Community Rugby
Rugby changing lives on Merseyside
Tony Simpson
Rugby union’s development professionals reach out to all sectors of the community and the latest in a long list of nationwide initiatives has just been launched at Knowsley in Merseyside. Appropriately entitled ‘RU Working’, it is a coaching project targeting young men on re-training programmes or who are long-term unemployed and is using rugby to engage them. In partnership with Creative Training, Knowsley MBC and Sale Sharks, the RFU is seeking to develop a ‘team’ of 18+ players. This innovative project falls in line with the RFU Go Play Rugby initiative aimed at bringing 18/30-year-olds back into the game and also recruiting newcomers. Already a dozen young men involved in the Knowsley sessions – the target is 30 – have shown great promise and enthusiasm and they will be signposted to their local clubs as they develop. “It is a programme which is using Rugby Union to actually change people’s lives,” says West Lancashire Rugby Development Officer Martin Jones: “Long-term unemployed, people seeking re-training and people simply looking for a challenge are being recruited via Knowsley Council agencies (Connexions, Job Centres, Probation Service, etc) and Creative Training Ltd to form a Rugby Academy. “The concept was first put forward by Ken Cowen from Creative Training who had the idea of getting young people with the basic rugby credentials involved. We put together a 13-week programme which is being delivered by myself, Andrew Soutar, Chris Chudleigh and Ken. None of the people involved have played the game seriously before, although a couple have played very briefly in the past.” Said Ken Cowen: “All the partners in this project are convinced that rugby union is incomparable as a means of conveying important lessons about a whole host of issues such as self respect, respect of authority, controlling anger and aggression, understanding the values of team work, appreciating the need to work incredibly hard to achieve important goals… and so on! “Already, we have seen some extremely negative attitudes towards work start to crack as the physical, mental and emotional challenge of rugby is making some of the lads really think about wider life issues. It’s very simple: we want them to get in to employment that is sustainable and realistic and we want them to foster a love for the game. I think we’re definitely heading in the right direction, although the whole project has made me realise that the challenge to engage people in (traditionally) non-rugby playing areas is utterly huge… there’s a lot more for all those who have an interest in the game to think about – and radically at that.” As an incentive for their participation, everyone involved will then take part in a work placement option which will hopefully lead to long-term employment. Knowsley does not have an active rugby union club and is one of the most deprived local authorities in England, but this project may well make a difference to the lives of the people who will now meet at New Hutte Community Centre, the base for the ‘Academy’. The project has certainly inspired one member of the group. Although monsoon conditions accompanied the opening selection day, one young man cycled from the far end of the borough – a 7.30am departure time and a round trip of over 25 miles – to ensure he got an opportunity to get involved.
Duffy Bounces Back
Lancashire and Waterloo centre Jason Duffy is the new Community Rugby Coach for Trafford in Manchester. He was a Sale Academy player for three years before a serious leg injury interrupted his career, but after playing with Sedgley Park, he is now back in action at Waterloo RFC. He was also on this summer’s Lancashire tour to Canada. He will be working in five secondary schools in the borough and linking with the Trafford MV, Bowden and Sale clubs.
Tigers Roar for Leicestershire
Paul Bolton
Five Leicestershire clubs were presented with their RFU Seal of Approval Certificates during the half-time interval of Leicester Tigers’ Guinness Premiership match against Bath at Welford Road. Melton Mowbray, Lutterworth and Cosby were all recognised for attaining Year One of the Seal of Approval process. Hinckley and Ashby were recognised for their continued excellence by reaching the standards required in Year Two.
Going to the Dogs
Paul Bolton
The RFU is going to the dogs…but only as part of a fund-raising initiative involving greyhound racing. So far 75 clubs have signed up to take part in the pilot, run by the RFU with Sporting Leagues, which it is hoped will raise over £30,000. Each club will receive a minimum of 100 free tickets to their local greyhound stadium which they can sell to their members, friends and family. The tickets have a face value of up to £5 each providing the clubs with the opportunity to raise up to £500 to help fund club development. To add to the fun on the night each competing club will be allocated a trap number across the middle six races of the evening card and the dogs will race to win points for their respective clubs. The team with the most accumulated points will be crowned the Greyhound Sporting League champions and receive a commemorative trophy. Confirmed dates for the races are at Coventry Stadium on November 17 where the Berkswell & Balsall and Broadstreet clubs will be in attendance. Old Yardleians have signed up for an evening of racing at Hall Green in Birmingham on November 6 or 20, Warley will be the Perry Barr track in Birmingham on November 22 with Bloxwich, Willenhall and Walsall due at Monmore Green in Wolverhampton on February 7. Future plans for rugby fund-raising include more greyhound nights, days at the races and comedy nights at Jongleurs clubs.
President's XV: First Team Revisited
By Carly Jackson, CB & Club Services Administrator
With the launch of the new President’s XV Recognition Awards almost upon us, we caught up with last season’s winners to see how the scheme has made a positive impact on their clubs and how they decided to spend their prize money. Some clubs chose to reward those directly involved in the President’s XV scheme whilst others took a ‘whole club development’ approach by investing the prize money into projects aimed at benefiting all members of the club. Bolton RFC, winner of the ‘School Links’ category last season used their £500 to buy new tag rugby sets to give to winning primary schools at this year’s tag tournaments. “We felt that this would be the most appropriate way of spending the money” said Scott Watson, Bolton RFC’s Community Rugby Coach. “It gives back something that will enable the continuation of tag rugby coaching within the schools after the Club Development Officer and Community Coach finish their sessions” Double award winners Cockermouth RFC decided to reward their Girls rugby team, winners of the ‘Girl Power’ category, by taking them to Edinburgh for a specialist four-day coaching session. “It has been a very positive experience for all of us” explains Janet Mackay, one of the many volunteers that helped Cockermouth RFC also secure the PXV ‘More Volunteers’ award. “Both awards have raised awareness of girls and ladies rugby and the work of volunteers within the club and the town. It has also helped strengthen links with the main club. The PXV scheme is very positive in highlighting areas that don’t regularly get noticed”. The majority of the award-winning clubs decided to use their money to tackle schemes already identified by their clubs as priority areas; investing their money in new training apparel and team equipment, laptops, trophy cabinets and even a new gymnasium. Mansfield RFC, winner of the ‘Enjoyment’ category is one such example. Currently in the middle of a three-year project to floodlight their two main pitches, Mansfield RFC recently secured grants through the RFF (Rugby Football Foundation) and CCDP alongside money contributed from a local sponsor to pay for the scheme. They also utilised an interest-free loan from RFF for the remaining amount which they plan to pay back through their fundraising ‘Floodlight Campaign’ which the President’s XV prize money has contributed towards: “We felt that this was the best use of the award money at this time” said Mansfield’s Chairman, Andy Foster; “We were keen for it to go towards a project that will very much benefit the whole club for a project that everyone can enjoy”. With the new President’s XV Recognition scheme due to be launched within the next couple of weeks, this season could be your club’s opportunity to gain national recognition and win a share of £10,000. Bolton RFC’s Scott Watson agrees: “The President’s XV Awards gives clubs that are active in the local community the chance to be recognised nationally for work that they do, allowing clubs to share ideas and work programmes with others”. For more information on the scheme and to submit nominations, visit www.rfu.com/presidentsxv.
THORNEY’S NEW CHANGING ROOMS FUNDED
Paul Bolton
Thorney have secured funding worth more than £128,000 from the Rugby Football Foundation to build new changing rooms at their Ron Jacobs Playing Fields ground near Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. The Midlands Six East (South) club have started work on the project which will see four new changing rooms and a gymnasium being built, with a scheduled completion date of March next year. Thorney have secured a grant of £63,415 from the RFF with a further £65,000 by way of an interest-free loan. Thorney RUFC was established in 1990 and owns the freehold of its ground, being three pitches, one with training floodlights. Club Chairperson, Louis Deplancke said “The extension of the present Club changing room facilities will support all sections of the Club by allowing better quality training sessions and improving the club environment during the season. The improvement to the facilities is in line with the Club’s development plan to strengthen its senior and vets teams and to add junior teams at each age group year on year until all groups are covered from minis to Colts. We are extremely pleased and thank the RFF for this opportunity.” The RFF is a charitable trust established by the Rugby Football Union with the purpose of promoting and developing community and amateur rugby in England. The Foundation is responsible for a substantial community programme which includes the provision of rugby development officers, the training and development of referees and the production of coaching and technical material. The Foundation also administers a Capital Fund for the financing of capital projects aimed at improving facilities which lead to the recruitment and retention of rugby players.
Wooden Spoon success at Leodiensians
Tony Simpson
A Wooden Spoon Society touch rugby project in Leeds dovetailed perfectly into the Go Play Rugby campaign when a corporate event was held at Leodiensians RFC to coincide with the Third Place Play-off game in the Rugby World Cup. While the organisers were blessed with one of the best games of the tournament to wrap up their event, they were equally happy with the support their efforts received from the companies involved and the number of people who participated. “The event was a great success” said Alec Porter, Rugby Development Officer for West Yorkshire: “I would like to thank Leos RFC for all there hard work and Paul Marshall, who did so much work to set up the pitch and the floodlights. Everyone enjoyed themselves,even the ladies who were apprehensive at the start were asking at the end when can they play again.” The event raised £2,655 for Spoon charity.
