Constancy of clubs in the U12s competition
U12s are the youngest age category in official competitions in Serbia. This season, a total of six clubs from Serbia are competing in this age group. Three tournaments of the Serbian Championship were held. As in previous seasons, RK Čelik from Zenica took part in the U12s competition. All teams from Serbia participated in all 3 tournaments, only Čelik participated in two. If we look back at the competition in the Cup of Serbia that was held in the spring, if we also take into account that the seasons changed on 1st of September, then we can come to the conclusion that the clubs have caught the rhythm and are constantly working with the youngest.
Constancy exists, but there is no growth in the number of clubs that work with the youngest. For now, BRK Crvena Zvezda, RK Rad, RK Dorćol 1998, RK Žarkovo are working, all from Belgrade. RK Dinamo 1954 from Pancevo and RK Borac Starčevo from Starčevo are also active. All the teams are concentrated in Belgrade, Pančevo and Starčevo, that is, they are all within a circle of say 20 kilometers. It is a little worrying that clubs outside of Belgrade and Pancevo do not work with U12s. Until 3 years ago, we also had RK Kruševac, GRK Vršac, RK Loznica, RK Vojvodina and RK Partizan in the competition. RK Kruševac works with younger categories, GRK Vršac no longer participates in competitions, while Loznica, Vojvodina and Partizan do not have youth teams. We must also not forget RK Torpedo Mlava, which successfully implemented the GIR project. Perhaps this is the direction in which we should go if we want to expand in the competition of U12s.
Good rugby in the final tournament
We did not have the opportunity to attend the first two U12s tournaments. In the third, we had the opportunity to make sure that the future of rugby is in safe hands. We can be absolutely satisfied with what we have seen. We were especially surprised by how uncertain the games are, because in each club there are several players who really stand out. We cannot say that we saw too high a level of play, but for our conditions and notions, the game was at an enviable level.
The first parameter we relied on when looking at the level of play was that no team allowed fast and physically strong players to score an essay right away in the first phase. Which is an indicator that organized defensive rugby is being played. But not only that, the attack developed in some situations as many as a dozen phases. We also saw several interesting actions, tactical shots.
The fight for the champion of Serbia until the last moment
At the last U12s tournament, there was a big battle for both the first place and the final ranking. The teams are divided into 2 groups. The teams of Dinamo, Dorćol, Žarkov and Rada performed in the A group, while Čelik, Zvezda and Borac performed in the B group. In the A group it was quite uncertain, in the end the teams of Dorćol and Dinamo decided which team would be in the final. Dinamo won 10-5 and secured the fight for first place. In the B group, a great fight was seen where Celik defeated Zvezda also with a score of 10-5, where they scheduled a duel with Dinamo in the final.
Žarkovo finish at 7th place as the last placed team in A group, where there were four teams. In the fight for 5th place, Borac from Starčevo was at a higher level than the work and in the end won with a score of 25-5. In the fight for third place BRK Crvena Zvezda was safe and defeated RK Dorćol 20-0 in 1998. With this result, Zvezda was waiting for the final match, where if Dinamo had lost, it would have been the champion of Serbia. In an incredible finish, Dinamo managed to celebrate against RK Čelik 15-10 and in the end managed to win both the tournament and the Serbian Championship for the 2022 season.
Table of the Serbian Championship
| Поз (Pos) | Екипа (Team) | У(GP) | Б(Pts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  RK Dinamo 1954 | 3 | 26 |
| 2 |  BRK Crvena Zvezda | 3 | 24 |
| 3 |  RK Čelik | 2 | 16 |
| 4 |  RK Dorćol 1998 | 3 | 11 |
| 4 |  RK Žarkovo | 3 | 11 |
| 6 |  RK Borac Starčevo | 3 | 8 |
| 7 |  RK Rad | 3 | 5 |
Tournament information:
Venue King Peter I stadion
Date: 06.11.2022 .
Kickoff: 17:00h
Referee Marija Stojšić
Referee: Vladimir Radulović
Match Commesaire: M. Stanković
Match Commessaire: S. Ilijašević
Temperature Cold and wet, 10C
Attendence: 100
Statistics League tables, results and scorer list
Participating teams: RK Žarkovo, RK Rad, BRK Crvena Zvezda, RK Čelik, RK Dinamo 1954, RK Borac Starčevo and RK Dorćol 1998.
3 takeaways
Player regrutation
A real need for every team, without further ado. The season for U12s is complete and the teams will most likely move their training process to halls, halls or balloons. School is almost at the end of the year, so it’s an ideal time for rugby presentations. Previously, before Corona, school rugby was combined with the Winter League, which gave quite a lot of success in the mass of players. Through the activity throughout the winter, a large number of players were recruited, both in U12s and U14s. Where the teams would be quite filled with the playing staff and would be well trained, after training and the Winter League and absolutely ready to welcome the activities in the competition. This would only be possible if the conditions allow the Winter League to be played. In any case, clubs absolutely must develop their plans for filling the playing staff.
Friendly test matches
The three tournaments of the Serbian Roosters Championship are a bit of activity. but also quite a sufficient number of tournaments, considering that the years were changing 1st of september. Most of the U12s who performed in the spring are now U14s, so some clubs started recruiting from the beginning. But these do not have to be all the activities carried out by the club. As we said and wrote, all the clubs that work with roosters are very close. Test tournaments or test matches can always be played, joint training can also be done. It doesn’t have to be played only in final tournaments. Children also have more opportunities to exercise and practice in school while they are in the lower grades, which would not be the case with rugby. Belgrade teams can very easily make a friendly tournament or match. It is not even far or expensive to go to Pančevo or Starčevo. Children need as much experience and tournaments as possible. This way they get about 120 minutes of competitive rugby in 6 months, which is very little. It is necessary that the clubs become more active and create additional activities for the youngest.
Uniform quality of teams
A very important thing for us, because the more uncertain the competition, the more the teams will try to be as ready and strong as possible, and this will ultimately raise the quality of both individual players and the teams themselves. How is this achieved? Well, very simply, the players must be regular in training and must follow the coach’s instructions. It is also very important how athletes treat training, the team as well as the field where they train or play matches. The training culture must be at a high level if you want to be an athlete. You must arrive early for training, you must be ready for training, you must have adequate equipment, and most importantly, you must never leave trash behind you on the field. Respect for rugby values applies to behavior on and off the field. A situation like the last tournament where teams leave garbage behind must not be allowed. It’s a matter of personal and rugby culture to always pick up your rubbish after yourself.
We are of the opinion that as time goes by the teams will be more and more massive and of better quality, so we can’t wait for the next activities to see how much progress has been made in training. History has shown that whenever we have several teams that are evenly matched, we always have a great generation of players. And the more clubs and players we have, the higher the level of play will be.
TOP 10 players who left an impression on us
We are not making a ranking list of players, but we will single out ten that left an impression on us. The order is random and doesn’t mean anything, we made it to be pleasing to the eye. This is solely the opinion of the author who had the opportunity to observe the players at the tournament. If you have any objections or questions or simply want to argue about rugby feel free to contact us. We did not include the RK Čelik players in the list.
Dario Salih
Position: Center, Flyhalf
YOB 2010.
Comparason: Rieko Ioane
One of the leaders of Dorćol’s game, both in attack and defense. A player who makes good decisions on the field. He is characterized by speed and durability in contact, he can often offer offloads as well. In defense, he is the support of the team, where he is one of the better tacklers of his team.
Lazar Pumpalović
Position: Flyhalf
YOB 2010.
Comparason: Johnny Sexton
You won’t see too many players in the U12s competition who excel at organizing the game. In addition, Lazar is a penetrating player who makes good use of his physical predispositions. In defense, he closes the opposing players very well, he is a good tackler. A player with whom you can make a good and quick game plan and who is able to implement it on the field.
Nikola Petrović
Position: Center
YOB 2010.
Comparason: Garry Ringrose
One of the fastest players in the U12 male competition. He changes direction very quickly, is very explosive and very good in contact. Although he is fast, he is quite sturdy and strong, and very difficult to bring down if you give him space. He is a player who does not run left and right on the field, but is very good at creating actions. What remains in our memory is that he never loses the ball, as if he has glue on his hands, he managed to catch several very difficult balls in a full run. Very impressive.
Nikola Grgić
Position: Prop
YOB 2010.
Comparason: Andrew Porter
True scrum player. He is characterized by strong physical contact, which is natural given his size and the position he plays. Equally good in both defense and attack. If you need a safe ball carrier he is the player for you. It is characterized by very good positioning in the game.
Dimitrije Obradović
Position: Center
YOB 2010.
Comparason: Nick Tompkins
A player with good attacking play, who is very penetrating, who reads the game well. In defense, he is one of the best shooters in the entire tournament. He can play at a high pace, he can follow the coach’s ideas on the field. He left an impression on us as a player who takes responsibility in moments when the game breaks down.
Aleksa Tanasković
Position: Center
YOB 2010.
Comparason: Jerónimo de la Fuente
A penetrating player who likes to use space, who changes direction quickly and who really exploits holes in the opposition’s defense. He likes to have the ball and make decisions. In defense, he is definitely one of the best defenders of Žarkovo.
Pavle Matić
Position: Lock
YOB 2010.
Comparason: Grant Gilchrist
Excellent in contact, sure ball carrier. He uses his physical predispositions to gain an advantage in attack. In defense, he is one of the better players. Zvezda does not receive many essays per tournament, Pavle is one of the reasons why. Good positioning and good footwork enable him to always be in a better position than the opponent in attack.
Vojin Dabović
Position: wing
YOB 2010.
Comparason Emiliano Boffelli
A very fast player who is deadly in tandem with Nikola Petrović. Penetrating, fast, plays at a high tempo, has very good technique. In defense, he is very combative, he is able to give his all in the match. He is one of the anchors of Dinamo’s championship team.
Marko Đuranović
Position: Prop
YOB 2010.
Comparason: Kyle Sinkler
Very strong in contact and penetration play. When he sees space in the opposing defense, there are not many doubts. Good in ball presentation, which leaves the possibility of a quick ruck. In defense, he is strong and good, he positions himself very well.
Matija Milošević
Position: Center
YOB 2011.
Comparason: Henry Slade
A player who is ready for the right things and who knows how to take responsibility. He is excellent in attack, stands out with good support and fast play. In defense, he is one of the better shooters, a player who is not very easy to pass.
