Staffordshire Rugby Union Ltd.
Notification of Under 17 / Under 18 (Boys) trials:
RSVP by February 6th 2018
Trials are to be held for the 2018 squad. Players eligible will be
· In School terms current Y12 or current Y11
· In Club terms current U17 or current U16
The selected squad will stand for both U17 & U18 (Autumn 2018 Divisional Championship) without a further trial (Note - the squad size may be reduced)
There will be two trials:
· Trial 1 will be for players not currently playing in a Staffordshire Squad U16 or U17/U18
· Trial 2 will be for players invited following Trial 1 plus eligible players from current Staffordshire U18 and U16 squads excluding players in the U16 TDG
Note - Players eligible for Trial 2 from the current Staffordshire U18s and U16s squads will be invited directly via their current County Manager.
As this age bracket covers boys born over two years, competition for the 35 squad places will be significant. During previous seasons players have been selected for the U17/18 squad from both Trial 1 and Trial 2, therefore we believe the two-stage approach is correct. However, Coaches are asked to only nominate players for Trial 1 who:
· Play in Rugby matches of a good standard on a frequent basis
· Consistently perform as the best forward or back in matches of a good standard
· Have a strong understanding of the game and a good tactical awareness
· (In the case of Y11 / U16) have exceptional talent and an above average physicality for their age
In each of the last 4 seasons over 100 nominations were received for the 35 squad places available – leading to disappointment for many players. By nominating in line with the above criteria, coaches can avoid building up the hopes of players who face their toughest battle ever for County honours.
Owing to the numbers of players involved it is not practical to provide individual feedback for those who do not make it into the squad.
From our experiences in the last four seasons we must ask for further consideration to be made prior to nominating players:
· The U17 programme will include a minimum of 2 training sessions and 2 games. The U18 programme will include a minimum of 4 training sessions and 3 games – We respect the importance of studies in Y11-13, however in previous seasons we have had players who have been selected for the squad and then withdrawn due to this. We therefore ask that players are given a chance to consider if they will be able to commit to the above programmes.
· Our programme will be in line with the RFU YSS, and U18 games in particular may clash with school/college fixtures including those in midweek. The U18 games are divisional trials and represent a great opportunity for the players. However, if your school is not prepared to ‘release’ players, then please avoid potentially taking up squad places and do not nominate players.
· Trial 1 ~ Provisional date Friday 9th Feb 2018 ~ 1900 until 2030
· Trial 2 ~ Provisional date Friday 2nd March 2018 ~ 1900 until 2030
Venue details, times etc. will also be posted on The SRU Website and emailed to invited players directly.
Only injuries or illness will be accepted as a reason for non-attendance.
When nominating players for Trial 1 please complete the attached word document and scanned photograph return to :
Player email addresses and a phone number are requested so that contact can be established with all players attending trials – In the past trials have had to be postponed due to bad weather and there were difficulties in communication at short notice – an email address has been established for on-going communication
If you require any clarification, please send an email using the above address.
Stephen Eastwood
U17s/18s Team Manager
07850320368
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