What can I expect when I join a SCC Rugby Academy team?

At the SCC Rugby Academy we develop players of all skill levels, whether you are a beginner or come to us as a more experienced player. 

Our emphasis is to improve the basic fundamentals skills, transferring the SCC structure of play through all age groups and, most importantly, fun and team-work. A main focus for our Head Coaches is to structure sessions which allow for as much repetition and player involvement as possible.  

A typical training session for most age groups will involve some strength and conditioning and basic ball skills before going into team play. Sessions regularly end with practice games focussed on incorporating the session’s key techniques. 

From U4s to U12 (inclusive) our Saturday training sessions, tournaments and the league are mixed groups (boys and girls). Following SRU rules, from U13, teams are separated into boys only and girls only. Therefore, on Saturday mornings groups train at rugby in mixed sessions from U4-U12 and from U13 is all boys.  Girls who want to continue playing contact rugby transition onto Sunday mornings where we provide contact training sessions for female players as well as Girls’ Touch. 

At SCC Rugby Academy the emphasis is always on safety. Our head coaches are World Rugby qualified. We always have a qualified medics pitch side at all training sessions and matches. 

Our groups

U4 U5 

This has become a popular group for energetic under 4 and 5 year old girls and boys who are up and about, want to run around and generally have fun with a rugby ball. This session lasts an hour and parents need to stay and supervise as there is usually some parent participation.

U6 U7

These training sessions last one and a half hours and is a non contact session (contact is introduced at U8s). The sessions focus on core skills development like passing, catching and defensive patterns leading to game play touch rugby. At this age contact is limited to two handed touch. The focus is always on fun and overall enjoyment.

U8 U9

These training sessions lasts one and a half hours and girls and boys get introduced to contact rugby skills. They learn the essentials of safe tackling techniques, how to ruck and scrum and all over core rugby skills. Safety at the break-down and contact areas are a main priority. There will be tournaments where teams play in a modified contact game and get slowly introduced to the game of contact rugby. The emphasis is still on fun and players will start to understand the different playing positions.

U10 U11 U12

At these age groups players (girls and boys) start to get more positional play techniques, with specialised forward and back unit sessions. Coaches teach players about the different positions in rugby and what might suit a player’s physical attributes, speed and style. These age groups start to learn about uncontested scrums and lineouts. Phases of play and play sheet structures are being introduced and roles in the team become more defined. U10s and above are encouraged to attend the Thursday night training sessions also held at SCC Dempsey ground.

U13 U14 

Teens start to play 15 aside rugby. We introduce the basic strategy to playing 15 a side and game plans that are executed throughout the club. We also sharpen their basic fundamentals on line outs and scrums as lifting is allowed and scrums can be pushed for more than 1.5 metres. Despite the introduction of these new elements to the game there is still the emphasis on basic skills, fitness and enjoyment.

U15 

At this age group we start to introduce additional variation to the set plays that they were taught in U13 & U14. We challenge them individually and collectively as a team more to execute them well with precision and speed. Some players in this age group may participate in U16 tournaments. This allows players to gain confidence for what is to come in the following year.

U16/17

As two age groups come together at the pinnacle of their SCC Academy experience, we work hard to build a strong, unified squad where players learn and develop together – younger players playing alongside the more experienced ones. We believe at this age players should increasingly become more responsible for their own performance. We expect the ‘leaders’ in the squad to communicate, reflect and respond to successes and weaknesses in liaison with the coaching team. Our fantastic team of coaches (including three SCC Premiership Players) provide an outstanding level of up-to-date technical and strategic skills. We work on the boys’ fitness levels, measuring progress with the infamous ‘Bronco’ test. We endeavour to enter at least two teams into all of the major tournaments – giving all of the boys a positive experience of this wonderful game.

U19

Creating a U19 squad has been a long term goal of the Academy creating a seamless playing experience from junior rugby into senior rugby. Officially this squad which comes under the official banner of the Singapore Cricket Club Rugby Section although training is still at Dempsey on Saturday mornings. They participate in the SRU U19 Club competition and are coached by club players and experienced coaches. Players are moulded to prepare them for the Club men’s competition where SCC has 3 teams in the league. Many players transitioning into this squad have been members of the Academy since they started playing rugby. We regularly have players selected for the Singapore national team.

 

Other Information

Training on Thursdays 

Players are invited to attend Thursday night sessions from U10 and above where the emphasis is on ball skills and fitness. The structure of these sessions is different from Saturday morning training and gives players the opportunity to train in mixed age groups and meet other players. Drills and any tackling is always age appropriate and done with a corresponding aged player.

U6 & U7 JRCS Mini Tournaments

This takes place in a festival like format and SCC Rugby Academy enters multiple teams per age group. These are competitive games but scores are not kept and the emphasis is on experiencing match play while having fun.

U10-U17 JRCS Junior League

Each of these age groups participate in the Junior Rugby Clubs Singapore Junior League which usually runs from January to around June and culminates in semi finals and a finals day. It was set up to give all players the chance to play longer games and, past a certain age, full field competitive rugby. Teams from all the Singapore junior clubs compete and the SCC Rugby Academy enters at least one team, if not two, from each age group U10-U17.

Over the past years we’ve enjoyed great success in the League with our U15s and U17s League winners for the last two years.

Scholarships at SCC Rugby Academy

The Academy prides itself on players who come from the local and expatriate communities in Singapore. At the last count our players attend more than 100 different schools on the island.

Local talented players are encouraged to apply for a scholarship. Please get in touch for more details and to see if you are eligible.

Junior Sports Membership

Players who have shown commitment and talent have the opportunity to become Junior Sports Members of the Singapore Cricket Club.