Formed 2004 ... Herts 7s U14 Runners-up 2005 ... North Herts U14 team, Herts Youth Games 2005 runners-up (coached by Letchworth)... Herts Superteams U14 Runners-up 2005 ... Herts SuperTeams "Fairplay" winners 2006 ... Rochford 10s U17 Champions 2006 ... East Midlands 10s U17 Runners-up 2007 ... East Midlands 10s U17 "Fairplay" winners 2007 ... National 10s U17 5th place and "Fairplay" winners 2007 ... Herts 7s U17 Plate runners-up 2007 ... National 7s U17 Plate winners 2007 ... RFU "President's XV" Award winners 2007 ... Herts Superteams winners 2007 ... Midlands 10s U18 Runners-up 2008 ... National 10s U18 4th place 2008 ... North Herts U11 team, Herts Youth Games 2008 runners-up (coached by Letchworth girls) ... London and SE 7s U18 Plate runners-up 2008 ... Herts 7s U18s runners-up 2008 ... National 7s U18s quarter-finalists 2008 ... Gloucester City 10s U18 Bowl runner-up (6th) 2009 ... Worthing 10s U18 Plate runner-up 2009 ... National 7s U18 Plate winners 2009... Worthing 10s U15 Plate winners 2010... Worthing 10s U18 Shield winners 2010... Herts 7s U15 and U18 Bowl runners-up 2010... National 7s U18 Plate runners-up 2010...

Monday, March 21, 2011

The mysteries of national team selection

Many of the readers who have been following the performances of our Divisional teams on the county blog will have been pleased to see that the adult team won their title on Sunday with a clean 100% sweep over their rivals. On the same day the U18s remained unbeaten after two of their games, and are favourites to lift their title next month, while Syd and her Divisional U15 colleagues also looked good when they won their first match a couple of weeks ago.

This overwhelming dominance by the country's largest division (in terms of players and population) is probably no great surprise... or maybe it should be if you've been watching the performances of the national U20 team.

Take a look at their last squad. Ten of the starting 15 for the game against Scotland were from the South West, and 11 of the overall 22. London & South East provided five players, three of whom began on the bench.

Now check-out again where South West finished in the Divisional championship - yep, last. The U18s have done slightly better, drawing with London & SE and narrowly beating Midlands - but that is a Midlands team that lost to North, who L&SE blew away this weekend.

Admittedly, L&SE have Maggie Alphonsi in charge of them - and it is more than likely that she is both a genius on and off the field - but even so... its all a bit odd...

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous2:21 PM

    The selection process is often a mystery, unless you’re involved.
    Interpretations undoubtedly follow selections and as they say, ‘there’s two sides to every coin’ – sometimes more!
    England WU20 have played two and won two this season, very different matches in many respects.
    First a narrow win against France on a terribly muddy pitch at Worcester, followed by a huge win against Scotland on a 3G pitch at Gosforth
    The players involved in both matches were mostly from the original squad selected in November ’10.
    The original squad includes five South West players at Hartpury College where coincidentally they are coached by someone that was involved in the original selection process.
    For the Wales match in April and the Nations Cup this summer, let’s hope that selection is not such a mystery and that performance prevails.

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