| Following Thursday’s tier announcement, we know clubs have a number of questions to address and we want to reassure you that we are working hard with Government to clarify outstanding areas so that we can provide you with answers and clear guidance. As you will appreciate, the return to grassroots sport in the covid landscape is a complex and fast-moving world for Government to manage. We will continue to support their efforts to provide clarity for clubs as quickly as possible. As soon as we are in a position to do so, we will provide Clubs and CBs with on field and off field guidance for each tier, so you are confident about returning to play safely and excited about rugby restarting. Guidance for each tier will include: • Which stage on The Return to Community Rugby Roadmap clubs will be able to play. • Equipment that will be permitted. • Facilities guidance (for clubhouses, bars, changing rooms, showers, toilets) • Travel implications • Spectators management • Group mixing rules Until Wednesday 2 December, we remain in national lockdown and at Stage A on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap. This means that no competitive or formal rugby activities can be undertaken. Please keep an eye out for communications in the coming days. We will share an update with you as soon as we have received and interpreted Government guidance around sporting facilities, so that we can provide clarity on what it means for clubs in each area. Roadmap |
RFU Coronavirus Update 24th November
| 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 |
RFU statement re HMG financial support package announced today
| We have been working hard with Government to develop a financial support programme for the game as well as permission to return to play when it is safe to do so. Today’s announcement demonstrates Government understands the need for rugby to be supported and we would like to thank everyone we consulted with in the game for your feedback which allowed us to provide clear and detailed submissions. Funding has been made available to help the survival of those sports who are not able to have spectators up to the end of March and the Sports Minister has estimated that the funding package for all sports will consist of £250m in loans and £50m in grants. The funding must be applied for and justified against certain criteria to be defined and is therefore not guaranteed. This news is positive for rugby and we will continue to work with Government to understand the details of the application process, the criteria under which submissions will be measured, and the composition of the independent panel and delivery mechanism. We will update you on this process in the coming weeks. In the meantime, the Government announcements can be read below. Announcement Minister’s Statement |
RFU Coronavirus Update 17th November
| Coronavirus (Covid-19) update In this week’s edition, we bring you an update on how to #ShowYourShirts with 310 shirts received to date, a look back at week one of #GetYourShirtOn with Ugo Monye handing over to Nolli Waterman this Sunday, and update on the Revised Covid-19 Academy Under 18 match schedule 2020/21, extra curriculum activity and information on Legionella. With England in national lockdown, we are at Stage A on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap. This means that no competitive or formal rugby activities can be undertaken until at least Thursday 3 December, including club age grade and adult rugby activities below Championship and Premier 15s. To read the rest of the update click on the link. |
RFU Safeguarding Bulletin November 2020
Key points
- Thanks for your efforts
- Safeguarding Team changes
- Rugby Activity
- GMS Safeguarding audit, due by 30th November
- DBS Processing
- Mental Health Advice
To access the Safeguarding bulletin please click on the link
RFU Community Game Update – November 2020
| Content: 1. Check out England Rugby social media channels this weekend 2. RFU Cluster Fixture Proposals 3. Age Grade Playing Calendars 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 4. Age Grade Registration – GMS Data Tidy-Up 5. Postponement of 2020/21 Level 3 Coaching Award 6. University Clusters and Partners Update 7. Emergency First Aid in Rugby Union Courses are back 8. NatWest Rugby Club Finance Guide 9. Warrior Camps return 10. Information – England Men’s and Women’s forthcoming fixtures Welcome to the November 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 Chris Dodd, Communications Executive (chrisdodd@rfu.com). Our communications to you are based on the data held in the Game Management System (GMS). Please check the information held on this system is up to date and active. 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. To read the rest of the update click on the link |
RFU Community Game Update, 10th November
| Coronavirus (Covid-19) update In this week’s edition, we bring you an exciting opportunity to watch England Rugby for free in the Quilter Internationals 2020, part of the Autumn Nations Cup, on Amazon Prime. We also share a new Sunday morning streamed activity to keep our age grade players active and connected with their clubs during the national lockdown. We will mark Armistice Day in a number of ways this week. A poppy has been painted on the training pitch at the Lensbury, where a one minute silence will be held at 11am tomorrow. In addition, both the England Men and England Women will wear poppies at their matches on Saturday 14 November to pay tribute to the men and women who served and sacrificed to defend our nation and to secure our freedom. RFU Headlines  How your rugby communities can watch England’s fixtures for free this autumn We have been working with Amazon to provide an opportunity for fans to take advantage of a free one-month trial with Amazon Prime so you can watch England Rugby during the Quilter Internationals 2020, part of the Autumn Nations Cup, while also supporting your club. To help grassroots clubs generate revenue, Amazon are opening up registration for clubs to become Amazon Associates. The club will receive £3 for every member of the community who signs up to Amazon through the club’s unique Associates link. This money will be paid directly to the club and, while there may not be a huge cash injection, every little helps during these challenging times. The registration process will take 5-10 minutes. We will share templates to help clubs promote this offer in the coming days. Click below to read the step by step guide. If you want to see how the England squad have been preparing for the upcoming fixtures, watch the below episode of the Next Level, and please share the link on your channels. We will advise clubs of the broadcaster for both fixtures in the Women’s Autumn Internationals in the November edition of Community Game Update on Friday ahead of England playing France in Grenoble on Saturday 14 November (KO 1.15pm), and then at Twickenham on Saturday 21 November (KO 12pm). To read the rest of the update click on the link |
Community Game Update 5th November
| Coronavirus (Covid-19) update RFU Headlines Community rugby – current status England is now in national lockdown until Wednesday 2 December and all team sports have been suspended, including club age grade and adult rugby activities below Championship and Premier 15s. With effect from today, we return to Stage A on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap. This means that no competitive or formal rugby activities can be undertaken until at least Wednesday 2 December. While group training sessions are banned, a maximum of two players (or one player and one coach) can participate in socially distanced (two metres plus), individual training sessions in a public outside space, but not a garden, without sharing equipment. FAQ’s from Sport England are available below. Government Guidance FAQs To read the rest of the update, click on the link |
RFU Roadmap return to stage A
| Parliament has today voted in favour of the Government’s national lockdown proposals aimed at curbing the increase in Covid-19 cases in England, which take effect from tomorrow (Thursday 5 November) until Wednesday 2 December. In addition, the Government has announced the cessation of all community team sports during this period, which applies to Age Grade and Adult rugby activities below Championship and Premier 15s. With effect from tomorrow, we return to Stage A on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap. This means that no competitive or formal rugby activities can be undertaken until at least Wednesday 2 December. While group training sessions are banned, a maximum of two players can participate in socially distanced (two metres plus), individual training sessions outside without sharing equipment. We will now review what the implications of this national lockdown plan mean for clubhouses, schools, colleges, universities, etc., and will provide more detailed information in the Covid-19 Community Game Update tomorrow. In addition, we would like to advise that the RFU Competitions Team is working with the Competitions Organising Committees for Men and Women to finalise alternative competitions models in place of the cancelled 2020/21 league programme. These will be entirely optional for clubs and will have no impact on promotion/relegation. They will focus on local cluster leagues and offer a framework for clubs to Return to Play (in some format once we have government approval to do so). It is intended to circulate these proposals, inviting clubs to participate, on Friday 13 November. |
RFU Update 3rd November
| We recognise that Tuesday is club training night and are therefore issuing our weekly communication earlier than usual today on one topic only. Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of a national lockdown last Saturday, we continue to speak regularly to the Government to seek clarification on what the national lockdown restrictions, coming into force on Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December, mean for community rugby. We recognise that there is significant speculation circulating regarding potential outcomes. However, we currently do not know what the precise implications of these restrictions are. We expect to issue a further communication as soon as we receive a further update, which is likely to arrive over the next 24-36 hours, once the plans have been considered by Parliament tomorrow. Until the Government issues a further announcement, we continue to be able to operate at Stage D on the Return to Community Rugby Roadmap and, therefore, usual Tuesday night training sessions can take place today. Clubs impacted by local tier 2 and tier 3 restrictions should follow any local authority guidance that is in place for their venues. You can find out more on the link below. Given the current situation, today’s edition of the Covid-19 Community Game Update will be issued later this week. |
| Local Guidance |
