As someone who has coached this age group a fair bit, the 4-6 year olds are vey eager and enthusiastic. The kids love having fun and if you can relate your games to the likes of Sponge Bob, Star Wars or whatever it is they are now into they you'll win every time.

The kids themselves won't even realise they're developing their skills but given a fun and positive environment you cannot lose. The earlier they can relate fun to Rugby the longer they'll stay in the game

If he wants to use Westgate then it won't be a problem, can't see any club having a problem with it.

I think its a fantastic idea. it already goes on in soccer - my other halfs brother is a talent scout for a well known premier league team who play in manchester and wear predominantly red and they recruit players as young as 5 and 6 who show early signs of the skills required and give them every oppotunity to get the best start in the game/develop those skills.....

The reason why it works so well in australia is because sport/health & fitness is a national priority and the nation has that mind set and such is drilled into the kids from a young age...its not detremental towards the kids - its just an accepted way of life....(like soccer is over here)

tell me, do they still do the skills tests with the youngsters whereby they put them in different situations like throwing, hand eye co ordination, speed, etc and depending on the traits they show, they are encouraged into a sport where those skills are usefull? example...a kid who can throw a ball a long way and has good hand/eye coordination may be pushed towards cricket?

thats something that this country could learn off....at the moment kids in this country grow up and the majority play soccer - its our 'national game' and it is just widely accepted that your kid grows up and plays soccer.... there are exceptions, example kids who live in predominantly RL areas, eg wakey/cas go into RL...

and why is it widely accepted that kids grow up and take up soccer? because the structures that youre talking about only exist in soccer...

personally, i think what youre proposing is an excellent idea, however, due to the attitude in this country towards such, i think a lot of people would see it as an easy way to get the kids off their back for a few hours and that luxery would be abused, sadly!

My opinion is at that age each child woukd have to have a parent/guardian who would have to be equally involved which would hopefully eliminate the baby sitting service.

I think at that age jonh parents that left their young ones to be looked after should be ashamed, my youngest nathan who is six next month enjoys the catch, run around pass but was shy of joining the practice session that goes on at stanley, most are a lot older, it would be difficult for him to join as lewis plays on sat, well done with idea and I hope you can make it work