National Under
17s Competition.
The National Under 17
Competition continues to
go from strength to
strength and this
seasons competition was
no exception culminating
in a fantastic day of
Rugby at The Worcester
Warriors Sixways
stadium. Those in
attendance were lucky
enough to see Derby RFC,
Melton Mowbray RFC,
Bristol RFC and
Harpenden RFC walk away
with the National
Shield, Bowl, Plate and
Cup titles on the day in
four hard fought
matches.
The key objectives of
the Competition are to
offer a competitive
Rugby structure to an
age group that
traditionally drift away
from the game and to
provide a player
development pathway from
junior to adult Rugby
for many young club
players across the
country.
The competition is
growing in status year
on year but the emphasis
remains on competitive
Rugby for club players,
not Elite players who
have ample opportunity
to play in competitive
games and structures.
The competition
consists of four levels
(Shield, Bowl, Plate and
Cup) and is organised in
three stages through
which teams can
progress; local CB level
organised leagues,
Divisional Knock Out
stages and the
competition culminates
in the National Semi
finals and finals.
To find out more
about getting involved
in the competition
please contact your
local CB or Billy Clark,
Age Grade Competitions
Manager,
billyclark@rfu.com
and be sure to check out
the
competition regulations
here
The value of RFU
Draw Society Grand Draw
to participating clubs
has now reached £1.4
million being
the 90% (75% in year 1)
received by the clubs
which have taken part in
the five years it has
been running.
2007-8 again proved
to be a very successful
season, raising a total
of over £442,000 (an
increase of £57k on last
year) of which the
clubs’ 90% - over
£398,000 (up £52k on
year) - is with the 697
clubs who participated
(24 more than last
year). If your club is
amongst them
congratulations on your
effort.
Sandbach RUFC
(Cheshire) with a
stunning £8,309 won the
top prize for the club
raising the most money.
In second place came
Bracknell RFC (Berks)
with a superb £8,190
followed by Richmond FC
(Surrey) with £6,607. A
total of 23 clubs raised
£2,500 or more and a
further 101, £1000+.
A full list of both
the Club Prizewinners
and the Individual
Prizewinners in the main
Draw has been sent by
email (or snail-mail if
they don’t have it) to
all participating clubs
and can also be found at
www.rfu.com with a
link from the Home Page.
The Draw will be run
again next season and
details, together with a
pre-Registration Form,
will be available on the
RFU website in
mid-August. For those
who don’t pre-register,
every club will
automatically receive a
Starter Kit which will
be sent to their Hon Sec
(who appears on the
Rugby First Database) in
mid-October. Schools in
membership of ERFSU will
again be invited to take
part.
Rugby Football
Foundation
The Rugby Football
Foundation continues to
offer matched capital
Groundmatch grants of up
to £6000 and interest
free loans up to
£100,000 for eligible
projects and clubs.
Further information and
application forms can be
found at
www.rfu.com/microsites/rff.
Groundmatch grants are
available to clubs at
level 5 and below and
interest free loans
available for clubs at
level 4 and below.
Please contact your
Constituent Body and/or
Rugby Development
Officer for further
information, or contact
your RFU Funding and
Facilities Manager.
Ted Mitchell - North,
tedmitchell@rfu.com
07738029212
Ross Baxter - Midlands’s
rossbaxter@rfu.com
07764960405
Rick Bruin - London &
South East
rickbruin@rfu.com
07738029211
Dave Stubley - South
West
davestubley@rfu.com
07736722387
RFU National
Facilities Strategy
relaunched
Following the launch
of the RFU’s first
National Facility
Strategy 2002-7 the game
has seen unparalleled
levels of investment for
the facility needs of
its community rugby
clubs. The past five
years have seen
£25,650,000 of direct
RFU investment into the
game which has supported
a further £46,000,000 of
support from other
stakeholders. In line
with this investment the
game has seen increases
in participation within
invested clubs of 58%
mini/youth players, 16%
coaches and 3%
volunteers.
The development of
facilities within
community rugby clubs
remains a key strategic
priority of the RFU. To
support delivery against
this key strategic
priority the RFU
launched its new
National Facility
Strategy in May 2008
which seeks to build
upon the success already
achieved, and provide a
framework for the
sustainable development
of facilities at a
national, regional and
local level.
Key to the delivery of
these strategies is the
development of
Constituent Body
Facility Plans to
identify the facility
needs of all community
rugby clubs and then
prioritise projects for
investment based upon
delivery against key
performance indicators .
Please click here for
the new RFU National
Facilities Strategy
You Have Got
To Be In It To Win It
The Rugby Football
Union wants everyone
involved in rugby union
in England to work
together to create the
best possible
competition structure
for the game.
To ensure that the
“rugby landscape” below
Level 3 serves the needs
of everyone, the RFU is
inviting all involved to
join them in a wide
ranging consultation
process.
“We want to make sure
that as many people as
possible take part in
our consultation so that
any change in our
competition structure
reflects the views,
aspirations and wishes
of the entire game,”
says John Owen, the
RFU’s Junior Vice
President and Chairman
of the Rugby Landscape
Task Group.
From July 1st for a
period of four weeks
there will be an online
survey at
rfu.com/rugbylandscapesurvey
to bring in views so
that “we get the
competition structure
right to sustain our
member clubs for the
future,” says Owen.
After a full analysis
of the questionnaire
replies, there will be a
stakeholders’ forum,
following which
recommendations will be
drawn up and presented
to the RFU Management
Board and Council.
Visit
rfu.com/rugbylandscapesurvey
to be part of the new
rugby landscape.
