Thursday, April 30, 2009

The Beginning

The Beginning

Firstly, this month is a large month of ‘thankyou’s; to the Bosch Rugby Supporters Club and the Boland Old Boys for giving us the opportunity that the training camp afforded the team to develop and grow.
There were some great lectures, work and effort made by the players, coaches, management, support staff and supporters of Rondebosch rugby, thank you! The camp site at Turner’s (E94) Bontebok Ridge was the perfect setting for a team get-a-away.
Training rugby line-outs and performing backline moves whilst the Bontebok looked on seemed odd, yet relaxing. Meal time was a learning process on its own, with the teams having to cook for forty people on military style cookers (fun was the name of the game around supper time). The tents were only used to store the older generation and kit as the team slept under the stars, until it rained.
Secondly, ‘Thanks’ to staff who during the weekend gave the team lectures on various topics; on nutrition - Tarryn Povey, Backline moves - Gareth Wright, Forward play – Robbie Kempson, mental health and goals – Thomas Dawson-Squibb, motivation – Andrew Louwrens and rugby related skills, myself.
1st XV
The 1st XV had a disappointing start to the season with a loss 10-0 against Paul Roos in the Canal Walk Newlands Rugby Day. The 40 minute match played at Newlands under lights offered the coaches the chance at seeing the players in their positions and playing under pressure. The warm up game came just before the Easter break, before the training camp and the King Edwards VII Rugby Festival.
An excellent run of game strategy, planning and player management at the King Edward VII Rugby Festival saw the team climbing the confidence table and start thinking about winning each time they took the field.


The games were dotted with some fantastic displays, especially when the chips were down and our players needed to dig real deep into their fitness and concentration levels. All our matches were against high league opposition and the games won seemed lost in the first half and yet easy in the second. Our play never started off comfortably or to the pre-game plans, only after harsh or stern words at half-time did the team play their normal play.

All in all Rondebosch has some excellent players with the player of the tournament for myself being the captain Chad Matthews, followed by a number of polished performances by Louw NAude, Michael Aristidou, Jamie Croeser and Matthew Foster to name but a few. A lack of experience and depth in the tight five meant that a number of players were shifted each game and taught how to handle these new positions to carry us through the festival. Hopefully this problem has been solved and the best five will now start each game.
The final scores being a win against Westville Boys’ High School 18-15, a narrow loss to KEZ in the dying seconds of the game 24-15, and a well earned win against Pretoria Boys’ High School 22-18.

A huge thank you must be sent to the Headmaster, parents, old boys and staff that attended the festival and supported our efforts.

U15 Paarl Boys Festival
Coaches and players worked as hard as they could to have a team ready for the Paarl Boys Festival. The final results and competition helping the team prepare for the season ahead. The team played against tough opposition and narrowly lost two matches namely, Menlow Park 10-0, Jeppe Boys’ High 14-13 and finally drew against Swartkops from Pretoria 0-0. Thanks to the parents and coaches who gave up their holidays for the benefit of rugby at Rondebosch.

The Way forward
Player moral is high and training on the whole was enjoyable and light on our return from the festival, a number of factors came into play here however competition for places is great hence the feeling that they need to train is that great. The school is lucky to have the top four senior teams almost on par with each other in skills and game readiness, something that might’ve lacked before.
Thankfully we were able to put a team together without many injuries for the Paarl Gim match. The hush that settled across the fields in Paarl last Saturday gave the distinct feeling that not all the games were going the hosts’ way. I must congratulate all the teams for fine performances. The 1st Xv half time score of 3-3 had the opposition reeling, The teams, some narrowly missing out on wins, mostly in the dying seconds of the matches. A tough day in the field but fabulous skills show by several players. Our brand of rugby worked on by all the coaches seems to be working. A feather in the 1st XV’s cap was the decision by Paarl Gim not to scrum against our pack but rather take uncontested scrums, the final score being 13-6. One of the closest scores in the last ten years. This being the second school in just a few matches to crumble under our front row, well done coaches and players.

The u14A rugby team received an unexpected surprise as the 1stXV gave each of the players a token rugby ball before their first match, as Captain to Captain traditions are passed down.
Finally, it was a pleasure to have Springbok Seven’s coach Paul Trau drop by training this week to watch and offer advice to all our coaches. His presence and gentle manner in assisting was of great value to all, ‘thank you’ for your time.

The management and coaches wish all the teams participating in the Wynberg High School Festival the best of luck... Proudly pursuing perfection.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The Huddle March

‘The Bosch Huddle’
Rondebosch Boys’ High School Rugby Newsletter

By Sean Friedenthal, Head of Rugby: RBHS
Issue # 2 March 2009

Welcome to the Rondebosch Boys’ High School Rugby Coaching &
Development Newsletter.

The aim of the newsletter is to provide coaches, players and parents with monthly up-to-date information regarding relevant coaching, training or sporting issues throughout
the course of the year. Each edition will include articles, each specific to junior and senior coaches; general coaching & development news/updates; an upcoming events calendar, and 1st Xv

Rugby specific news.

March brought with it the much awaited rugby trials held for the 1st XV team to be chosen
to represent the school at the King Edward VII Rugby/Hockey Festival being held from
the 8-13 April 2009 and to select a squad of thirty players who would attend a coaching
camp from the 3-5 April 2009 at the Turner’s ‘Bontebok Ridge’ game farm in Wellington.

Some of our biggest headaches for a school coach come from hosting trials, and trying to
get the right balance of selection for the season. Your head tells you one thing, your heart
another and umpteen parents and player opinions confuse matters further. This year a
panel of nine selectors were gathered to steer through these possible troubled waters and
to develop a coherent selection policy.

A clear policy was communicated to the nine coaches as to the selection policy before the
games. Criteria was discussed and agreed upon and followed throughout the process. This
included the asking of questions by the selectors on specific players and their positions.
It must be stressed that the 1st XV coaches are looking for consistency throughout the
season and in order to maintain morale for all the players, the season has been mapped out
with each tournament/match marked in, and then we allocated the balance of players we
intend taking should injuries occur.

Hence the training squad of thirty going on camp.

For the trials held on Sunday 15 March the following criteria was used for selection;
• Handling of the ball
• Defensive capabilities in tackling
• Speed to breakdown and recycling
• Set pieces and effective work rate
• Coach ability
• Ability to read the game and team work
• Position specific duty
• Sportsmanship

The First Fifteen for the KES festival are as follows:
Captain: Chad Matthews Vice- Captain: Stephen Wallace
Leeroy April, Michael Aristidou, Simon Bergman,
Darryn Berry, Jamie Croeser, Josua De Villiers, Justin Fielies, Matthew Foster,
Llyod Gluckman, Edward Gregory, Chris Keet, Andrew Moir, Gareth Muller, Jonty Mylne,
Louw Naude Benjamin Shaw, Nic Simpson, Rayn Smid, Gareth Topkin and Cameron Wright.

Congratulations and ’proudly pursue perfection’.

The subscription to the IMPACT Concussion Programme with Dr Vicky has been very
successful with over 100 players signing up for the base line test. Testing will take place
on two days, Thursday 19 and Friday 20 March. Players must book times to be tested in
the computer room.

A huge ‘Thank you’ is extended to the Boland Old Boys for their contributions towards new
gym weights and their generosity and assistance with the training camp.

It’s all about support!!

Rondebosch Boys’ High School,
Canigou Avenue, Rondebosch
Tel: 021 686 3987 Fax: 021 689 9726

www.rondebosch.com

The Huddle

‘The Bosch Huddle’
Rondebosch Boys’ High School Rugby Newsletter
By Sean Friedenthal, Head of Rugby: RBHS
Issue # 1 February 2009

Welcome to the Rondebosch Boys’ High School Rugby Coaching &
Development Newsletter. The aim of the newsletter is to provide
coaches, players and parents with monthly up-to-date information
regarding relevant coaching, training or sporting issues throughout the
course of the year.

Each edition will include articles, each specific to
junior and senior coaches; general coaching & development news/updates;
an up coming events calendar, and 1st Xv Rugby specific news.

New Staff Members
The coaching staff boosted its ranks with the former Sharks player Clinton Van Rensburg,
assisting the school with backline training especially the 2nd XV. Tom Dawson-Squibb has the task of preparing the mental conditioning and well-being of all the teams whilst on age group specific camps. The first will be the under 16’s running from Friday 27-Saturday 28 March to be held at school.

The 1st XV squad will look to camp in Tulbach from the 3-5 April, just before their KES
tour.

News
The coaching staff have introduced a Mentor programme, with senior and junior players, ‘adopt a team’ for the growth of our ‘Boschie Gees”! and the 1st and 2nd teams have been given the task of assisting a Boys Children Home of street children as part of their community service. The players will be collecting new and used clothing, shoes and sports goods to give to the home.
Coaches and families can expect fun filled days, as part of a de-stressing and team building
exercise.

The pre-season training program finished in its current format on Saturday the 14th of February. The program ran from November over 15 weeks and consisted of weights, speed, and conditioning & 2 x skills sessions per week.

Over the course of the program all participants (57) achieved substantial improvements in core
skill level, strength and speed. The programme will now concentrate on position specific
conditioning, with the fitness and handling skills continuing throughout.

Trial games are set for Sunday 15 March starting at 16:00. Four 30 minute matches will be run, and a squad of 22 announced to go to Johannesburg for the KES festival.

There are still two coaching positions open to our Old Boys who are keen to give back to the Bosch community.

Our rugby boys are encouraged to support the ‘IKEYS’ team at their home games, as numerous
Rondebosch Boys are in the team. The seniors attend the previous game, the u15 the 16 February and the u16’s will attend the 9 March at 16h15.

Thanks

Rondebosch Rugby would like to thank the Bosch Rugby Supporters’ Club for their assistance with financial bursaries to numerous young players, and to the Boland Old Boys for their contributions towards new gym equipment. We encourage all our parents to join the Bosch Rugby Supports Club.

It’s all about support!!

Rondebosch Boys’ High School,
Canigou Avenue, Rondebosch
Tel: 021 686 3987 Fax: 021 689 9726
www.rondebosch.com