: Fri Mar 27, 2009 10:20 pm
It really makes no difference, the gap from " reserve grade" " u21s" " after school club" etc etc will still be to big to make the step to SL for most.
With franchise rugby the sooner the SL clubs adopt junior National league clubs for their youngsters the better.
The intensity will never be even remotely close to SL in under age rugby. Stick them in the NL with hairy assed old pros and watch them grow there. Similar to football. The example being Beckham who went to Preston ( I think ) to learn his trade before making it big.
The lower league clubs get a decent youngster for a period and the senior club still has the benefit of a player being broken in to pro football. The SL club pays his wages and he also trains with the team by day, whilst meeting up with the semi pro team at night.
NL gains a cheap quality player, SL gets a hardend pro who has served an apprentiship.