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RFU Coronavirus Update 12th Jan.

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Coronavirus (Covid-19) update

This week’s headlines include:
1. Resources to support clubs and CBs through lockdown
2. Government financial support
3. Pause on DBS checks
4. Mitsubishi Motors Rugby Leadership Network
5. Webinars and on-demand videos
6. Digital Remembrance Wall
7. Leighton Buzzard RFC becomes a vaccination hub

RFU Headlines

Resources to support clubs and CBs during lockdown

As promised, we have created a one-stop support centre to help clubs through lockdown. We have compiled information for you to use as and when it suits your club as we understand that clubs may need this information at different times, depending on individual circumstances. We will continue to update our resources in this area as we have more information.

While it sounds contradictory to suggest conducting a good governance health check during a pandemic, the national lockdown does provide a pause in the day-to-day running of clubs. This could serve as a time to assess good governance practices, so that clubs can be in as strong a position as is possible during these times, to be able to bounce back when rugby can return.

Alongside this, we have included a reminder below of funding options available to address more immediate concerns during lockdown. If you can’t find the information you need on the pages below, please get in touch with us via ClubSupport@RFU.com and we will respond as quickly as we can.


Lockdown Support

Funding Support

To read the rest of the update please click on the link


Community Rugby Activity in England reverts to Stage A

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Following Government’s national lockdown announcement to counter the steep rise in Covid-19 infections, all community rugby activity in England is suspended until further notice.

In line with current Government policy, all adult and age grade rugby training and fixtures must stop. This means we return to Stage A on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap for all players. Outdoor organised sport for disabled people is allowed to continue.

Community rugby includes all levels below the Greene King IPA Championship (scheduled to restart in March) and the Allianz Premier 15s and Gallagher Premiership, which follow elite sport return protocols.

Click here for a summary of what is and isn’t allowed during the national lockdown. The new restrictions become law on Wednesday 6 January, but people should follow them as of now.

There is an exemption in place that allows elite sportspeople (and their coaches if necessary, or parents/guardians if they are under 18) – or those on an official elite sports pathway – to compete and train.

Indoor gyms and sports facilities will remain closed. Outdoor sports venues, including rugby clubs, outdoor gyms, tennis courts, golf courses, swimming pools, archery/driving/shooting arenas and riding arenas must close.

What exercise can I do?

People can only leave their home to exercise, and not for the purpose of recreation or leisure.

You can continue to exercise alone, with one other person from outside your household, or with your household or support bubble.

This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.

You should maintain social distancing while exercising.

Organised outdoor sport for disabled people is allowed to continue.

You can exercise in a public outdoor place including:

● parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, forests
● public gardens (whether or not you pay to enter them)
● the grounds of a heritage site
● playgrounds

While this is not the way we hoped to start 2021, we all need to play our part and strictly adhere to Government guidance over the next few weeks. This will help to protect our communities and to enable the vaccine to be as effective as possible, so we can all begin to return to a more normal way of life, including rugby, in the coming months.

We would like to thank you all once again for your commitment and resilience in the face of adversity. We appreciate the support you have provided for your rugby communities and thank you for your understanding during the toughest of times, for the sport and society as a whole.

We will continue to monitor guidance and to progress negotiations with Government to finalise plans for release of financial support from the Winter Sport Survival Package.

If you have any queries, please visit our Coronavirus advice & support page or contact ClubSupport@RFU.com.

Online training sessions for age grade players (and adults if wished!)

A reminder of online training sessions run by England Rugby for age grade players during November’s lockdown can be found below. These sessions can also help young players to stay active at home during these latest restrictions.

‘Get Your Shirt On’ is a series of workout sessions led by former England players and aimed at the 6-18 age grades. Ugo Monye, Danielle Waterman and Danny Care have taken it in turn to put viewers through their paces.

With community rugby currently at Stage A on the Return to Rugby Roadmap, it’s important for players to continue to stay active, even if it’s from home.

Week One Ugo Monye
Session 1 – (U10s and below)
Session 2 – (U11s to U14s)
Session 3 – (U15s and above)

Week Two Nolli Waterman
Session 1 – (U10s and below)
Session 2 – (U11s to U14s)
Session 3 – (U15s and above)

Week Three Danny Care
Session 1 – (U10s and below)
Session 2 – (U11s to U14s)
Session 3 – (U15s and above)

Message from Dave Saunter on Tier 3 announcement + RFU update

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Today’s tier 3 announcement will not come as a surprise to many, numbers are on the rise and need to be controlled. Please follow Tier 3 regulations from midnight tonight. As an Management Board we have discussed the current situation, but we will  await an update from the RFU and then give our guidance on possible rugby in the County. If no update we will post by 1st January at the latest.

Please be patient.

Regards, 
Saunts

Chairman CRFU 

Tier 3 and Tier 4 Update from RFU

Following this afternoon’s Government announcement that the majority of the country will move into Tiers 3 and 4 as of 00.01 tomorrow morning, we wanted to provide a reminder of Tier implications for community rugby for you to be able to share with your clubs and to help with any queries you may receive in the coming days.

Please see below for guidance on what can and can’t be done in each Tier. While these continue to be extremely difficult times for everyone involved, it was a huge boost to hear Government say that today’s approval of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is the single biggest stride we’ve been able to take since the pandemic began and will provide a route out of the crisis.

However, for now, with the new variant of the virus estimated to be over 50% more transmissible than the original, it is vital that we all adhere to Tier and Covid-19 guidance until we reach a stage where restrictions can gradually be lifted.

Please see below for a reminder around travel and match play in each tier:

Adult Rugby

  • Adult players living in Tier 3 can only travel within their own specific Tier 3 area to train or play. (See above for Government website areas)
  • Adult players living in Tier 3 cannot travel into another Tier 3 area (or other Tiers) to train or play (which includes their own club if it is in a different geographic area).
  • Adult rugby is not permitted in Tier 4. 

Age Grade

At the time of writing, the following still applies. We will advise of any changes if we receive an update from Government in the next few days.

  • Age grade players may, due to Government exemptions for U18s, travel across tiers 1-3 to train or play and can be accompanied by one parent or carer. However, to protect all involved, we strongly recommend that wherever possible training and match play follows adult guidelines.  
  • Age grade players in Tier 4 may only travel within their specific Tier 4 area to train or play and may only be accompanied by one parent or carer.
  • Volunteers (including coaches and match officials) may travel across Tiers 1-3, where necessary, to enable participation to take place. However, to protect all involved, we strongly recommend this is kept to an absolute minimum. 
  • Volunteers (including coaches and match officials) living in Tier 4 should only travel within their specific Tier 4 area to enable participation to take place for U18s ONLY.
  • Additional exemptions are in place for people with a disability.  

We will update you when we receive further information from Government and will work hard to enable as many people as possible to return to rugby when it is safe to do so.

While it’s not the way many of us would wish to start 2021, the priority is to keep everyone safe. We wish you all a healthy New Year and will be in touch again soon.

RFU support for clubs regarding New Tiers announced yesterday

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We hope that you are well, safe and looking forward to the festive period no matter where you are.

With the speed that the tiers are changing, we would hope that you could share the following with your clubs so that they are fully aware of the guidance around their tiers, and to help you with any queries that you might have in the coming days and weeks.

·        With areas entering new tiers, we would like to make sure everyone is aware of the guidance around what can and can’t be done.

·        You can find this on our Club Hub Support page (https://www.englandrugby.com/participation/running-your-club/club-support-centre/helpdesk-faqs )
and the Coronavirus Hub (https://www.englandrugby.com/participation/running-your-club/coronavirus/coronavirus-resources )

·        In relation to tier 4, we issued the following advice on the RFU website and Government guidance can be found here.

·        If you are unsure on what tier you are currently in or will be going in, you can find it here using the Government website https://www.gov.uk/guidance/full-list-of-local-restriction-tiers-by-area#tier-4-stay-at-home

·        Given the latest news is that the new strain of the virus is 70% more transmissible we recommend that if you are in a Tier 4 area, clubs should cancel any upcoming training/fixture. However, this does mean rugby activity can continue for U18s.

As a reminder here guidance around travel and match play around the tiers:

·       Adult players living in Tier 1 or Tier 2 can travel within and between Tier 1 and Tier 2 areas to train or play.  

·       Adult players living in Tier 1 or Tier 2 cannot travel into a Tier 3 area to train or play. 

·       Adult players living in Tier 3 can travel within their own specific Tier 3 area to train or play. 

·       Adult players living in Tier 3 cannot travel into another Tier 3 area, nor into a Tier 1 or Tier 2 area, to train or play. 

·       Adult rugby is not permitted in Tier 4 

·       Age grade players may, due to Government exemptions for U18s, travel across tiers 1-3 to train or play. However, to protect all involved, we strongly recommend that wherever possible training and match play follows adult guidelines.  

·       Age grade players from Tiers 1 or 2 can be accompanied by one parent or carer from, or into, a Tier 3 area to train or play.  

·       Age grade players in Tier 4 may only travel within their specific Tier 4 area to train or play and may only be accompanied by one parent or carer.

·       Volunteers (including coaches and match officials) may travel across Tiers 1-3, where necessary, to enable participation to take place. However, to protect all involved, we strongly recommend this is kept to an absolute minimum. 

·       Volunteers (including coaches and match officials) living in Tier 4 may only travel within their specific Tier 4 area to enable participation to take place for U18s ONLY.

·        Additional exemptions are in place for people with a disability.  

Naturally, as we understand and hear more from Government we will update accordingly  

We hope that everyone has an enjoyable time and stays safe in the hope that we can return to rugby as soon as possible.

Cornwall to move to Tier 2 on Boxing Day

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In Tier 2, Clubhouses must close unless they operate as if they were a restaurant. This means serving substantial meals, like a main lunchtime or evening meal. They may only serve alcohol as part of such a meal and all food and drink to be ordered and consumed at the table. Tables can only be same household and takeaway must be eaten or drunk off the club premises.

RFU Guidance in link

Q&A session with Ground Safety Expert Kevin Instance

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Kevin Instance grounds safety expert is prepared to answer any questions on crowd safety etc either by way of a group Zoom meeting this Thursday at 8.30pm or individually. Anyone interested could you please contact County Chairman Dave Saunter on 07554010480 and we will sort.

Return To Play & Off Field Activity Guidance 2 December 2020

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We have today shared further guidance for community rugby in England, after The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport [DCMS] issued updated guidelines on the return to recreational team sport from Wednesday 2 December.
This includes all friendly fixtures and training for males and females, Age Grade and adult, for all contact and non-contact rugby below the Greene King IPA Championship and Allianz Premier 15s. This includes Education institutions however the ultimate decision remains at the discretion of the individual institution.
Organised outdoor rugby activity with approved adaptations for both match play and training is permitted across all three tiers from Wednesday 2 December.
However, it is extremely important that clubs, players, coaches, match officials, volunteers, parents, carers and facility providers continue to strictly follow both the UK Government’s latest COVID-19 guidance and RFU guidance to ensure we can continue our phased return to play. Clubs should limit the time spent congregating at a venue before and after rugby activity, so please consider having strict meeting times or staggering start times.


Changing rooms and showers


• Changing rooms and showers can be used across all tiers.
• Clubs must identify a maximum capacity for each changing room based on its size and the requirement to manage usage to ensure social distancing is achieved at all times.
• The amount of time each person spends in a changing room must be kept to a minimum and restricted solely to changing (no team talks or celebrations etc).
• Good hygiene must be promoted and facilitated and enhanced cleaning practices must be in place in all changing rooms.
• Participants should still be encouraged to arrive changed, and shower at home where possible.


Travel to participate in rugby activity


• Adult players living in Tier 1 or Tier 2 can travel within and between Tier 1 and Tier 2 areas to train or play.
• Adult players living in Tier 1 or Tier 2 cannot travel into a Tier 3 area to train or play.
• Adult players living in Tier 3 can travel within their own specific Tier 3 area to train or play.
• Adult players living in Tier 3 cannot travel into another Tier 3 area, nor into a Tier 1 or Tier 2 area, to train or play.


• Age Grade players may, due to Government exemptions for U18s, travel across all tiers to train or play. However, to protect all involved, we strongly recommend that wherever possible training and match play follows adult guidelines.
• Age Grade players can be accompanied by one parent or carer from, or into, a Tier 3 area to train or play.


• Volunteers (including coaches and match officials) may travel across all tiers where necessary to enable participation to take place. However, to protect all involved, we strongly recommend this is kept to an absolute minimum.


• Additional exemptions are in place for people with disabilities. To read these and the rest of the Guidance click on the link – PDF

Covid Support – Business Grant Scheme & VAT Reclaims

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On Tuesday evening a number of Clubs (& CB’s) across the country joined the webinar – Exploring the funding & club support opportunities through Covid-19 restrictions which was promoted through the Community Game Update.

We had 230 people in attendance and feedback has been incredibly positive from both Clubs and CBs.

To follow this up, please find attached further information on two specific avenues of financial support, which CBs and Clubs can benefit from, Business Grant Scheme and VAT Reclaims. See links below.

The webinar is also now available on demand:

 *   Web-link: https://zoom.us/rec/share/tkWW_SM3Er9IBobIEHXPJqqVjSJvtBgtPqcADf6JWgj3S50tNxVM5XjZUmlveVPK.LnMxM3lEs26Pnb_Z
 *   Passcode: C%3Lm?#d

If I could encourage you to share with your Club contacts and CB Treasurer that would be most appreciated.

There will be further information through the Community Game Update, highlighting future webinars planned in partnership with Club Matters between now and January 2021.

Covid – 19 Support or CBs & Clubs – PDF

VAT Relief – PDF

RFU Coronavirus Update 24th November

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Coronavirus (Covid-19) update
This week’s headlines include the Government Winter Sport Package funding and positive news that grassroots sport, including a format of rugby, will be allowed to resume from Wednesday 2 December across all levels, although there will be some restrictions across the tiers.

Both topics are discussed in more detail in our video below with RFU Rugby Development Director Steve Grainger.

You can also read a summary below. However, as we are awaiting confirmation from Government on tier, travel and contact implications, we will provide a more detailed update to the game later this week.

In today’s edition, we also bring you news on how immigration could affect rugby clubs, an update on the latest #GetYourShirtOn virtual rugby sessions and share a message from England players on why they love seeing your club shirts at Twickenham in #ShowYourShirt. Can you spot your club shirt in the gallery below?

Finally, there are reminders about our Club Support Centre during Covid, and how your friends and family can support your club by watching England for free on Amazon Prime Video.

Please remember that until Wednesday 2 December we remain at Stage A on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap, meaning no competitive or formal rugby activities can be undertaken, including club age grade and adult rugby activities below Championship and Premier 15s.


Steve Grainger Video

 To access the full update click on the link
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