A NSW Rugby initiative known as the ‘Western Sydney Scrum School’ gave a handful of talented forwards from clubs in the Western Sydney region the chance to learn and train as a NSW Generation Blue (Gen Blue) U20s player for the week.
Ben Evans, who is Gen Blue forwards coach, Parramatta Two-Blues coach and 27-Test Welsh international front rower, started the initiative in 2017 to identify talent from that region specifically for the Gen Blue programme.
“Through Tim Rapp (NSW Rugby General Manager of Rugby) and Andrew Hore (NSW Waratahs and NSW Rugby CEO), I got to meet up with Pat McCutcheon to talk about what I could bring to the Gen Blue programme,” Evans said.
“The piece I was passionate about was highlighting the talent that there is out West. As a coach of Parramatta for two years in both seniors and colts, there was a feeling of disengagement from the NSW Waratahs, the feeling of them and us.
“It felt like the divide was growing ever bigger, ever greater.”
Having coached in the area since his relocation to Sydney, Evans saw the riches that the West held in terms of prospering rugby talent.
“I’ve seen how much talent there is out West from Parramatta, Penrith and West Harbour. I just wanted to plug into them. I wanted to let them know that as youngsters, you are being watched,” he said.
And with that, the Western Sydney Scrum School was forged.
Said Evans: “We asked the three clubs (Parramatta, Penrith and West Harbour) to send their best players down and they bought into it. From the previous three talent ID camps we’d done out of Parramatta Rugby Club, the numbers had been good.”
As a reward for their hard work in the camps, a handful of players were invited to join the Gen Blue U20s programme for the week.
Among the selected players was young Parramatta lock Luke Russo, who believes the Western Sydney Scrum School provided him with the tools to take on the players in the U20s programme.
“I learnt structural skills like how to get lower, and be able to take more weight from the scrum,” Russo said.
“I’d take back to Parramatta the structure that Gen Blue has taught us to keep throughout the game.”
Loosehead prop Brandon Teason Fa’auae-Eli said he will take away best practice for game preparation from Evans’ teachings.
“Getting into good habits was what I learnt first. With Benny (Evans), he’s really strict with what you do and the preparation that goes into a scrum and that’s really helped. Even outside of footy, the little things that can add up to a big thing that can have a big impact in what you do,” Teason Fa’auae-Eli said.
“When someone is given an opportunity like this, they just want to make the most out of it and it just makes them love the game even more.”
Initially trialled with forwards, Evans says the programme has plans to expand into the talent identification of backs.
“The way we tested this was initially with forwards,” Evans said.
“I know with Matt Carraro (Gen Blue U20’s backs coach), he’s been quite receptive with looking at doing some back camps which are another talent ID session.”
“I want these players to have dreams. I want them to have aspirations that they really, with all their heart, want to play for the NSW Waratahs,” said Evans.
“Those are the kids that I think will be the successful ones and I know for a fact that the desire and that passion is prevalent out in the West.”
The NSW Waratahs will host the Melbourne Rebels in a home trial match at Brookvale Oval on Thursday 15 February where all 2018 members will have free access.
