Politicians call for easing of private school stranglehold on elite rugby

Politicians have called for an easing of the stranglehold private schools have on providing England with elite rugby players.

Nearly two thirds of the matchday 23 that played Fiji at the weekend had some form of private or independent education, underlining concerns about the shortage of state-school pupils making it in the sport.

Just last week it was revealed that private schools are backing a US-style scholarship system in which the best state school athletes would be recruited to the private system, despite claims that changes to private school VAT tax may reduce the ability to offer scholarships.

“For too long access to elite rugby in England has been dominated by a relatively small number of independent schools,” MP Edward Morello told the House of Commons.

“While those schools have made enormous contributions to the game and continue to develop exceptional players, the current pathway is simply too narrow and based on privilege.

“Talent exists in every town, in every city and in every village in this country, but opportunity does not.

“If English rugby is to reach its full potential we must ensure that a child’s postcode or their parents’ income no longer determines whether they have the opportunity to excel.”

Private school rugby churn

Concessions were made within the Westminster Hall debate that there has been funding for state schools and physical education, while the Rugby Football Union was praised for initiatives after the Women’s Rugby World Cup, and prior schemes, that are aimed at increasing participation among state school children.

Northampton School for Boys bucked a two-decade-old trend to become the first state school to win the national U18 Cup this year, having beaten Epsom College in the final of a competition typically dominated by fee-paying schools.

England next play on Saturday in Argentina. The RFU said that there are 50 school rugby managers with 900 School Games Organiser run rugby events last season with 56,000 young people taking part .