We lose Featherstone to RU ? Shudder at the thought. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=619793

We lose Featherstone to RU ? Shudder at the thought. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=619793

Quote ="Miro"We lose Featherstone to RU ? Shudder at the thought. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=619793'" Pardon me?

Quote ="Miro"We lose Featherstone to RU ? Shudder at the thought. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=619793'" Pardon me?

Can we help ?

Certainly, you could explain your initial post to me.

Pardon me JINJER, could you please explain what it is you're failing to understand?

It's clear as day what Miro is getting at, either support our local team/schools or ignore the post.

Miro - I have signed and shared via social media and I'll apologise on behalf of the Wakefield board for the trouble you've had here.

I can't get the link to open so for me it isn't clear as day to me.

Featherstone High School has been taken over by one of those wretched academy chains. They are scrapping rugby league as a sport and replacing it with rugby union. Given the importance of the sport to history of the town as far as I'm concerned this is social engineering, there's online petition for all the good it will do: https://www.change.org/p/featherstone-s ... ion-school

Featherstone High School has been taken over by one of those wretched academy chains. They are scrapping rugby league as a sport and replacing it with rugby union. Given the importance of the sport to history of the town as far as I'm concerned this is social engineering, there's online petition for all the good it will do: https://www.change.org/p/featherstone-s ... ion-school

Thanks Wakefieldwall.

Done.
Although it's difficult to know what the back story may be here, it's mind blowing to think that ANY school in Featherstone would be dropping RL from their school curriculum.

Cheers QwerkyCat.

I had no idea you couldn't open the link. Why didn't you say so ?

I just thought it was me being slack.

No worries mate, happy to help.

At a guess, this is probably down to the financial incentives and support offered by the RFU to any Schools that adopt and commit to Rugby Union as their mainstream sport.

I’ve no idea about the Head Principles background but it wouldn’t surprise me to find out they were from a more pro RU background. It wouldn’t be the first time in the Wakefield District that a new Head has tried this.

The trouble Miro had? Jeez, drama queen.

Rovers have chirped up: https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ro ... PyEKfjC1Mc

Rovers have chirped up: https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ro ... PyEKfjC1Mc

Quote ="wakefieldwall"Rovers have chirped up: https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ro ... PyEKfjC1Mc'" Quite right as well. I still find the decision to drop RL quite incredible and if anyone knows their reasoning for doing so, it would be helpful to know. RL has never been forgiven for the breakaway over 1oo years ago and perhaps this is Unino flexing it's muscles, handing out some cash to academies that are hard up and trying to further compromise our sport ?

Quote ="wakefieldwall"Rovers have chirped up: https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ro ... PyEKfjC1Mc'" Quite right as well. I still find the decision to drop RL quite incredible and if anyone knows their reasoning for doing so, it would be helpful to know. RL has never been forgiven for the breakaway over 1oo years ago and perhaps this is Unino flexing it's muscles, handing out some cash to academies that are hard up and trying to further compromise our sport ?

Hard up at the Rodillian trust? Not likely. If I start on this subject I won't stop but this decision is undoubtedly rooted in arrogance. This is how they describe themselves "[iUnlike some other large academy chains, we believe in bespoke solutions for individual schools, with school improvement work being focused on a true understanding of the community the school serves, and the community itself[/i" Yeah, ok then...

Signed and shared yesterday. An old cynic such as myself just sees this as the Rugby Union’s ongoing incessant drive to destroy Rugby League. I experienced it as a schoolboy, at University , and throughout my career in education.

[urlhttp://www.featherstone.academy/official-response-rugby-league-petition/[/url

Barry Eaton is also going to be working for them... think this appears to be a bit of social media faux outrage!

Outwood Academy have been playing both codes for a very long time now, in fact when they first starting playing RU they ended up getting to the schools final at Twickenham.

Well that puts a very different spin on things.
I have no problem with a school covering both sports. My son is at Outwood and I'd be happy for him to play both codes, and Basketball and table tennis if that's what he wants to do, and he can fit it in with his studies.

I think the Academy needed to respond a little quicker but equally whoever started the petition needed to get the facts clear first.

It all sounded very odd to me from the start. Not that they would be introducing RU, Rodillians was formally Rothwell Grammer School and was and still is a Rugby Union playing school so that made sense, but the banning Rugby League bit in Featherstone made no sense. Stanley Rodillians RUFC was set-up by former pupils in 1960, originally as Old Rodillians RUFC, because they didn't have a club to move onto nearby to play RU.

Interesting that you feel that it's right to give "choice" to the pupils from whichever school.
I know that RL has spread into some schools "down south" and London Broncos and Scholars are benefiting from this to a certain extent.
However, if Union becomes a second choice in our local schools (or, heaven forbid a first choice), it may not be too long before League starts to get kicked into the long grass.
I know that Outwood have a very successful RU set up and some of their sides have done extremely well in the national competitions, which must really irk some of the "posh" schools, who think that they are a cut above.
However, although some lads play both League and Union, every kid that chooses Union is one less that will progress in RL and eventually, like grains of sand in an hour glass, RL will be pushed further away from mainstream education, which is a real problem as, fewer and fewer kids are playing sport outside of the school environment.

It's a really tricky subject but, until QEGS and Silcoates start playing RL (unlikely) and there is "creep" towards Union in other schools, the numbers in "our " sport will diminish, which can ultimately only have one ending.

Careful what you wish for.

It's not so much that I wish for it.
But if we are trying to block Rugby Union from League areas we are no better than they are, just with less money.

Yes it would be great if everybody at Outwood only played league, but maybe the tall thin kid who can catch a ball or the short fat kid who is strong but not for wants to play a game that suits him.

As long as the opportunity is equal then League is a great game to play and we shouldn't have a problem. If we are being marginalised in the school then that needs to be rectified.

Sorry PT but, I think that you are being incredibly naive.
I'm happy to be corrected but, I would suggest that NONE of the schools on the Silcoates /QEGS circuit either play or ever have any intention of playing RL but, on the flip side, "we" are more than happy for Union to "encroach" in schools that have always played RL.
Wedge, end and thin spring to mind.

We already have to accept that Union is far bigger than League and with a massively higher profile in all media and broadcasting outlets and yet, we are "happy" to allow the "enemy" in.

As I said, this only has one end game, thankfully it may not quite happen in my lifetime.

I