Couldn't agree more with you. This is where it starts. How to turn school boys into professionals. Not every school boy will play professional rugby, but to be part of the culture, be it a lifelong fan, a physio, an administrator or just the guy that drive the team bus. It is important that we look after our community and ensure that everyone support the players. Some of us are lucky, others not so much, but at the end of the day, we all love this game and support or coaches and players.
What I can't accept is mediocracy that we got from token.
France has now won the U20 rugby World Cup like 4 out of 5, before that was England and before that New Zealand dominated that comp. All the past greats excelled in that comp to become test legends.
I'm glad they have identified that we need to ensure that every step players take towards test rugby that they get the right exposure.
What infuriated me the most was that token last comment was, oh, it was a good experience for the players, after coming 7th, when the boks just won the World Cup, twice. No pride or conviction to take responsibility but to throw the baby boks under the bus and just to say they useless and they'll learn.