The youth system in rugby union isn't necessarily a set up. However I believe there are improvements that can be made. Although we have specific schools in the country that cater for improving talented young people and putting them on the map. I'm sure there are still many that slip under the radar. There are many families that simply can not afford the fees that go with these more prestigious schools and these children may ultimately miss out on opportunities that tend to go hand in hand with these schools.
What I am proposing is that we take lead from the United States of America and begin using a percentage of the money pumped into sport from the government for scholarships. These scholarships would be offered to children or adolescents showing a great deal of potential within the sport that may not otherwise get the chance to attend one of these schools.
Currently the only solid way to spot young players are club games, and inter-school or college games. There are areas however where we can improve the chances of finding such talent that we are continually striving for.
There are very few schools trying rugby at a young age, considering it to be 'too aggressive'. However, touch rugby at primary or middle schools at an early age can instil the basics of rugby. Also local teams often do not have the funds or the coaching staff to form a youth level side, which again limits opportunities to find young talent in smaller local areas. I also believe that there is a distinct lack of youth competitions out there. Outside of major rugby cities such as Leicester you really struggle to find a solid structure for youth competitions.
So ultimately what I am suggesting is that schools introduce touch rugby at primary school level. This will help to establish an interest in rugby at a much younger age and will also help children with basic skills such as hand-eye coordination which is a basic fundamental skill needed in life, as well as improve the child's ability to work as part of a team.
Also extra training should be available to club coaches in order for them to be able to coach children and youth teams alike. If grants were made available to help pay for these badges more people might be inclined to go for these courses.
The next step would be to increase competition opportunities for young sides. Giving each young side in the country the chance to compete in their own region thus increasing the likelihood of talented young players being spotted.
In conclusion these ideas all build to the prospect of a scholarship program whereby a select number of children between the ages of 7 and 16 for example, could be enrolled in a school or college to improve their talents, education and overall prospects. Theses scholarships would of course be dependant on upholding a certain grade once settled into the school, performance in sport and personal behaviour, as attending these schools would be a privilege not a right. This will then help these young prospects transform into talented model professionals.