The nomination list for both the Schools or Rugby, and the three District squads (from which the County squads will be selected) has closed, apart from at Under 13s. The deadline for Under 14s, 15s & 16s was 17th August. The deadline date for the Under 13s was extended from 24th August to 7th September.
- Following the Assessment Days, at each age, boys (who must be under the relevant age at midnight on 31st August 2007) will be invited to join the countywide 'Schools of Rugby'. Others will be invited to join the their District's Development Squads, based on (a) a completed Nomination Form and Administration Fee being received by the deadline date and (b) their subsequent selection at the various Assessment Days.
- Boys will be selected for either the CBSofR or the Districts, not both, but is is envisaged that players will leave the CBSofR and rejoin their Districts, and other boys will be invited to step up to the CBSofR.
- The CBSofR is not game related. For example in a total of 25 boys, (say) the Under 15s' School of Rugby might include a multiple number at one position, say 8 inside and outside centres. This will have a bearing on County selection, as only (say) 6 may be invited to the Final Trial. Conversely, if only 1 hooker is listed in the CBSofR, the remaining numbers to make up the Final Trial will be drawn from the District Development Squads.
- Boys joining the CBSofR in 2007/08, at any stage, will be entitled to purchase the CBSofR branded training shirts, to be announced shortly.
- In this, the first season of the new system, the 'Fast Track' boys will form the initial core of the Schools of Rugby at Under 15s and Under 16s, and are NOT required to attend the Assessment Days.
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Teachers or Coaches, but in reality Club Coaches, who nominate the majority of their squad for either the District squads or the Schools of Rugby are assisting neither the Coaches involved in the Assessment days, nor their players.
The County will be selecting a single squad at Under 14s, 15s and 16s, but it is possible that a sub-county development squad will be chosen later in the season for an occasional fixture, and which may also include members of the Schools of Rugby.
Naturally, those participating in the Schools of Rugby will feature highly in the Selectors' deliberations for the County Squad, and it is anticipated that this year the ‘fast-track’ players will automatically feature in the Final Trial.
Schools of Rugby
Following detailed discussions by the Lancashire Schools of Rugby (CBSofR) steering group, for 2007/08 the CBSofR will initially adopt the system of earlier seasons, i.e. it will start with a core of players identified as ‘fast-track’ by their 2006/07 County Coaches.
Other players, up to 25 at each age group, will be drawn from the assessment days and invited to join the CBSofR. These invitations will be dependant on skills, not positional attributes. If Lancashire has five scrum-halves considered to be of the appropriate standard at one age group whilst no lock forwards have emerged, then so be it.
As with the District Squads, the CBSofR is based on the three District areas, and all members of the CBSofR for that District, from Under 13s to Under 16s, will train with each other on the specified night. Should one District area have significantly more players than another, some players will be invited to train at another location, dependant on geography.
Thereafter, players who do not perform to a suitable standard in the curriculum-based, skills-driven CBSofR will be released back to their District squads, whilst others who perform in the District training and matches will step up.
School Teachers, Club Coaches, County Coaches or members of the Rugby Development Team may submit nominations, but they must be graded in accordance with the criteria shown in the accompanying document.
The County is looking for the best players from Schools and Clubs, boys that those who are nominating names should recognise as being substantially above the level of others at the position in their year group or show exceptional promise.
