The Group fixtures have been released;
May 14th CORNWALL v HAMPSHIRE @ Redruth RFC 3 pm
May 21st HERTFORDSHIRE v CORNWALL @ Hertford RFC 3 pm
Final;
Sat June 4th CORNWALL v CHESHIRE @ Twickenham Stadium 3 pm
Rugby Football Union
by Bill Hooper
The Group fixtures have been released;
May 14th CORNWALL v HAMPSHIRE @ Redruth RFC 3 pm
May 21st HERTFORDSHIRE v CORNWALL @ Hertford RFC 3 pm
Final;
Sat June 4th CORNWALL v CHESHIRE @ Twickenham Stadium 3 pm
by Bill Hooper
Honda is now sponsor of the RFU Volunteer awards and it is important that all clubs recognise those who make our rugby possible and I would therefore urge all club management committees to make this an agenda item and forward names of those volunteers who consider the merit of an award for this rugby year.
Those forwarded should not have been nominated in the past two (2) years.
The Honda Volunteer of the Year Awards 2022 will recognise and celebrate volunteers across Rugby for their achievements and efforts over the past 12 months, both on and off the field.
To reflect the challenges that clubs have faced and recognise the outstanding contribution that volunteers have made to both their rugby clubs and the wider community, this year’s national awards programme will focus on three specific categories:
Nominations can be made for an individual, or a team of volunteers within a club, who have gone above and beyond over the course of the past 12 months.
Please read the description of each award in full before submitting your nomination.
Nominations will open from Monday 10th January and will close at 9am on Monday 28 February.
Those who have been shortlisted to attend the national final will be notified by the end of June and will be invited to an awards ceremony at Twickenham in September where the winners of each category will be announced
Aim of Award
This award will recognise an individual, or group of rugby volunteers, who have gone above and beyond over the past 12 months to provide positive experiences & ensure their club/referee society is fit for the future.
Award Summary
This award is looking to recognise those who have gone above and beyond and have shown a willingness to try their hand at whatever was needed to support the club over the past 12 months, demonstrating a positive, can-do attitude to overcoming challenges and developing innovative ways to sustain their club. This could be through helping to recruit and retain players, volunteers and officials or someone who is often found working ‘behind the scenes’ to support the future sustainability of the club.
Aim of Award
This award will recognise an individual, or group of rugby volunteers, who have made an outstanding contribution and had significant impact within their local community during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Award Summary
This award is open to those who have gone above and beyond to engage and support their local community, while also providing a platform for the development and growth of the club/referee society. This could be through raising money, providing use of the club facilities, working in partnership with other community organisations or supporting local charities. Ultimately using the power of rugby to bring their community together.
Aim of Award
This award will recognise volunteers either individually, or as part of a team, who have provided an inspiring and diverse offer, to open the game up to new audiences and make the game more accessible for all.
Award Summary
This award will recognise those who have shown outstanding commitment in developing and delivering an inspiring offer to open the game up to new audiences and make the game more accessible for all. This could be through improving accessibility for participants from ethnically diverse communities, delivering initiatives to overcome barriers for those from lower socio-economic groups, driving work forwards to support increased LGBT+ participation in rugby or delivering mixed ability rugby
If you want to recognise a volunteer, or a group of volunteers, who have gone above and beyond over the past 12 months you can nominate by using the form below.
Nominations close at 9am Monday 28 February 2022
If you have any queries regarding the completion of this form please contact volunteerrecognition@rfu.com
We’ve put together some top tips to consider when writing the application:
by Bill Hooper
Congratulations to Josie Plant who has been selected for this season’s England Women Under 18 squad.
Josie, who hails from Perranporth where she began her rugby journey, is currently with Exeter Chiefs having also been with Camborne and Penryn during her rugby development.
We wish her every success for the forthcoming International program.
by Bill Hooper
Distribution list: Tuesday 11 January Constituent Bodies Chairs, Honorary Secretaries, Treasurers, Communications Liaison, Data Officers Club Presidents, Chairs, Honorary Secretaries, Data Officers This week we have launched an official, overarching @RFU Twitter account about the community game, for the community game. You can follow here. |
Back In The Game Update Read Online |
1. ACTION REQUIRED Payment of Players declaration From 1 March – 30 June 2022, clubs will be able to complete The Payment of Players declaration form under Regulation 7. The form is mandatory for men’s level 3 and below who provide material benefits to players. 2. ACTION IF OF INTEREST @RFU twitter channel now live Follow @RFU to stay up to date with the latest news from the grassroots game. The @RFU feed will act as a hub for information on everything from playing to volunteering, as well as celebrating the very best of the rugby community. Honda volunteer hospitality registrations for Guinness Six Nations Details on how club volunteers who already have match tickets for the upcoming Guinness Six Nations matches at Twickenham can register for pre-match hospitality in the West Car Park, as part of the Honda Volunteer Recognition Programme. Honda Volunteer of the Year Nominations are now open The categories for this year’s awards to recognise the efforts and achievements of rugby volunteers across the country are live. You can nominate now. 17 Jan – Lower XV expression of interest deadline There’s less than a week to go for clubs to let us know if they are interested in entering a Lower XV team in RFU men’s leagues at Level 7 and below. Read the eligibility criteria and how to express an interest here. Back in the Game social media assets/posters for the New Year available to download. 3. FOR AWARENESS National Rugby Survey – Live on 19 Jan This year’s survey will go live on 19 January across RFU channels and is an opportunity for everyone to provide their views and feedback to help us try to meet the needs of the game. January 2022 guidance for clubs wishing to organise a First Aid or Play it Safe course Before requesting a course, we ask clubs to complete a risk assessment to help with the management of Covid-19 Allianz Premier 15s League Entry Mechanism 2023/2024 The third cycle for the Allianz Premier 15s will remain as a tender process. In June, clubs will be sent an expression of interest form for the 23/24 season. News Round-Up including New Year Honours & Touchline Congratulations to all rugby union representatives included in the New Year’s Honours list. Read on for more information and for how to subscribe to our Touchline digital newsletter for more stories from around the game. |
by Bill Hooper
Dorset & Wilts U18s, 50 – 10 Cornwall U18’s
Report and Photos by James Mills, Team Manager
Our 18’s went into this match off the back of a victory pre Christmas and were keen to build upon that momentum but Dorset & Wilts had other ideas and took the victory in a dominant display built upon both their strength in the scrum, fast hands, their off loading game in the wide channels and having the edge on us in terms of fitness. Our lads gave it their all but the opposition were too strong on the day and we were certainly not helped by 5 injuries during the game that deprived us of both of our fly-halves Dean Wills and Captain Harry Walsh-Newton, our full back Harvey Penhallurick who was a stand out player in our first match, our centre Jack Commons and our openside flanker Ben Jones. Additionally we were on the wrong side of the penalty count which further starved us of territory and control.
That said our line out functioned well with lock Magnus Bushby securing good ball. Our Launceston boys winger Archie Dinnis and blindside flanker Harry Tomlin also had strong performances and both were rewarded with a score a-piece. Their mums Mel and Jackie assured me their rugby talents originated from them! We hope that a number of our players have done well enough for further SW divisional consideration.
Despite the disappointing result from our perspective, credit has to go to the opposition Dorset & Wilts who took a deserved victory and we wish their players well with the SW selection.
First Half
Dorset & Wilts kicked off and opened the scoring after a good 50:22 kick from their own half to secure a line out in the Cornish 22. The line out was well executed from D&W and good running lines dissected the black and gold defence to score under the posts. 5-0 It only took another minute straight from the restart for the D&W backs to run it back going through the hands with good offloads within their midfield to create an overlap down their left to score in the corner. 10-0.
Archie Dinnis showing strong early form secured our first points 10-5. Cornwall took energy from this and spent a good period in the opposition 22 when we looked certain to score only to be thwarted by the match officials whistle who gave D&W a penalty and from 5m off their own line they ran it back down their left wing to score a fine try on 20mins. 5-15.
Our boys held their own right up until just before half time when we slipped off some tackles for D&W to break our lines to register a further 2 scores to close the half 5-25.
Second Half
Dorset & Wilts started the half as they finished the first half scoring 2 near identical scores down their right wing before Harry Tomlin scored from short range 10-35. Much of the second half was controlled by Dorset & Wilts who always appeared to have more players on the pitch possibly because they did at the start as we had only 14 on the pitch! Cornwall suffered a series of injuries which enabled to D&W to take the game away from us with a further 3 scores down their right wing creating overlaps and through an excellent off loading game for a deserved victory. 10-50
Over the course of the 2 matches our players gave it everything they had and I look forward to seeing how they all progress over the coming seasons and wish them all the very best. I look forward to seeing our 10 U.17 players back in the black and gold at the end of the season.
Team vs Dorset & Wilts
by Bill Hooper
Update on Community Game fixtures for this coming weekend and beyond Distribution list: Constituent Bodies Chairs, Honorary Secretaries, Treasurers, Communications Liaison • Club Presidents, Chairs, Honorary Secretaries, Fixture Secretaries, Women & Girls Key Contact, Fixture Secretary – Adult Female, Fixture Secretary Assistant – Adult Female Conscious the Christmas period is traditionally one for family time, additional flexibility in regulations for the weekend of 17/18/19 December were proactively communicated as a one-off exception. From this weekend (7/8/9 January), the Covid protocols laid out through Regulation 22 below will be applicable. We are keen to encourage rugby to be played whilst ensuring provisions are in place for those clubs that have genuine and proven Covid-related reasons why they are unable to fulfil a fixture. Therefore, from this weekend, the below applies at level 3 and below in the men’s game and level 2 and below in the women’s game, and age grade rugby where a competition organiser deems appropriate. This will be kept under continual review for the remainder of the season. Fixtures scheduled from the weekend of 7/8/9 January onwards • Matches should go ahead as normal • For a club to postpone a fixture in the Men’s and Women’s English Club Championship (RFU Leagues) they must adhere to the following process: 1. Submit a Covid declaration form with all signatures, to your Divisional Organising Committee and not to your league secretary, National League Rugby, or womenscompetitions@rfu.com as appropriate. 2. Provide all supportive information for the Covid-19 Declaration Form (including an explanation as to why the match should be postponed, including if a team can’t be fielded and why, e.g. details of players testing positive/isolating, including how many players remain available). 3. The decision to accept or decline the postponement will rest with the relevant organising committee or in the case of the Women’s game, the RFU. Clubs should not assume a postponement until advised by the relevant organising committee. Clubs, schools, colleges and universities playing fixtures are advised to take sensible precautions to protect members and players. In line with public health advice, this includes: • Encouraging players, coaches, members, match officials, to undertake Lateral Flow Tests ahead of attending and to self-isolate and follow government guidance if the test is positive. • Minimising use of changing rooms – encourage players to arrive in kit. If changing rooms or treatment rooms are required, facemasks must be worn and rooms should be ventilated where possible. • Minimising use of social spaces, ventilating where possible and keep spacing within rooms. • Implementing regular cleaning protocols of communal areas and toilet facilities. • Ensuring hand sanitisers are readily available. • Reminding members to follow government and public health guidance on mask wearing. • Minimising travel with other people. Covid-19 Guidance We want to ensure easy access to guidance. Alongside government guidance, which can be found here, and Sport England guidance here, you can find information, resources and FAQs on our England Rugby Coronavirus Hub which will be updated if government advice changes. Please check back regularly. If you can’t find the information you are looking for please contact us at ClubSupport@RFU.com We will continue to monitor the situation and keep it under review, working closely with government and public health experts. |
by Bill Hooper
Dear Club Coaching / Referee Coordinator
In collaboration with CRFU I would like to invite a representative from your club to join an important
online meeting on January 25th at 7pm to discuss coaching and referee course wants and needs for
the upcoming year. This is your only opportunity to have an input into which courses are run in
Cornwall during 2022. As some of you will already be aware the way that course are planned and
delivered has changed recently. However I still want to make sure that every coach or referee in
Cornwall has the opportunity to attend courses locally to them so that they are able to develop, to
meet the needs of your players and clubs.
This meeting will be your chance to find out more information about the content of the courses
being offered, to express your interest in hosting courses or to suggest where courses might be
needed. I would also like to have the opportunity to make sure that every club in Cornwall is aware
how important it is to have an active coaching and/or refereeing coordinator in place so that
information is reaching all those that it is intended for.
If you follow the link below it will give you some information of what the RFU course offer looks like
at the moment, please take a few minutes to watch the video that it contains. It also has
information and links to some free courses that your volunteers can complete online:
https://www.englandrugby.com//dxdam/36/36efb351-2027-4974-ac3d-
e549b0a3cbbe/England%20Rugby%20Training%20Courses%202021-22.pdf
Can I please ask that you respond to this email and let us know if you can attend. Can I also stress
again that this will be the only opportunity to influence when and where courses are run in your
County this year so please ensure your club is represented.
To join the meeting please follow this link: Click here to join the meeting (on Teams)
Kind Regards
Wayne Reed (England Rugby Coach Developer)
by Bill Hooper
The CRFU are saddened to learn of the passing of Graham Pauncefort following a long illness.
Graham gave valuable service to the CRFU as Club Representative for Roseland RFC and as Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee.
CRFU President, John Sumnall and the CRFU Management Board wish to express their sincerest condolences to Graham’s family and friends at this time.
Funeral arrangements courtesy of the family;
Nicky, Thomas, and Emma
by Bill Hooper
by Bill Hooper
Cornwall RFU were saddened to learn of the passing of former county player John Morgan, who played for the Falmouth club.
John was educated at Falmouth Grammar School going on to play for Falmouth on the wing. He played 21 times for Cornwall, including the 1958 County Final against Warwickshire at Coventry’s old Coundon Road ground, a game lost 16-8.
Having enjoyed a career in education John was living in retirement on the Isle of Mann.
The CRFU extend their sincerest condolences to John’s family and friends at this sad time.