RFUW Director recruitment

The RFUW is currently looking to increase the number of Directors on the Board and is looking for at least 2 exceptional individuals who share the vision to create and support an environment that promotes, develops and sustains opportunities for woman and girls to participate and achieve their potential in rugby.

We are looking for individuals who are currently involved in women’s rugby, who are passionate about the sport and who really want to make a difference. It is key that these individuals have demonstrated leadership, trust, integrity, team work, accountability, inclusiveness and dedication within a rugby environment.

The position is voluntary and Directors are required to attend five or six Board meetings a year held in Twickenham on Saturdays. Expenses will be paid.

We would welcome individuals from any background – if possible we would like to have representation from the North of England. The key is that the individual is committed to making a difference and can bring fresh ideas and thoughts to the Board.

Please register your interest or send applications to Susan Allen, RFUW, Rugby House, Twickenham Stadium, 200 Whitton Road, Twickenham, TW2 7BA or to susanallen@rfu.com.

OA Saints "Open Evenings" for U18s

As last year, the OA Saints are going to host another couple of training sessions for the local Hertfordshire under 18 players who are moving up to Senior Rugby in September. This worked very well last year and allowed them to introduce themselves and train together to give the girls an informed choice about where they wish to play their senior rugby.

The dates for our sessions are as follows:

Wednesday 24th February, 7.15 - 9pm at OA's Rugby Club

Monday 15th March, 7,15 - 9pm at OA's Rugby Club

Naturally, parents and coaches are very welcome and there will be plenty of beer in the bar afterwards!

Should you have any questions or queries, do please contact Tasha, OA Saints Chairwoman, on 07971 849290

Regional trials postponed

From Clare Cooper (National Programme Lead):

After taking into consideration the current weather situation the RFUW has made the decision to POSTPONE ALL Youth Trials and the re-arranged Senior Trials this weekend 16th and 17th January 2010. In addition to the current weather across the country, we are also concerned that players have not been able to train for a long period of time due to the frozen ground, and it would be unwise for them to go straight into a trial situation.

Youth Trials will take place on Sunday 31st January as stated in the contingency calendar sent out last week. Regional Programme Managers will decide locally when Senior re-arranged Trials are to take place. Further information on dates and times will be released on http://www.regionalrugby.com and will be available through the Regional Programme Managers.

This decision has not been taken lightly and we believe that it has been made with the best interests of all Regional Programme participants in mind.

The "international" between Nomads and Wales at Saracens has already been cancelled due to a waterlogged pitch.

Herts Girls Newsletter issued

A newsletter has been issued. Articles include the county girls team triumph in the NLD tournament, the Herts U15 league, the development of girls' rugby in the county's schools, and the new Royston girls team.

Click here to see a copy.

Women's international this weekend - at Saracens

Weather permitting, Saracens RFC in Southgate are due to host an "international" this Saturday between 2009 triple crown winners Wales, and Nomads - the women's equivalent of the Barbarians.

Kick-off will be at 1pm.

President's XV award: Last chance to enter

Letchworth Girls and Welwyn Girls have been successful in the past - can you make it a Hertfordshire hat-trick?

With only three weeks left before this season’s President’s XV Awards close, there is still time to put your club/rugby organisation forward for this year’s awards.

Ability on the pitch does not govern who will win the 15 categories for which the £10,500 in prize money will be awarded - clever ideas, big or small, from any quarter which promote and support the game will be recognised and celebrated. With £500 prize money for the 15 winners and £100 for each of the 30 runners up, the PXV Panel is keen to hear about your imaginative ideas and good practice that continue developing our grassroots game.

The RFU recently launched the promotion of its CORE Values, with the focus on Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline and Sportsmanship and to highlight this, the first of this season’s 15 awards will go to the organisation with an initiative which best promotes these values. All categories embrace the key areas which together contribute to a successful, vibrant club and help to deliver opportunities in all areas of the game; from fundraising and improving facilities, to increasing member numbers and linking with the local community:

1. This Is Rugby
2. More Volunteers
3. More Referees
4. More Coaches
5. Better Facilities
6. Girl Power
7. Social Inclusion
8. Community Links
9. School's Development
10. Play On
11. Veterans
12. Technology
13. Fundraising
14. Young Volunteers (vRugby)
15. Seal of Approval Club of the Year

“The brilliant ideas and schemes that organisations come up never cease to amaze me.” says RFU President John Owen: “Entries for this competition have previously underlined not only the quality of the work being done, but also the extraordinary level of creativity and imagination which is being applied.

“The President’s XV Awards give organisations the opportunity to showcase their good ideas, earn recognition for these ideas and, more importantly, help deliver those benefits to a wider audience.”

The judging panel will be:

• RFU President John Owen
• Immediate Past President Brian Williams
• Senior Vice President Richard Appleby
• Junior Vice President Willie Wildash
• Rugby Football Union for Women President Gill Burns
• England’s most-capped player Jason Leonard
• Paul Morgan, editor of Rugby World magazine.

For full details on the President’s XV schemeand the online nomination form, visit www.rfu.com/presidentsxv. Closing date for this season’s awards is February 2, 2010.