Clubs better test?

Club rugby will be asked to knock emerging stars into shape if the New Zealand Rugby Union opts to scrap age-grade teams in 2006.

The NZRU has undertaken a full scale review of the age-grade system to assess whether the current structure is the right one in which to prepare young players for test football. All Black coaches Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith are concerned some of New Zealand's elite players lack life skills such as self-reliance and problem solving.

All three coaches believe young players need to spend more time outside the professional rugby environment to broaden their horizons.

Under the current system, once elite players leave school they are channelled into provincial and national age-grade sides. While they are not necessarily paid vast sums of money, most age-grade provincial teams are run as professional entities. Many of the players' basic needs are catered for and they have little other than rugby to concentrate on.

The review, led by NZRU high performance manager Mike Chu, will determine whether it would be best to retain the status quo or push young players into senior club rugby where they would serve a more demanding apprenticeship.

There is a strong belief in rugby circles that young players would learn more by being taken out of age-grade sides and asked to front up against seasoned campaigners in senior club rugby. They would have to operate as rank amateurs and take responsibility for their off-field needs.

Some players have in previous years played for New Zealand Secondary Schools, Under-19, Under-21 and New Zealand Sevens in the space of 18 months. NZRU deputy chief executive Steve Tew says it has been acknowledged this may be over-exposure and there is a danger of players being physically and mentally burned out at a very young age. He also acknowledges the current system may streamline talent too early, making it hard for those who have been ignored to force their way into NPC and Super 12 teams further down the track.

The NZRU is committed to sending both the Under-19 and Under-21 teams to next year's world championships. If the review, expected to report its findings in the near future, recommends change, it won't kick in until 2006. Tew says: "We are working through the process of reviewing the age-grade structures and I have to stress that no decisions have been made yet as the work is incomplete.

"Should we have Under-19 and Under-21 teams? We have made a commitment through to 2005, but are considering what to do beyond then. The review will look at whether young players are spending too much time in age-grade squads and not enough time with their clubs. We have to ask: when do players learn how to become self-reliant and problem solve?

"There is nothing new in any of these ideas. We have had professional development managers in place for some time now. I think, though, that we want to make sure coaches are able to leave space and time open for players' development programmes."

Also being determined is whether alternative national teams should be put in place if the commitment to age-grade sides is reduced. Henry originally wanted to take an expanded squad to Europe this season and arrange midweek fixtures against Welsh club sides. It was felt the end of a hard season was not the right time to develop players on the All Black periphery. However, the NZRU agreed to look at arranging A-team or Barbarians fixtures during the June/July test window.

Tew stressed any decisions reached in regard to age-grade restructuring would not be motivated by a desire to save money.