You will all by now have read in the press that our 3 County RFU employees Jonny, Phil and Neil are under serious threat of redundancy. The RFU in their wisdom, have decided the Community game should take the brunt of this current cost saving exercise.
Our thoughts are along the same lines as many messages we have received from the clubs, a great shame for rugby in Cornwall. All three have worked tirelessly to help our clubs in all manner of ways, always on call to help. An example would be the coaching work done with both St Just and Stithians last season. To say we are grateful for their work would be an understatement.
The RFU have taken the opportunity to totally overall current support with all RDOs and CRC roles now gone. These will be replaced with 2 new roles Club Development Officer and Coach Development Officer with a total of 44 in these new roles. Should the guys apply for these roles they will have a one in four chance of success.
Looking at the new roles it likely that we will share our newly appointed officers with our friends across the Tamar, although that is yet to be confirmed.
We have met with our RFU team and offered all support we can as a grateful County and will catch up with them again next week as part of a continual review.
On behalf of the CRFU we wish to pass our sincere thanks to the three not only for their hard work but also for their attitude and approach in setting the high standard of rugby in Cornwall.
Our best wishes go to them all and wish them luck over the coming weeks.
On other matters and in relation to the above:
We wish to assure all our Clubs, especially those with age group teams, that whatever the outcome of these change in job roles the CRFU is committed to supporting the Clubs to the level that they have received in the past and we will keep you advised of proposed developments.
The RFU have reduced the grant they give to each of the Counties down to 30% of the 2019/2020 award and as the Management Board we will be discussing at our next meeting what the implications of these are.
Can we also take this opportunity to remind you that we are at level B on the pathway back to play and yesterday it was announced that there will be no rugby in September level 3 and below.
Scotland RFU have moved to level C which allows for touch rugby but still no contact, so hopefully this will be announced soon for us.
Finally a lot of work is going on in the background to support both our Clubs and the County, we are both available to help if required.
Just last week we were in contact with Lancashire RFU who are very keen to visit Cornwall at the end of next season to play a match. This together with the visit of Crawshays Welsh and our discussions with other Counties in the South West to play County Rugby at most levels provides something positive for us all to look forward to.
We wish you well.
John Sumnall. Dave Saunter
President CRFU. Chairman CRFU
01872 572788 07554010480
