| Coronavirus (Covid-19) update We have launched a short survey to enable clubs to provide us with input regarding the broader financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on grassroots rugby. Awaiting link for the survey from RFU! We also remember Matt Ratana who gave tremendous service to the Metropolitan Police and to the game of rugby. To read the rest of the update click on the link. Please visit our dedicated web portal on the England Rugby website to access coronavirus information and updates here. Past editions of these weekly updates can be found on this part of the website. Click here if you need to find a previous edition. |
A Sad Day for Rugby
Following the tragic events of yesterday at Croydon Police Station, CRFU Chairman Dave Saunter wished to offer our condolences to Sgt Ratana’s family, his colleagues in the police and at East Grinstead RFC.
“Sgt Matt Ratana a serving Police officer and rugby coach was murdered yesterday whilst protecting us all.
“Our thoughts must go to his family, friends and work colleagues at this terrible time. Also his extended family of East Grinstead RFC.
‘This is such sad news, and comes on the back of the attack on Daz Mares a well respected Newquay Police officer and coach at Newquay Hornets RFC. Both officers were on duty to protect their communities. Our thoughts are with the family Ratana and “Get Well soon Daz”, the rugby community is waiting to welcome you back when fully recovered.’
Saunts
RFU Coronavirus Update 24th Sept
| Return to competitive play in 2020/21 season delayed to January 2021 earliest. Under powers delegated by Council, the RFU Governance Committee today made a difficult decision that, with the exception of Premiership, Championship and Premier 15s rugby, no organised* RFU or non-RFU Leagues including merit tables, adult or age grade competitions will be played before January 2021 at the earliest. With the increased uncertainly caused by Government’s additional restrictions to curb the increase in Covid-19 cases across the country, the decision has been made so that we can provide clubs with some certainty over the next few months. The rugby community can continue to organise non-contact fixtures with other clubs using Ready4Rugby and other touch rugby activity. Limited and restricted contact rugby training can also be continued. The RFU continues to be in active dialogue with government about moving to Stage E on the Roadmap should we reach this point at any time before Christmas, competitive friendly matches could commence. The Adult and Age Grade Competitions Groups will be making recommendations to Governance on what they can do to ensure that any competitions from January are meaningful, including whether to make changes to the structured season. Governance also agreed that any decision to suspend promotion and relegation for the 2020/21 season would be referred to Council once the nature of the competitions is known. Further guidance will be provided in due course to support clubs, schools, colleges and universities in playing to the relevant stage of the appropriate Roadmap stage. Jeff Blackett, RFU President, comments: “We are very keen to see competitive rugby being played again. However, given the introduction of further restrictions to curb the increase in Covid-19 cases, we will not be able to move to Stage F on the Roadmap until a later date. This announcement gives clubs clarity over the immediate term to help them with their planning. We will continue to liaise with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Public Health England to accelerate a return to competitive play as soon as it is safe to do so.” Although social gatherings of more than six people were banned in England from Monday 14 September and a number of local lockdown restrictions put in place in some areas of the country, the Government has confirmed that organised sports and activities that have been through return to play protocols can continue. With the exception of clubs impacted by local lockdown restrictions, we continue at Stage D on the Roadmap. Clubs in areas where additional local lockdown measures have been introduced may need to limit their activities in line with any local restrictions. All are advised to consult with their local authority should they be in any doubt. *Organised competition in this instance includes any competition organised by the RFU, its delegated competition organising committees, or any other league or cup organiser.Return To Play To read the rest of the update click on the link |
Eagles soar with Ready4Rugby
See how Falmouth Eagles enjoyed a great Saturday afternoon with Ready4Rugby. Thanks to Kevin Bishop for producing this video.
RFU Community Game Update, September
| Community Game Update – September 2020 Content; 1. Update on the Adult Male Future Competition Structure 2. Change in registering for GMS support 3. Check out great offers available on the Club Hub 4. Return to Rugby – support for schools, colleges and universities 5. Great British Week of Sport | 19 to 27 September 6. Mental health support 7. VAT Helpline 8. Chance to win a training day for your club with Dylan Hartley 9. Community Rugby – current status 10. Local lockdown restrictions To click read the rest of this update please click on the link. Welcome to the September 2020 Community Game Update. We hope you find the update useful, and if you have any feedback, queries or content that you would like to feature, please email Vee Montebello, RFU Senior Communications Manager (veemontebello@rfu.com). Our communications to you are based on the data held in the Game Management System (GMS). To ensure you receive the communications that you want to from the RFU, please check the information held on this system is up to date and active. In addition, if you know of a colleague who should be receiving these updates, but isn’t, please help them to check their details on GMS. This communication is only sent to the roles highlighted in the distribution list above. Please share it with others in your club who need to see it. Share |
Latest RFU Community Game Update 15th Sept
| Coronavirus (Covid-19) update We have provided an update on the handling of positive Covid-19 cases by clubs and of current local lockdown restrictions. Handling positive Covid-19 cases  We are currently liaising with Public Health England (PHE) to seek additional clarity on the process and requirements for a club to follow in the event of a positive Covid-19 case within their club. In the case where a positive test is a player, providing all rugby activities that the player participated in were within RFU Return to Community Rugby and Stage D guidelines, then there is no requirement for other players to self-isolate. For any non-playing positive cases, e.g. spectators, the general Government guidance must be followed – see link below. Further information will be published in due course. In the meantime, following a positive test, a representative from the club should contact the local PHE centre to inform them of the development and seek further advice. Clubs should also ensure that they have an appropriate risk assessment in place and are operating within Government and RFU guidelines for all facility usage and rugby activity. To read the rest of the update click on the link. Please visit our dedicated web portal on the England Rugby website to access coronavirus information and updates here. Past editions of these weekly updates can be found on this part of the website. Click here if you need to find a previous edition. |
Samson Rising, launch of new book
SAVE THE DATE – LIVESTREAM BOOK LAUNCH
Book your place at our live online book launch to celebrate the publication of John Hambly’s memoir Samson Rising, on Wednesday 23rd September at 6.30 – 7.30
Samson Rising is a wonderfully uplifting read which will resonate with people from all walks of life. From childhood days growing up on a tough Cornish council estate during the 1960s and ’70s, through to establishing a bespoke Multiple Sclerosis therapy centre in Surrey, John Hambly’s life has been quite a roller-coaster.
Join special guests, Jason Leonard and Andy Gomarsall, as they are live streamed into our virtual event to share their personal thoughts about key themes in the book – including resilience in the face of adversity, John’s passion for the Cornish landscape and the power of the rugby community.
Guarantee your virtual seat at the You Tube live streamed book launch, by contacting Jane Ward, at janew@harveythorneycroft.co.uk. The event link will be sent to you by return email.
Samson Rising, £18.95 (hardback) is available from Amazon, Waterstones and via the publisher’s website www.unitedwriters.co.uk.
Find out more about Samson Rising and its author, John Hambly here.
RFU statement on Law Changes Update announced by HMG
| Law changes update |
| We wanted to update you on the law changes announced by the Government on Wednesday 9 September in relation to the ban on groups of more than six people meeting socially indoors and outdoors. Although social gatherings of more than six people will be banned in England from Monday 14 September, the Government has confirmed that organised sports and activities that have been through return to play protocols can continue. With the exception of clubs impacted by local lockdown restrictions, we remain at Stage D on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap. The rugby community can continue to organise non-contact fixtures with other clubs using Ready4Rugby and other touch rugby activity. Limited and restricted contact rugby training can also be continued. Detail of the permitted training activity is available in the return to contact training guidance. Following feedback we are working to see whether guidance on numbers permitted on training areas can be increased to reflect the age of participants. Until we have secured approval for this clubs should follow current guidance of no more than 20 players per half pitch in training. RFU guidance as well as Government Coronavirus (Covid-19) Guidelines must be followed. We have worked closely with the Government to gain approval to return to rugby activity and the recent progression to Stage D has been well received with lots of positive impact being reported by clubs. We will continue to have close dialogue with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to progress community rugby activity to the next stage on the roadmap and we will keep you advised of any updates. To read the rest of the update please click on the link |
Ray Plummer – R.I.P.
The CRFU were saddened to learn of the passing of Ray Plummer, a stalwart of Cornish rugby both with Penryn R.F.C. and as an esteemed county official, passed away on Tuesday morning aged 86. County President John Sumnall spoke fulsomely of Ray."He gave an enormous amount of his time to Rugby. He was Cornwall RFU Representative to the RFU Council from 1995 - 2002 and when standing down was made a Distinguished Member, Treasurer of Cornwall RFU 1986-1998, Treasurer and later Chair of the Cornwall Referees Society in the 1980s and of course a life long member of Penryn RFC." At present funeral arrangements have not been announced but we will keep you advised although the present covid restrictions will be in place. A sad loss to Cornwall. A Tribute to Ray via Penryn RFC UPDATE Ray's funeral will take place at Penmount crematorium, Trelawny Chapel on Tuesday 22nd September 2 pm. Afterwards at Penryn RFC, but due to numbers only those attending the funeral. Covid restrictions apply. Further details T Cooke Funeral Directors, Falmouth.
Covid 19 Risk Assessment concerning spectators at clubs
In the current Covid climate with its complex and often changing set of
rules and regulations CRFU is aware of the risk for confusion and
conflicting messages. The RFU is quite explicit in its guidance which is
regularly updated on its community game newsletters and CRFU have no doubt that further changes will be made. The challenge lies in keeping the game alive whilst adhering to good practice and government guidelines, especially with the return of youth and junior rugby.
CRFU endorses the following RFU statement and recommends that the simple principles and practices contained in the statement extend to all aspects of a rugby club activity. In the absence of CRFU being notified of the duly nominated person, CRFU will refer to the senior club management team and its lead, namely the club Club Chairman, to be that nominated person with responsibility for all Covid related precautions and practices within the club.
Where it is anticipated that an activity will attract spectators, there should be a named person or persons with responsibility for
ensuring adherence with these guidelines and ensuring the facility is
Covid-19 Secure. The person(s) should carry out and publish a risk
assessment for the activity, which limits the number of spectators and
focuses on the need to maintain social distancing on arrival, for the
duration of the activity and on departure.
Obviously this is a continually evolving situation and the cluster scheme as
promulgated in project Trelawny is there to assist clubs in responding in
as an pragmatic and agile manner as possible to changing circumstances.
Therefore, clubs must clearly notify CRFU the name and contact details of
their Covid responsible point of contact who, in turn, can access assistance
and guidance via their cluster leads.
Contact should be made to the Hon.Sec Terry Williams.
