Yorkshire RFU has two Representatives who are elected by the Clubs in the County to sit on the RFU Council. They also participate in Sub-Committees of the RFU which report to the Community Game Board. Keep checking back on a monthly basis as your Reps keep you up to date with relevant matters from the RFU.

May 2018


The next meeting of RFU Council is on 8th June which will also incorporate the AGM. Both meetings are being held at Cowdray Hall in Central London. Community Game Board will meet at Twickenham on 6th June.

4 Home Nations Conference/CGB – as previously mentioned an inaugural Community Conference was held in Ireland at the beginning of May.  Members of the RFU Community Game Board were joined by their counterparts from Scotland, Wales and Ireland for an intensive 36 hours. Discussions centred around common problems/issues within the game and, at the end of the conference, three areas were highlighted where the Nations agreed they could work together :
·         Women’s & Girls – will try to work together to continue the growth of the Game in this area ensuring that a common approach, where applicable, will enable consistent policies between each Nation
·         Game On – originally a WRU initiative this seeks to allow games below 1st XV level to be completed with local variations to Laws (e.g. equality of numbers, uncontested scrums etc.). The initiative has now been adopted by World Rugby and the 4 Home Nations will work together to ensure that more games are played wherever possible in adaptive forms if necessary.
·         Touchline Behaviour – all 4 Nations reported that incidents of touchline indiscipline were increasing. They agreed to take joint action to try and modify behaviour.  In the case of the RFU this will include re-inforcing our Core Values (Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship)
Some of the initiatives will rely on funding from World Rugby but they will provide a focus for all 4 Nations over the coming season(s).

17/18 Transitioning – as you will be aware the U19 Commission (Chaired by Ted Atkinson) recommended that the age a player can play adult rugby be raised from 17 to 18.  The RFU have initiated a small working group to look at this and Ted Atkinson has been asked to Chair this group The  first meeting was on 24th May. If anyone has views on this topic they should contact Ted directly.

RFU Cup Finals – as ever we had a busy day on 6th May with three Yorkshire sides competing in various Cup Finals.  Congratulations go to Old Otliensians (Junior Vase), Wath-upon-Dearne (Senior Vase) and Yorkshire U20s (Jason Leonard U20s Championship) who all came away from their respective finals at Twickenham with victories.
We also extend our very best wishes to Yorkshire Women who, with a stupendous win against Lancashire, progress to the Final of the Gill Burns Women’s County Championship on Sunday, 27th May at Twickenham.  This is the first time that the Women’s Final has been held at Twickenham and we hope the side, coaching staff, medical staff and supporters have a memorable day out and are able to bring some more silverware back to the County.

Local Matters – whilst congratulating those teams who have experienced success at a national level we would also like to extend our best wishes to those who were successful in our County Cups.  We continue to uphold a strong tradition of domestic cups which other Counties find hard to sustain with the focus on league rugby. So well done to Hull (Yorkshire Cup), Scarborough (Yorkshire Shield), Thornensians (Yorkshire Silver Trophy) and Northallerton (Yorkshire Vase). We are sure the celebrations following your victories are still going strong !!


Activities in May (Jim Chapman)

Date

02-03
Community Game Board/4 Home Nations Community Conference (Malahide, Ireland)
06
RFU Cup Finals (Twickenham)
08
YRFU Implementation Group (Wetherby)
09
Midlands DOC Meeting (Solihull)
10
South Yorkshire District (Doncaster Phoenix RUFC)
11
Mitsubishi Volunteer Recognition (Leeds)
12
Yorkshire v Northumberland (Scarborough)
14
YRFU Council (Morley RFC)
15
Yorkshire Women’s Forum
17
Yorkshire Vase Final (Pontefract RUFC)
18
Mitsubishi Volunteer Recognition (Skipton)
19
Eastern Counties v Yorkshire (Cambridge)
20
Yorkshire Women v Lancashire Women (West Park Leeds)



Activities in May (Ted Atkinson)

Date

10
Divisional Academy Chairmen Meeting (Worcester, Sixways)
12
Yorkshire v Northumberland (Scarborough)
14
ERDPP Meeting
Yorkshire Council (Morley RFC)
23
Player Development Sub-Committee (Twickenham)
24
17/18 Transitioning Meeting
25
Mitsubishi Volunteer Recognition (Hull)


Ted Atkinson & Jim Chapman
May 2018
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