Rugby Football Union
Having reviewed the impact the extra week’s sanction imposed on all Match Official Abuse/Disrespect cases since the adoption of this regulation, it has been decided by the Disciplinary Committee to maintain this for the whole of season 23/24.
This will also be the case for Age Grade and Schools rugby played.
Bill Hooper
CRFU Discipline Secretary
June 2023
The Longest Try is a charity relay run, engaging clubs at a local level, and taking place from 24 July to 12 August 2023 in support of the MND Association, Ed Slater, the Gloucester lock and Paul Rendall*, ex England and Wasps FC, both men diagnosed and living with motor neurone disease.
We are also making donations to MND Scotland and My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. Rugby clubs throughout the country take part by submitting 15 runners to run one mile each to carry the ball over 1,700 miles. The run kicks-off at Twickenham Stadium on Monday 24 July, heads north to Edinburgh via Leicester, Newcastle and Hawick before moving south skirting the Lake District, into Wales, passing through Cardiff into the west country to Cornwall and back to Twickenham Stadium via Exeter and Bracknell.
The try will be scored on Saturday 12 August at the England v Wales World Cup warm-up match. We are asking for a registration fee of £10 per runner and runners will seek individual sponsorship for their mile. Funds will also be raised via donations, a silent auction and raffle. Please join in the fun to support people living with motor neurone disease… Thank you.
To Donate click on the link. https://thelongesttry2023.co.uk/?donate&pkey=003f4fdb2aa404ef8b54e6bbf8b1f252
Sue Dorrington Longest Try, Project Lead Red Rose #32 and Hall of Fame #156
As mentioned the nearest it gets to us is North Devon and, as they won’t allow any road running, this pretty well excludes anything we can do down here. However if we can put this out to all the Cornwall clubs and ask if they can donate in the name of Cornwall, then that would be great.
Last weekend Cornwall Under 18 squad underwent their annual fitness test at Plymouth Marjons.
The boys went through a series of tests to get a better understanding of their personal fitness ahead of their season at Under 18 level.
Photo by Paul Howard Team Manager
| Community Game Update Read Online |
| 1. ACTION REQUIRED RFU 2023 Hybrid Annual General Meeting (AGM) The RFU will hold its 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Friday 16 June 2023 at 18:00. Find out how to attend and vote in this piece. GMS Updates: Changes, Support & More Find out about updates to GMS, the season switch-over, support trainers, the GMS pre-season checklist and upcoming GMS webinars. Age Grade Registration 2023/24 – Opens 3rd July From Monday 3 July, parents, players and clubs will be able to start registering age grade players for the new season. Find out more information and support available in this section. Age Grade Regulations 2023/24 & Summer Framework 2023 View the permitted activity for June 2023, as per the Summer Activity Guide, as well as the new Age Grade Regulation 15. Have you visited the RFU’s Tackle Height Hub yet? To support players, coaches, referees, volunteers and CBs with tackle height changes ahead of the 2023/24 season, a comprehensive range of resources are being produced. Find out about the latest updates on the Tackle Height Hub in this section. 2. ACTION IF OF INTEREST Honda Volunteer Hospitality registrations for Summer Series As part of the Honda Volunteer Recognition Programme, club volunteers who have match tickets to one of England Men’s Summer Series home fixtures can register for up to four tickets each for pre-match hospitality. Review your waste collection costs One particular area that has seen price hikes in recent months is waste collection. To support clubs in keeping their costs as low as possible, we’ve teamed up with a procurement group to help combat financial pressures. Find out more in this piece. 3. FOR AWARENESS 2023/24 League Structures and fixtures update The Men’s RFU Leagues have been finalised and the Women’s RFU Leagues are going through the final checks and will be published soon. The fixtures for the Men’s leagues for 2023/24 have now been published and can be viewed on the England Rugby website and on GMS. 2023 GMS Club Safeguarding Audit will go live on 3rd July The Safeguarding Audit is an annual, mandatory requirement for all clubs who offer Age Grade activities, or who wish to have 17-year olds playing up into the adult game (Reg 21.1.6). Find out more in this section. Community club recipes for success As part of our #PlayTogetherStayTogether campaign, we’ve created a number of resources to help clubs who may be thinking about providing some form of Touch Rugby, from one-off events to regular sessions, over the summer. #GrassrootsBeauts There have been some brilliant efforts submitted for the #GrassrootsBeauts segment on ITV’s Premiership Highlights show this season, check out some of the best in this compilation. Read Online |
End of Season Message
As the season draws to a close, we can reflect on the relative positive position we have following the ravages of the pandemic.’
Not all is positive as the numbers of male players have reduced resulting in the loss of players in most clubs, referees are not returning to the game and Camelford RFC has fallen by the wayside. However, this is more than balanced by the welcome surge in women and girls taking up rugby, age group numbers clearly holding and probably the most important of all the well being and positive spirit in most of the Clubs I have visited during the season.
The season recently completed was the first season to admit the lower teams in Clubs and it certainly changed the attitude of some of the Clubs in the lower leagues. The entrance of 2nd XVs into the leagues was feared by these Clubs as they expected to lose players to the Clubs with 1st XVs in higher leagues as well as suffering heavy defeats to these 2nd XVs. It did not happen, with these lower Clubs probably gaining in numbers as players realised the 2nd Teams were not as strong as they thought and could be and were beaten.
Many congratulations to the following Clubs that have gained promotion: Camborne, St Austell, St Ives, Perranporth and St Just RFCs. Congratulations also to Helston Women in winning their league and to those that did not advance, enjoy the new season. I must mention two Clubs that fulfilled all their league matches and lost every one but each Saturday they gave 30+ guys a game of rugby. Thank you Falmouth and Redruth Albany RFCs and I can but hope that one or two certain Clubs in Cornwall follow their excellent example.
Women and Girl’s Rugby goes from strength to strength with playing numbers increasing and our 5 league clubs more than holding their own. Total integration into the CRFU is progressing well but more work needs to be done by helping with coaching and refereeing.
The Papa Johns Cup whilst being poorly administrated, owing to a strange decision to base some of the matches on final league positions, gave Clubs the chance to play new opponents in areas not normally visited. Perhaps it should be given a second season.
It was not to be for our three County Championship Teams but it was not for the want of trying, they wore the Black and Gold of Cornwall with pride and we thank them. The Men’s XV won their first two matches but lost to Kent RFU in their final pool match, the eventual Bill Beaumont Cup winners. The Women’s XV reached the semi-final of Gill Burns Cup Division 2 but lost to the eventual Division 2 winners, Hampshire RFU, whilst the U20 XV reached the quarter finals of the Jason Leonard Cup. Congratulations to all three XVs and I know they are already looking forward to next season. Our sponsors must be thanked as many of the match arrangements could not take place without their generosity.
The CRFU remains strong in most areas and is highly thought of at all levels of the game mainly as a result of good relations between our Clubs and the Management Board. However, a reduction of £40k in our reserves in the last 3-4 years, mainly as a result of a return to the level of funding for Representative Rugby before the pandemic, gives a strong warning that there needs to be a rebalancing of costs. Unfortunately, the greatly reduced funding from the RFU has meant we cannot continue in the same vein as before.
As I reach the end of my 4 years as President, an extra year for the pandemic, I can but reflect on the honour and joy that it has given me. When I was appointed I advised that I would adopt a theme during my tenure which was “communication” and I have striven to ensure I met this promise. It has been a delight to visit every Club each full season, absorb the vibrancy, meet old and new friends and hopefully help and advise wherever and whenever I could. Many Clubs are heavily dependent on their volunteers and rightly are recognised each season by the CRFU in conjunction with Honda. Awards were made at our two home Men’s Senior matches to these selfless members. Thank you volunteers.
Finally, I must thank David Saunter “Saunts”, fellow Board Members and RFU personnel for their help and support during this period. The CRFU remains in safe hands whilst he and they are present.
Yours,
John.
Following the SW trials that were held in Bristol a few weeks ago, the SW selectors have selected a squad of 23 players who will face the other regions over the weekend on 10 / 11 June.
The games will be played at Broadstreet RFC, Coventry where the SW team will take on London and the Southeast, with the winners playing the winners of the North v Midlands.
12 players from Cornwall were originally selected for the SW trials and 6 have made it through to represent Cornwall in the SW squad, the biggest representation of any of the SW counties.
The 6 players are –
Matt Boothby – St Austell
Matt Pritchard – Falmouth
Connor Triggs – Truro
Lewis Bostock – Truro
Jack Statton – Launceston
Harvey Penhallurick – Falmouth
Although the accommodation cost is met by the SW, the travel expenses are not,and we thank Trelawny’s Army for their contribution to the cost from their bursary grant.
Huge congratulations to the 6 selected in the SW squad and we wish you well and know that you will do yourself and Cornwall proud.
Colin Hatch
Cornwall U20 Team Manager
Cornwall U20 player Nat Dart received a further national honours when he was recently
selected to play for the England Deaf XV v Wales.
The game took place at Cambridge RFC with England emerging winners 41 – 7. To add to
the great win Nat scored an impressive 21 of the 41 points for England.
It is a fantastic achievement for Nat to represent England at this level, and proves once
again if you are determined, put in the effort you can achieve your goals.
A huge congratulation to Nat on his selection from the whole Cornwall U20 squad and staff
as well as the from everyone involved with the CRFU.
Colin Hatch
Cornwall U20 Team Manager
| The Men’s RFU Leagues have been finalised and the Women’s RFU Leagues are going through the final checks and will be published soon. The key headlines for the 2023-24 season in the men’s leagues are: 1. Leagues will be forwarded to you by your Organising Committee (OC). 2. Options have been provided for later start dates at some levels based on local situations. In Men’s leagues the ultimate decision (and responsibility) for league start dates will rest with the OC, and this may differ by region. Please refer to information from your OC. 3. The league season will finish on Saturday 6 April which is later than 2022-23, in response to club feedback. 4. Men’s RFU League fixtures will be published on Monday 12 June. 5. The Papa Johns Men’s Community Cup window will remain at the end of the league season for next season. However, a rapid review of the Cup is currently underway that will have wide input from stakeholders, in order to make some changes to next season to make it easier for clubs to plan and enter. This should mitigate much of this season’s feedback. Further changes to the Cup, including if it should move within the season, are not anticipated until the scheduled review of Men’s structures next season (for implementation in 24/25). 6. There are no major changes to Women’s RFU Leagues and Cups. Leagues are currently being finalised and fixtures will be published on Friday 23 June. |
| Men’s and Women’s Structured Season |
Please note the Annual General Meeting of Cornwall RFU will be held at Camborne RFC on Wednesday 28th June at 7 pm.
All clubs are invited to attend. Agendas will be set out nearer the date.
Jane Bell
Hon.Sec Cornwall RFU
On Sunday 28 May Cornwall the U20 Southwest trials took place in Bristol. During the pool stages of
this season Jason Leonard Cup, SW selectors and coaches from participating teams selected a team
of the day at each game and when all the names were collated the SW selectors invited several
players from all counties to the trials.
Cornwall had 12 players selected but due to a holiday only 11 could attend the day and following this
a SW 23 will be selected for games against other regions on the weekend 10th June in Coventry.
Pictured below are the 11 Cornish participants, from left to right, Matt Pritchard (Falmouth) Jamie
Stanlake, Joe Maunder both (St Austell) Connor Triggs, Lewis Bostock both (Truro), Matt Boothby (St
Austell) Harvey Penhallurick (Falmouth) Gideon Blacklock (Newquay Hornets), Will Perkin (St Ives)
Wes Eddy (Pirates Ams) and finally Jack Statton (Launceston, missing from the photo was Lachlan
Surridge (Camborne)
A massive thanks from all 12 players and the entire U20 section to Trelawny’s Army for the bursary
grant to assist with their travelling expenses to Bristol. Not only do this band of supporters travel
around the country to cheer on the young black and golds but this bursary from their funds is greatly
appreciated by “one and all”.
Congratulations to all 12 players selected, another great honour to represent Cornwall at the SW
trials.
Colin Hatch
Cornwall U20 Team Manager
