staff will also help to deliver workshops and sessions to players and their parents on broader rugby issues such as fitness, nutrition, injury prevention, focus and other aspects of lifestyle management.
The RFU Coach Development Officers will lead the development of coaches and monitor the quality of delivery to ensure the effectiveness of the programme. Each coach will be supported by an accredited Trainer or Coach Educator.
The Youth Structured Season for 2008/9 explicitly schedules dates for delivery of the programme, it is expected that all clubs and schools adhere to these dates. This is designed to help reduce over training and over playing. Seven sessions are scheduled - delivered on a monthly basis.