I know there's lot's of under age groups right up to international level, but are there leagues for the games future or is it just the odd friendly? For the game to really prosper against a back ground of state schools selling playing fields for housing, the clubs/RFU(god help us) need to be getting this sorted.

Ampthill and locally many other clubs do.

Moseley have a colts side (2 actually) - as do many, many others. 

I believe 128 sides entered the National youth cup - having qualified by winning county rounds.

County cups are hard fought over, and most counties have youth leagues as well.

Youth rugby seems to do OK up to age 16, then player leave as exam pressure increases.

Players then head off to university, and though some continue to play thee, not all do.

The difference between now and twenty / thirty years back is that players have loads of demands for game time and the sport has moved on.

The better players have all been hoovered up by the academies and have their game time managed. The counties then try and offer a lifeline to those that don’t survive the cut at that age group. The standards of school 1st XV rugby have gone up so much that getting lads out on a Sunday after a tough Saturday fixture is increasingly difficult / going against player welfare.

For once it’s something I don’t think we can blame the RFU for. 

On a positive note University rugby seems to be in a way better place than twenty / thirty years ago offering a competitive pathway to the top and genuine competition for those that might have given up a few years ago.

Rambling post - apologies for that. Post university seems to be the bigger drop now with other concerns getting in the way.

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=779694137162912&set=a.250862006712797" rel="nofollow - Facebook

True - except at Oxford and Cambridge, though that is much more to do with them not being dominated by public schoolboys. Having said that, the university now has three Women's sides and there are college fixtures as well.

Leeds Met and Cardiff Met, Exeter and Durham are churning out top class National league and higher standard players. And of course Loughborough and hartpury

Brunel is Ealing Trailfinders Academy . Paddy McGill ex Ealing first team player is the lead coach.

There is another drop-off at 18 when players go to University. One issue then is that Universities tend to offer only competitive matches in the BUCS Leagues so players who aren't up to that have no social rugby to play in. The RFU allows students to register with a Club close to their Uni as well as a home Club but that's still focussed on competitive 1st XV rugby. There needs to be a route for the keen player who doesn't want competitive rugby.

That is what intra-mural sport was for. I was at Cambridge and college sport was just for fun, the serious players were after a blue.

Collegiate rugby is struggling, partly due to the move from public schoolboys to state school women dominating the intake. However, Cambridge has 67 men's soccer sides in its league - but that is also well below its peak.

But, it is much easier to organize a kick about than to arrange fifteen a side rugby - and maintain safety.