DOWNS RUGBY ROUND-UP OCTOBER 2013

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1 DOWNS RUGBY ROUND-UP OCTOBER 2013 Downs Rugby is proudly Sponsored by:- Welcome Darling Downs Rugby Union enthusiasts to the latest edition of our regular newsletter. Notwithstanding that the post rugby season is upon us you will see from the newsletter that there are still many interesting and exciting rugby activities happening around the place. Also behind the scenes many of your dedicated and volunteer Downs sub-committee members are already in full swing planning and consulting on competitions for next season. Finally a big thank you to the many who contributed to our Senior Rugby on line survey. It was encouraging to get a wide spread response and we now look forward to going through the results to see what it all means. Until next time WAGNERS TEENAGE COMPETITION KEY DATES Sunday 2 February All Club Sign-On Day Sunday 9 February - All Club Sign-On Day Sunday 16 February Round 1 Wagners Teenage Competition With just under three months now until our Teenage Rugby season kicks off the wheels are starting to turn again as we look towards was a successful season, which saw a swell in player numbers, three different clubs going home with premierships, as well as Scots PGC coming on board as a new school in our competition. Our finals showcased the talent and standard of Rugby we have here on the Downs and we are excited for the expansion of our competition in The competition will grow by one division, and will now include an Under 18 age group as the pinnacle of Teenage Rugby (Under 16 will return to a division in its own right). This will now take our Teenage Competition to a format which includes Under 13, Under 14, Under 15, Under 16 and the new Under 18 age group. With our consistent growth in participation numbers, the expansion of the competition format will allow the competition to grow and also bridge the gap between junior, Colts and senior Rugby which will create a smoother and more inclusive pathway. Downs Rugby is also looking to form closer working relationships with our local High Schools to create more opportunities for kids to play Rugby in the Downs. Stay tuned for more information on school Rugby programs. For more information or to find a club near you head to our Teenage tab on our website at October 2013 Page 1

2 2014 Teenage Competition Under 18 s Rugby Pathway If you are finishing school and planning on staying in the Downs region, why not continue playing Rugby with a local club. For more information on Teenage Rugby or to find a club near you, head to our website or call the Downs Rugby office on Find a club near you October 2013 Page 2

3 COMPETITION MANAGEMENT SUB-COMMITTEES Downs Rugby continues to rely heavily on the support of dedicated and passionate rugby volunteers who serve on our very important competition management sub-committees. After invaluable commitment to the cause, a number of our committee members have earned a break. A special mention goes out to Rod Spalding who has been serving since the inception of the various committees way back in early Congratulations on a job well done. Those members standing down include: Junior Competition Management Committee: Committee Chair Alex Sullivan Committee member Gavin Pontin and Committee member - Darren Lees Teenage Competition Management Committee: Inaugural Committee member Rod Spalding Committee Member Mark Bailey Committee Member - Lee-Anne Orchard and Committee Member Pete Wensley Senior Competition Management Committee: Committee Chair Luke Fritz and Committee Member David Adams In essence the role of the various committees is to support, advise, consult and make recommendations to Downs Rugby on matters including Draw preparation, Competition Rules, Game management and compliance matters, policies and competition planning and implementation. Due to the vacancies, Downs Rugby Board has approached the respective Club Presidents and called for nominations. October 2013 Page 3

4 2014 ARU JUNIOR GOLD CUP TRIALS The ARU U15 Junior Gold program commenced with a trial on Sunday the 13/10/2013 with a good number of boys born in 1999 and 2000 in attendance. As a result of the trial an initial training squad of 31 boys has been formed and these players have been forwarded an invitation to participate. These boys will be undergoing an extensive training program under the guidance of Grant Gleeson and Marty Leggat (Coaches) with Gary Reis as manager David Hall as trainer and Jo Brooker from Crossfit Toowoomba as the specialist strength and conditioning coach. The boys will also undertake training in respect to life skills as the ARU has very high expectations for the ongoing behavior of these players. The boys will play in a National competition in 2014 where they will compete against the best players in Australia over a series of 6 weekend fixtures. There are 24 ARU Junior Gold squads throughout Australia participating in the Junior Gold Cup competition. At the conclusion of the fixtures the top two sides from the northern conference will play off to determine which team will play the winner of the southern conference in a grand final as a curtain raiser to a Reds match at Suncorp Stadium in April. This is the first year of the competition and the ARU is very excited about the concept and looking very forward to seeing the future stars of the game running around. If there are any businesses that would like to participate or assist by way of sponsorship please contact the local Junior Gold coordinator Marty Leggat through the Downs Office. The Under 15 Training Squad is: Mitch Adams, George Andreas, Matthew Arndt, Lachlan Boyce, Jamie Bradbury, Arnie Briel, Domonic Campbell, Aiden Coetzee, Patrick Connelan, Jack Daly, Dougald Eady, Cassius Elisaia, Paluki Finau, Dustyn Fitzgerald, Matthew Hart, Dan Hawea, Tom Hemmings, Luc Heylon, Rueben Lindsay, Clayton Mack, Jack McGrath, Jedd Moody, Aiden Newberry, Flynn Noon, Kye Oats, Max Priebe, Jakeb Rice, Connor Sharpe, William Shelton, Ryan Stockley, David Tea The Under 17 ARU Junior Gold selection trial is occurring this Sunday, 4 November under the guidance of coaches Jono Farrell and Michael McNamara. Participation in this process is through nomination from school and club coaches. We look forward to announcing the ultimate squad in due course. October 2013 Page 4

5 DOWNS RUGBY REFEREE ACADEMY After humble beginnings mid-way through the 2013 season, the Downs Referee Academy quickly grew in praise and participation and saw a committed group of young boys wanting to start their refereeing careers at the under 6 to under 12 age groups. Refereeing is never an easy job, but it is something every sport needs and to see these young boys take up the challenge was encouraging and very exciting for the future of Rugby on the Downs. The program will no doubt grow to bigger and better things next season, and is aimed at teenage Rugby lovers who are interested in refereeing Rugby. It is a great way to stay fit and active, and is also a great way for youngsters to grow their knowledge of Rugby. In the off season Downs Rugby will be doing a review and conduct new planning of the program and we are excited about the prospects of the program. Downs Rugby is also excited to announce that in 2014 Wagners will come on board as a sponsor of this program and will contribute to the payment of these young and developing referees, details are still being finalised. Stay tuned for more announcements and information around the project, but in the meantime if you d like to register your interest for the program mitchell.simpson@downsrugby.com.au 2014 SENIOR COMPETITION NEWS After several years of dedication and commitment to the senior competition management committee in a purely volunteer capacity, Committee Chair, Luke Fritz, and Committee member David Adams, have earned a break. We thank them for the time and effort that have out into this important committee. As a result, the Downs Rugby Board has approached the respective Club Presidents and called for nominations to fill these two vacancies. The main charter of the Senior Competition Management sub committee is to advise, consult and make recommendations to Downs Rugby in the following key areas: Senior Draw consultation and approval; Competition planning and implementation; Senior Competition Rules and Policies; Competition Compliance; Game Day Management and; Representative Program consultation Once the new Committee is assembled then they can start considering some key issues for the 2014 season including the Senior Draw and review of the competition rules and compliance issues. October 2013 Page 5

6 SENIOR COMPETITION SURVEY The on line survey to consider key questions primarily related to the Senior Competition recently closed and it was encouraging to receive such wide spread and productive responses. We certainly received a sufficient number of responses to facilitate a valid analysis to arrive at key conclusions about some of the fundamental issues that confront our local game. This information will now be used by the Downs Rugby Board to assist with strategic planning for the future. The results of this process will be shared with our Member Clubs in due course. NEW QRU DEVELOPMENT OFFICER It is exciting that Queensland Rugby has recently engaged a new Darling Downs Development Officer. We are looking forward to welcoming James O Keefe to Downs Rugby in the near future. As this news is just off the press, we will be able to provide more information and give James the opportunity to introduce himself shortly. QRU CORPORATE TAG SEVENS Queensland Rugby held their annual Corporate Tag Sevens Rugby tournament on the 11 th October in the lead up to the Gold Coast leg of the IRB Sevens Tournament. Corporate teams from Brisbane and Gold Coast regions got together and played a social day of mixed tag Rugby. The concept is a great way for businesses to network and enjoy a fun and rewarding time together outside of work. The QRU capacity development team saw a few of our very own Downs Rugby staff Dimity Sullivan and Mitchell Simpson have a run around, and eventually were successful enough to make the semi-finals however went down after coming up against some tough premier grade quality competitor. There were a few Reds players making the effort to be waters boys for the day, and some of the games even saw a cameo appearance from a Wallaby or two. It was also fun to catch up with our former and popular Development Officer, Tom Bower, who is now working with the Gold Coast. This concept could be something that is adopted on the Downs so keep an eye out for Mixed Tag Sevens in our region. October 2013 Page 6

7 WALLAROO IN THE MAKING.! Another Sullivan is quickly making her way in the rugby world, sister of our own Dimity Sullivan, Hayley Sullivan, is one step closer to a World Cup appearance after being selected for the Wallaroos training squad. Hayley is one of 36 players named in the squad to prepare for the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup in France next August. (See photo on the left Ball Carrier) By way of background, the 22-year-old is the second youngest of four sisters reared in Millmerran. Hayley left school at St Ursula s at the end of Grade 12 and kicked off her rugby career after joining the army aged 17. She is now based in Brisbane where she also plays with the UQ rugby club. Hayley recently responded to some questions from Glen McCullough of The Chronicle as follows: "I've always loved sport and wanted to play rugby but my mum wasn't keen on the idea," Sullivan said. "It wasn't until I joined the army that I started playing." The back-row forward has represented both the Australian Army and Australian Services teams. "I was based in Townsville for 2½ years where there wasn't a women's competition, but I've moved to Brisbane now where I play with the University of Queensland team," Sullivan said. "I was named in the Services team to play at the National Championships in Sydney last month but I was supposed to be deployed overseas and didn't get the chance to play. "I was quite shocked then to see my name on the Wallaroos training squad list. "It's a great opportunity and I've got to put in the hard yards now and try to make the most of it. "We've got our first training camp in February in Canberra which I'm really looking forward to." One thing that Hayley forgot to state publically is that big sister, Dimity, taught her all she knows!!!! Dimity is obviously very proud of her sister as it is a huge effort to make this squad with so many women pushing for selection with the World Cup on offer. The Wallaroos will play New Zealand and Canada in an international series during May and June in October 2013 Page 7

8 VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH AWARD MARTY LEGGAT DOWNS RUGBY After years of dedicated service to the growth and development of teenage representative rugby, it is timely to recognize the huge contribution of Marty Leggat. Marty tries to steer clear of the personal recognition but it would be remiss to overlook his contribution. Downs has much to thank Marty for and it was just great to see Marty and his beloved under 15 age group finish third in the recent State Championships. 1. Why do you love volunteering for your club? I love seeing the expressions on kids faces that I have coached when they make representative sides that they didn t think they could make. 2. How long have you been involved at the club and how did you become involved? Was halfback for the victorious Warwick C grade side in 1995ish, started coaching in Toowoomba at Downlands in 2002, Went to my first state titles with Darling Downs Juniors in What s your best memory or moment? Three years ago I coached an U15 side at the State Champs that nobody thought had a hope, couldn t even get a full squad together. We lost one game and ended up third, I still talk to a lot of those boys. A few of the boys made the QLD side that year, as well as having 8 in the Country side. Being part of the Downlands firsts for the last four years is pretty special as well. 4. Why should people volunteer? You really don t realise the enjoyment out of coaching for the right reasons, not coaching to win but to coach so that your players improve and get recognition. Proudly Supported by October 2013 Page 8

9 RUGBY NOTICE BOARD DATE EVENT VENUE CONTACT 24 Nov 2013 Wagners Airport Wellcamp Airport Wagners Opening Day 31 Jan 2 Senior Rugby High TBC Downs Rugby Office Feb 2014 Performance Camp (07) Feb 2014 Teenage Sign On TBC Downs Rugby Office (07) Feb 2014 Teenage Sign On TBC Downs Rugby Office (07) Feb 2014 Wagners Teenage Various Downs Rugby Office Competition Round 1 (07) Feb 2014 Roma 7s Gallas Fox Park Roma Paul Holm paul.holm@landmark.com.au To promote your club events please your dates through to dimity.sullivan@downsrugby.com.au Downs Rugby Under 15 State Championship 3 rd place getters Magnificent achievement from all involved. October 2013 Page 9

10 2014 CLUB AGM HELPFUL HINTS With Club AGM s starting to occur over the next three months, we thought that the following information may provide some useful preparation to Club Administrators. The following information recently appeared in the TRC s Sport & Recreation E-Newsletter. Tasks before the AGM: Read the constitution! Follow up with accountant for financial information & ensure the final report is accepted at a committee meeting Arrange meeting location & time Send out notification of the meeting according to your rules Send out notification of resolutions & agenda If necessary send out proxies Update your membership list & ensure you know who is entitled to a vote Organise complimentary activities to attract attendees e.g. a free BBQ or nibbles, activities for kids, an awards ceremony to recognise volunteers, a guest speaker or workshop. Tasks at the AGM: Ensure proxies or voting rights are established when people enter the room (better to ask them to be sent before the meeting) Make sure everyone signs the attendance register & keep a copy! Address the agenda & notified resolutions only (if you allow proxies, you can t change anything even if no proxies come back) Ensure handover takes place properly e.g someone is there to chair the meeting during elections Don t forget you may need a 75% majority of eligible voters for a SPECIAL resolution to be passed Allow enough time for questions on the audit or financial reports For ordinary resolutions (everything other than Special) use the rules Tasks after the AGM: Prepare the minutes as soon as possible Make sure you know where the attendance list is and keep it with the minutes for next year Notify Fair Trading about any changes in the committee Submit your annual report Advise your insurance company or Association of new committee members Safely store the attendee book if you use one Arrange for some training between outgoing committee and incoming Three Essential Tips 1. Give plenty of notice! 2. Be organised! 3. Make it appealing! A typical agenda for the AGM might include: Welcome by chairperson Apologies Confirmation of minutes of the previous AGM Business arising from the minutes Correspondence Chairperson's report Treasurer's report and presentation of audited financial statement Chairperson stands aside if required Election of Office Bearers Appointment of an auditor General business Date of next meeting October 2013 Page 10

11 2013 DOWNS RUGBY OFFICE BEARERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS Board Directors: Senior Committee: Teenage Committee: Junior Committee: High Performance Rugby Committee: Match Officials Committee Judicial Committee LIFE MEMBERS: Mike Horan (Chair), Dick Webster, Mark Brownlie, Rod Hohn, Craig Coetzee, Scott Mead and Danielle Bermingham. Luke Fritz (Chair), Brock Johnston, Dave Adams, Doug McNicholl and Mick Gall. Malcolm Hosking (Chair), Mike Dillon, Rod Spalding, Lee-Anne Orchard, Peter Wensley and Mark Bailey. Alex Sullivan (Chair), Gavin Pontin, Tadhg Sheehan, Darren Lees and David Wigan. Marty Leggat, Andrew Skipper, John Gordon, Grant Gleeson and Cameron Donaldson. Scott Lindblom (Chair), Jabour Hanna, Peter Buchanan and Kevin Doggett Dave Power (Chair), Geoff Kelk and Matt Howard Don Trenerry, Bill Flamsteed, Geoff Makim and David Thompson We are proudly Sponsored by:- October 2013 Page 11

12 OFFICE CONTACT DETAILS:- Unit 11, Anzac Central, 189 Anzac Avenue, Toowoomba Q 4350 Phone/Fax (07) Website: POSTAL ADDRESS:- PO Box 1070, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350 CAMERON DONALDSON General Manager Ph: cameron.donaldson@downsrugby.com.au DIMITY SULLIVAN Club Development Officer (Eastern Clubs) Ph: dimity.sullivan@downsrugby.com.au MITCHELL SIMPSON Club Development Officer (Western Clubs) Ph: mitchell.simpson@downsrugby.com.au October 2013 Page 12