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.

January 2019


The next meeting of RFU Council is on Friday 8th February 2019. Community Game Board continues to meet on a regular basis with a meeting planned on 2nd February


Ted Atkinson – as some may be aware Ted has been unwell, requiring a period of hospitalisation. Thankfully, he is on the mend and will be back in action soon.  In the interim if you have matters that require attention please email Jim Chapman. I am sure we all wish Ted a speedy and full recovery.

League/Competitions Consultation – the second round of Consultations, across the whole of the North is now completed and the Working Group (of which Jim Chapman is the Chair) will meet in early February.  This will result in a series of options which will be distributed to clubs, asking them to endorse one of the suggestions.  Following that (probably in mid-March) the North DOC will receive a series of recommendations.
We would like to thank all those who have taken part in the consultation process.  It has been invaluable in getting to meet and receive the thoughts right across the game.

CGB Business Planning – Community Game Board has, across a number of months, been wrestling with the budget for season 2019/20.  This has not been an easy task and discussions are still on-going. At the end of matters it will be the responsibility of the Board of Directors to set the budget going forward.  This is likely to be an agenda item at the April Council Meeting.  Obviously, the discussions and budget options are, at this point in time, confidential to members of the Community Game Board. As things become clearer we will keep all clubs informed of the outcomes.


Activities in January (Jim Chapman)

Date

08
North Leagues Working Group (Conference Call)
10
Meeting with Otley RUFC regarding 2nd XV league (Otley RUFC)
15
North Leagues Consultation ( Yorkshire - West Park Leeds)
16
North Leagues Consultation (Lancashire - Preston Grasshoppers)
18
CGB Business Planning (Twickenham)
21
North District (Ripon RFC)
22
North Leagues Consultation (Cumbria – Keswick RUFC)
23
North Leagues Consultation (Northumberland – Morpeth RFC)
24
North Leagues Consultation (Durham – Durham City RUFC)
28
Central District – additional meeting to discuss North Leagues structure (Morley RFC)
30
North Leagues Consultation (Cheshire – Winnington Park RUFC)



Activities in January (Ted Atkinson)

Date

22/23
Education & Age Grade Sub-Committee (Twickenham)



Ted Atkinson & Jim Chapman
January 2019

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December 2018


The next meeting of RFU Council is not until Friday 8th February 2019. Community Game Board has it’s Annual Business Planning Day on Friday, 18th January.


Ted and Jim would like to wish all connected with Rugby in Yorkshire a very HAPPY NEW YEAR. We both hope the second half of the season brings your club all the success that you wish.  Let’s all work together to ensure that our game grows during this year and that our clubs and players flourish. Oh! … and let’s hope Japan 2019 is successful for English Rugby

Interim CEO – As you will be aware the RFU finally has a Yorkshireman at the helm!!  Nigel Melville has taken over as Chief Executive Officer and has already been active in meeting the Chairs of various RFU Sub-Committees to explore common themes for the months ahead. The search for a replacement CEO has also begun with recruitment company Odgers Berndston having been appointed to carry out the recruitment process. A job description has been drawn up and will shortly go live.

U17/U18 Transition – as many will be aware Ted Atkinson chaired the Working Group looking into the best age at which players should be able to transition from Age Grade into Open Age Rugby. It proved to be a lively debate with a broad spectrum of views being submitted to the Group. The Group finally concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support a change in the current regulations and, therefore, recommended to the Community Game Board that the status quo be maintained. The group will re-convene next year to review the situation and will continue to monitor on an annual basis. One change that will be implemented during the 2019-20 season will be the process for sign-off for a player to play open age rugby, this is likely to include a “third-party view on a player’s suitability to play adult rugby”. Also, as the changes were being discussed it emerged that new DBS and Safeguarding regulations relating to young people playing in open age sport were being discussed by the Government.  The Safeguarding Department at the RFU will consider these new regulations and communicate them to all concerned when they are due to be implemented by all sports.

League/Competitions Consultation – following earlier meetings across the North of England, Jim Chapman will be part of the Group that will lead a second phase of consultation into the league and competitions landscape across the North Division Organising Committee area.  The Yorkshire consultation will meet on Tuesday January 15th at West Park Leeds RUFC, commencing at 7:00 p.m. Clubs at Level 7 (Yorkshire Div. 1) and below will have received an outline presentation on the views expressed during the first round of meetings.  This will be followed by some draft structures considered by the group. The likely outcome is that clubs will be asked to select from these proposals with an accompanying implementation plan.

January Availability – both Ted and Jim will be very busy during January but still available (probably best by email) if clubs have concerns. In particular, Ted will not be available between 10th to 21st Jan as he will be taking a break from rugby to support England’s Cricketers in the West Indies.


Activities in December (Jim Chapman)

Date

03
Yorkshire RFU Financial AGM + Committee Meeting (Morley RFC)
11
Competitions Review Working Party
England Colleges RFU – Board Meeting (Twickenham)
19
Meeting with Nigel Melville
Community Game Board (Twickenham)
20
Meeting with C. Roberts, K. Drabble re. West Park Leeds Ladies (Weetwood Hall Hotel)



Activities in December (Ted Atkinson)

Date

03
Yorkshire RFU Financial AGM + Committee Meeting (Morley RFC)



Ted Atkinson & Jim Chapman
December  2018

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