Return to Rugby |
This edition includes: 1. All RFU regulations for the 2021-22 season are now effective 2. Activate and HEADCASE reminders for coaches and players 3. Tackle height law change recap 4. Mitsubishi Motors volunteer awards shortlist 5. Supporting Age Grade to Adult Transition 6. Pitch Up For Rugby countdown 7. News round-up (Including Penryn RFC) RFU regulations for the 2021-22 season ![]() All RFU regulations for the 2021-22 season are now effective (as of 1 August 2021) and available below. In addition to key changes already communicated about Age Grade Rugby (RFU Regulation 15) and Payment of Players (RFU Regulation 7), details of other changes relating to the below regulations are set out in the attached document. RFU Regulation 1 (Foreign Player definition) RFU Regulation 5 (Insolvency Regulations) RFU Regulation 7 (Approaches) RFU Regulation 13, Appendix 3 (Non-fulfilment of fixtures due to non-Covid 19 reasons) RFU Regulation 19 (Discipline) RFU Regulation 22 (Covid 19 Variations) For any questions on the regulations, please contact regulations@rfu.com. ![]() ![]() Further Details ![]() ![]() ![]() Regulations ![]() Activate and HEADCASE awareness ![]() As we get closer to the start of the season, we want to make sure that players can take to the pitch safely and in their best condition. The Activate resources below will help players return ready to play. Activate is an injury prevention exercise programme that can be integrated into training and pre-match sessions, and is available for players, rugby coaches and teachers via a suite of online resources. Exercises are designed to improve functional and core strength, balance and agility, helping players with the game’s physical demands. Exercises focus on three areas: General movement control, Pre-activation and Functional Conditioning. These aid activation of stabilising head and neck muscles, reducing the potential whiplash effect that can cause a concussion. We also encourage all those involved in the game to take the HEADCASE online education module, which is open to all. The course provides information on how to recognise signs and symptoms of a suspected concussion, as well as concussion management and Graduated Return To Play protocols. ![]() ![]() Activate ![]() ![]() ![]() Headcase ![]() To read the rest of the update click here |
Lineout Course – In danger of cancellation!
Important update regarding these courses and others, please note.
We today, 30th July, received the following e-mail from Wayne Reed, which we find rather disturbing to say the least.
“I know you can’t force coaches to attend courses but I just wanted to make you aware that both the Lineout courses at Wadebridge and Redruth are in danger of being cancelled! Only 5 coaches registered at Wadebridge and 7 at Redruth.
I have tried everything possible to generate interest including emailing every coach in Cornwall and every club secretary to make sure the information is being received.
The courses will remain open until next week but will be cancelled a week before they are due to run if numbers don’t improve. I am on leave for a week now so will keep fingers crossed.
On a positive note both the coaching and refereeing courses being run at Callywith have started receiving bookings!”
Guys, the ball in in your court. The phrase use it or lose it is often bounded about but in this case is very true. The CRFU take a dim view of the apparent lack of interest/enthusiasm being shown by our clubs, there has been virtually no rugby for 18 months and surely clubs need to get coaches on courses???????……..This needs to change, Wayne is putting in a lot of effort to try and organise courses for YOU, so please support him. We would rather clubs did the right thing but if needs be we as a CB will be forced to take action!
Venues have been selected with two in Cornwall, Redruth & Wadebridge, to deliver these courses. Clubs in the North and East of the Duchy may find one of the Devon locations easier to access. Please book your places via GMS.

Wadebridge Camels RFC 09/08/2021 https://bit.ly/3w4VDHI
Crediton RFC 11/08/2021 https://bit.ly/3fzhKAb
Redruth RFC 12/08/2021 https://bit.ly/3wJAmTP
Barnstaple 19/08/2021 https://bit.ly/34ERSwt
Wayne Reed RFU Game Development email:WayneReed@RFU.com
Saunts’ trek marks RFU’s 150th anniversary
The coming season is the 150th year of the RFU and various events will be held to celebrate this.
Cornwall R.F.U. Chairman Dave Saunter is kicking things off by walking 150 miles over the next 2 weeks finishing at Perranporth RFC on Saturday 7th August, home of County President John Sumnall.
This season is a special one for many reasons, not least as it looks like we will all be returning to playing the game we love and respect. Let’s hope our clubs come back strong and able to compete at whatever level they are pitched at, however let’s also be County orientated and help each other out. I’m sure we will, Cornwall is a special County and I know we all want our clubs to not only survive but prosper.
Back to the walk, Saunter is doing this to mark the anniversary, and back RFU President Jeff Blackett who will be doing his own walk to celebrate. The chosen charity of the President is The Injured Players Foundation, which also happens to be the charity of our own referee Kevvy Williams has chosen to run the London Marathon, later in the year. Kevvy’s training has been going well and Saunts added if anyone wants to mark my 150mile walk please give to Kevvy’s just giving page below, let’s support the charity and a Cornish Legend.
At time of writing Saunts already had 46 miles under his belt.
RFU Community Game Update 27th July
Return to Rugby Please share with coaches, players and RugbySafe leads. This edition includes: 1. RugbySafe, Activate & HEADCASE concussion awareness refresher 2. Age grade law adaptations and annual affiliation 3. Training course booking administration update 4. Diversity and Inclusion hub now live 5. Pitch Up for Rugby including Warrior Camps 6. News round-up including Global Law Trial clarifications and O2 Touch legacy RugbySafe, Activate & HEADCASE Concussion awareness refresher 2021/22 ![]() Ahead of the new season, we are sharing a reminder of player welfare resources and training and education programmes. Player welfare is at the heart of all training delivered to coaches, match officials and medics at all levels of the game in England. On the below buttons, you will find RugbySafe summaries for the age grade and adult game. Please share this information as widely as possible before pre-season friendlies start. ![]() ![]() Age Grade RugbySafe ![]() ![]() ![]() Adult RugbySafe ![]() Age grade law adaptations and annual affiliation ![]() The Summer Activity Guide includes the introduction of adapted contact laws for up to three fixtures in August. The Age Grade Adapted Contact 15s Law Variations are available on the Summer Activity page. These include the re-introduction of scrums and mauls in a gradual and managed way from Saturday 7 August, following the 3-week training period from Monday 19 July. These adapted laws are the format to be played, (along with non-contact and XRugby formats if preferred), before the age grade game moves back to full contact from Saturday 4 September, when the new season starts. Age grade affiliation and auto-de-affiliation – Wednesday 4 August The annual registration for our age grade players is on the horizon. As recently referenced in Community Game Updates, registration will now be referred to as Affiliation which will be ready from 4 August. We will centrally de-affiliate all age grade players in the Game Management System which many clubs chose to do last year. As before, this will simply turn their status from an active to inactive player. It will not delete any of their data or club and profile links. It enables the parent/player to renew their affiliation simply through logging in, checking their existing details and saving to re-affiliate to their club for the season. There are helpful step-by-step guides for the renewal process and for brand new affiliations on the GMS Help Portal. While most clubs will promote this from September, increasing numbers have said they want to get ahead of the curve. Club Registrars will be able to see this activity through their dashboard and the system-generated reports. ![]() ![]() Affiliation Renewal ![]() ![]() ![]() GMS Help Portal ![]() To read the rest of the update click on the link |
Cornwall Club Event
FAO of all Cornish Clubs Club Chairs, Hon. Secretaries.
I would like to invite you one of two RFU and Cornwall RFC Club Event. On Sunday 15th August we will be hosting two events;
10:00 – 12:00 @ Camborne RFC or 14:00 – 16:00 @ Bodmin RFC
Agenda
- Message from CRFU
- Update from RFU, ways of working and rugby landscape.
- RFU led, Whole Club Development Workshop – Part 1
- Analysis of your Rugby Club.
- Creating a ‘Vision’ for your Rugby Club.
- Plans for 21/22 and beyond
With the whole club development workshop being an integral part of this forum could we ask where appropriate to bring 6 members of your club to the event. A guide to the 6 members of your club we would like to see at the event are as follows; Club Chair, M&J Chair, Treasurer, Rugby Safe Lead, Parent & Age Grade Player (If Applicable). This will ensure we have a balanced view as we go into discussions within the later part of the event, if you as a club feel others would be of more benefit please ensure the details are sent their way.
Below we have a message from CRFU Chairman Dave Saunter about the importance of gathering club members to attend this event.
‘‘Hi All,
This initiative from our RFU staff is a great opportunity to start off on the right path for 21/22. Clubs who have bought into the Whole Club Development Workshop already have seen great results. As a County we are continually trying to get our clubs to support these activities, and in this case it is part of the process for any future funding from both CRFU and the RFU you will need to attend either of the two proposed meetings as a club. I look forward to seeing you all at these events.
Many thanks,
Saunts’’
We look forward to seeing you on the 15th of August and get the 21/22 season truly underway.
Many thanks,
Jonny Stephenson
RFU Club Developer South West Team
Deborah Fleming GB 7s Tokyo
We wish Deborah all the best along with the rest of the GB Ladies 7’s squad for their Olympic competition in Toyko.
Deborah hails from Penzance and was part of the England Ladies 7’s that took the bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, Australia.
Penryn R.F.C. celebrate 150 years
The upcoming season marks an important milestone in Cornwall’s oldest, continuous club the mighty Penryn RFC, fondly known as the “Borough”.
Cornwall RFU are proud and delighted to help publicise the launch of this historic season for Penryn and look forward to playing a part in the celebrations during the season.
Below the the victorious Penryn side, captained by Roger Harris, with Cornwall RFU Knock Out Cup in 1972.

Below is the press release issued by the club to kick of their season of celebration.
Penryn RFC celebrates 150 years
Cornwall’s oldest Rugby Club, Penryn, are proud to announce the start of their 150th celebrations.
The forthcoming 2021/22 season will see many exciting events kicking off from August up at their
‘Borough’ home ground, to commemorate and celebrate the lives, families and individuals who have
shaped the diverse history of this small Club with a huge heart.
Since its inception back in 1872 by watch maker John Marshall Thomas, who had returned from a
spell playing for Blackheath bringing with him the now famous black and red hoops to the Borough,
the Club can boast a rich history punching well above what could be expected for a small Cornish
town.
By the time the Borough had reached its centenary in 1972 it was already playing and hosting the
likes of London Welsh, Sale, Neath, Harlequins, Coventry and Cardiff. This ‘Trelawny’s rugby-army’
can even boast that it is the only club side to have played the British and Irish Lions on home soil on
a unique occasion in 1973 at their Memorial Ground in Penryn.
“We are immensely proud of all that Penryn has achieved in the last 150 years and after a difficult
2020 season with Covid, we are now looking ahead to the future and the legacy we leave behind for
the next 150 years and all those future generations of rugby players in the Borough. It will be an
exciting year and with all our 150th celebrations woven in and around the sporting fixtures and off-
pitch festivities, we are delighted to announce the start of the season with the launch of our new
match kit and Club rebranding from August, ” said Tim Nicholls, Club President.
Just the Trick Design was tasked with creating an updated identity with a nod to the past and eye to
the next 150 years as this small yet strong club continues to grow at pace.

“Having received a warm welcome at the height of my playing career at the Borough, it was an
honour to give something back that will hopefully out live me off the field,” said Danny Trick founder
of Just the Trick Design, who played for Penryn RFC for a few seasons in the early 2000’s. “Our goal
has been to produce an identity that evokes a sense of belonging and that both players and fans will be proud to be part of,” he said.
Their new identity incorporates the Club’s new gold crest sitting centre stage of a laurel wreath, with a map of Cornwall making up the neck of the Saracen’s Head featuring a marker for the position of Penryn within the county.
For the 150th celebrations, the traditional red and black hoops return to the home kit. “We are excited to launch the new kit towards the end of August and I know all our players, young and old will be incredibly proud to step out in the famous Penryn red and black hoops this season with the shout of ‘Up the Borough’ resounding around the grounds,” declared Marek Churcher, Director of Rugby who has ambitious plans for the ‘Borough’ in the coming years.
Penryn Rugby supports over 15 teams, sportsmen and women at all levels, with in excess of 250 registered players in their youth section, championed by the backbone of a robust infrastructure of volunteers and highly engaged supporters.
“Added to this is the British and Irish Lions tour this summer which has added to the buzz at the Club as Penryn is the only club to have played them on home turf,” said Tim. “It would be easy to talk longer about the club’s past glories, but any rugby club is really about the here and the now and it’s about building for the future and that looks pretty good too. 2020 was an awful period in history causing loss and suffering to many, so as we head further into 2021 we will hopefully leave that behind. For Penryn Rugby Club as for everyone else, it was a difficult time, and yet we seem set to emerge in robust shape and excited for the future.
“We have excellent numbers of men and women attending training, enough for two men’s teams and a very successful women’s team and alongside our youth and minis teams, boys and girls, so we are all set to start the 2021/22 season as we celebrate our 150th anniversary. We are the oldest club in Cornwall and one of the oldest in the country. We are rightly proud of that distinction,” he added.
And with the 150th season fast approaching, the Club are looking for a collection of pictures, memories and artifacts that can contribute towards building up a commemorative story, so if you have something to contribute, the Club would love to hear from you.
Head to their website at www.penrynrugby.com where you can read more about this exciting phase in the history and evolution of the oldest club in Cornwall and if you have something to offer in the way of memorabilia, or have a personal connection to the Club, please get in touch via the website – they would love to hear from you!
#UTB1872
#justthetrickdesign
Image copyright:
Also attach some images you might like to use, but please note, we (Penryn RFC) retain the full copyright for all images and we are only giving you (CRFU) express permission to use them in conjunction with the attached press release either in print or electronically with the CRFU/RFU. Any additional use without prior permission will be considered an infringement of those rights.
Sam Matavesi
Massive congratulations to Sam Matavesi on his performances for Fiji in the two match test series against New Zealand this month.
Sam had a great touchline run early in the second half to set up the first Fijian try, which you can see in this highlights video.
Camborne and Cornwall have much to be proud of.
Luke Cowan Dickie
Cornwall RFU send our best wishes and best of luck to Luke starting at hooker on Saturday against South Africa in the 1st British and Irish Lions Test.
Luke will write another page in Cornish rugby’s long association with rugby in South Africa and of course the British & Irish Lions.
Chons da Luke.
Having scored the only try for the Lions last Saturday in the 1st test win 22-17, unsurprisingly Luke has once again been selected as hooker for the 2nd test this Saturday against the Springboks.
RFU Community Game Update
Return to Rugby |
This edition includes: 1. Reminder of gradual return to full contact and updated off-field guidance 2. Return to scrummaging guidance 3. Travel Funding – 23 July deadline 4. Game Leadership Diversity and Inclusion update 5. Community Game Insurance 6. Data tidy-up extension and player affiliation 7. News round-up with County Championship review Return to Rugby – on-field and off-field reminder ![]() We hope that clubs and players are enjoying the return to full contact training. While we’re all excited about being able to reintroduce scrums and mauls in training, we want to make sure that all players return safely. We remind coaches and players to follow an incremental approach in training and ahead of full contact matches, which are permitted in the adult game from Saturday 7 August for clubs that wish. Coaches are responsible for working with all players to assess and develop their physical and technical readiness before progressing to matches against other teams. This is especially true for front 5 players given the period of time the game has been operating without scrum and maul. Players should also be encouraged to follow the Activate Injury prevention exercise programme. You can find our updated Return to Community Rugby Roadmap. Key return to full contact dates are summarised here. Age Grade rugby still follows the Summer Activity Guide. This Summer Activity Framework includes provision for friendly matches to be played under adapted contact laws during August. These can start from Saturday 7 August, following a period of development in training sessions from Monday 19 July. Activate – All Age Grade players are encouraged to follow the Activate Injury prevention exercise programme with coaching sessions planned and delivered around the FITT principles (Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type). Global Law Trials As communicated last week, World Rugby has released the Global Law trials that will apply to competitions beginning on or after Sunday 1 August 2021. These are available here. We are eager to provide more detailed communication around these law trials, but are awaiting clarification from World Rugby on a couple of areas. As you will be aware, the timeline for the release of the Global Law Trials is set by World Rugby and these are effective from 1 August. We will provide further detail in next Tuesday’s Community Game Update when clarification has been received. Off-Field Guidance We continue to update our Club Support Helpdesk FAQs as we receive more information, for example around Test and Trace, self-screening and how to deal with a positive case. On Monday 16 August, the rules on self-isolating as a contact will change for people who are fully vaccinated and for under 18s. Those not fully vaccinated will still need to isolate if they are contacts, and everyone will still have to isolate if they test positive, to protect themselves and others. The current NHS Test & Trace remains in place until Monday 16 August. There will inevitably be a rise in cases of Covid-19 as measures relax. We must, therefore, manage any risks as best we can by remaining vigilant, supporting the vaccination effort and reminding members to self-isolate if they have a positive Covid test. With millions of us now protected by the vaccine, you are less likely to become seriously ill or go to hospital. Getting your Covid-19 vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others from the virus. To get maximum protection, you must get a second dose after 8 weeks. If you’re over 18, Go to nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/ to book, or visit your local walk-in centre. ![]() ![]() Club Support Helpdesk ![]() To read the rest of the update click on the link |
